Championing civil and substantive
public debate.

About Us

Our mission is to help the world rediscover the art of civil and substantive public debate by convening the brightest thinkers of our time to weigh in on the big issues of the day.

We have done this year in and year out since 2008 by hosting in-person debates in Toronto, Canada, the world’s only one-on-one debate podcast, in-depth interviews with original thinkers, and Canada’s only federal election debate on foreign policy.

Our activities are funded by individual member donations and the generous, long-term support of the Munk family.

We are a program of the Aurea Foundation; a Canadian sister foundation to the Peter and Melanie Munk Charitable Foundation.

All donations and revenues garnered through our activities are used to support the Munk Debates.

Peter Munk, Founder

The Munk Debates are the living legacy of Peter Munk (1927–2018).

As an industrialist, serial entrepreneur, and stalwart champion of free speech, Peter Munk made an indelible impression on Canada.

The foundational experience of his remarkable life was fleeing Nazi persecution in Europe to find welcome and a new future in Canada.

His love of democracy, liberty, and commitment to risk taking and global relevance are the bywords of the Munk Debates.

In the Munk Debates, we honour Peter’s outsized contribution to Canada and his commitment to free, open, civil and substantive public debate.

Our Team