Caroline Descombris

Name: Paris Peace Forum 2025
Start: 2025-10-29T09:30:00+01:00
End: 2025-10-30T18:00:00+01:00

Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative

Executive Director, Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative

Description

Caroline Descombris has been leading Forest Whitaker’s non-profit organization, the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI), since its founding in 2012. She has collaborated with Whitaker on establishing the NGO, designing programs, and implementing initiatives on the ground. Under her leadership, WPDI has expanded to six countries across three continents. Ms. Descombris also serves as Strategic Adviser to Forest Whitaker in his various roles at the UN, including as UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation and SDG Advocate. Before joining WPDI, Ms. Descombris spent over ten years working within the UN system, initially as a Membership Liaison Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean, and later as a Program Specialist at UNESCO's Bureau of Strategic Planning.