John de Chastelain is a retired Canadian soldier and diplomat. He headed the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, which was responsible for ensuring the decommissioning of arms by paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland. He was part of the negotiations leading up to the Good Friday Agreement in 1988 that brought peace to Northern Ireland. In 1993, he served as Canada's ambassador to the United States. His military career began in 1960 with a BA in history from Canada’s Royal Military College and a commission in the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.
Georg Milbradt is Vice-President of the independent advisory Committee of the German Stability Council. His political career includes being Minister-President of the Federal Free State of Saxony and chair of Saxony’s Christian Democratic Union. He has been a member of the German Bundesratas well as the Parliament of Saxony. Among other functions, he has held posts such as Minister of Finance for the State of Saxony, treasurer of the City of Münster and was a member of the German Parliament’s Conciliation Committee. Prof. Milbradt maintains an association with the faculty of economics at the University of Münster, where he earned degrees in politics and economics. He is the current Chairman of the Forum of Federations.
Salma Siddiqui is an Ottawa based entrepreneur and community activist. In addition to owning a corporate travel agency and a real estate development business, Ms. Siddiqui has been active in the NGO community across Canada. She is currently Chair of the Coalition of Progressive Canadian Muslim Organizations, sits on the RCMP/CSIS Muslim Advisory Committee, and is a member of the Canadian Ethnocultural Council. In 2013, the Government of Canada honoured her with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal. In 2011, Ottawa Life Magazine places her on the list of 50 Most Influential People in the capital. Ms. Siddiqui is also the 2006 recipient of the Women of Distinction for Entrepreneurial Community Giving Award, given out by YWCA Canada.
Rupak Chattopadhyay holds master's degrees in economics and political science from the University of Ottawa and the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) and did his doctoral work in political science at the University of Toronto. He was previously Director of Asia-Pacific Programs and Senior Director of Global Programs. He was also a member of the Consultative Group on the Study of Intergovernmental Relations and Dispute Resolution Mechanisms, Inter-State Council, Government of India. He is also President of the Forum of Federations In 2004 he was Advisor to the Chairman of the Observer Research Foundation. Over the last decade he has contributed as an expert in support of political and constitutional reforms in Mexico, Myanmar, Philippines, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tunisia and Yemen.