Identity area
Type of entity
Corporate body
Authorized form of name
Canadian Institute of International Affairs
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1928-
History
The Canadian Institute of International Affairs was founded by Sir Robert Borden, Sir Arthur Currie, John W. Dafoe and Sir Joseph Flavelle in 1928. It is a national, non-partisan, non-governmental organization dedicated to the discussion and analysis of international affairs. Its purpose is to prepare Canadians for participation at international conferences such as the Institute of Pacific Relations and, more broadly, to engage effectively in the international sphere. A grant from the Massey Foundation in 1932 made it possible to appoint Escott Reid as the Canadian Institute of International Affairs' first full-time national secretary. Today there are 13 CIIA branches across the country that together organize more than 70 events each year, providing forums for the study and discussion of Canada's position and policies in the world. The national office organizes an annual foreign policy conference, lecture series and policy development workshops. It continues to maintain close co-operation with the DEA (now the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, DFAIT) and other government departments.