Message From The Brewer Foundation Chairman

Celebrating Record Global Participation in the International Public Policy Forum

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Brewer Foundation / NYU International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) and a new milestone in our mission to advance civil discourse around the world. The 2025–26 IPPF drew a record 332 teams from 39 countries, the largest and most globally diverse qualifying round field in our history.

This participation reflects something powerful and encouraging: young people are eager to engage in thoughtful dialogue about the issues shaping our world. At a time when public conversation can feel polarized, these high school students are demonstrating that reasoned debate and intellectual curiosity still unite us across borders and perspectives.

From an essay contest that sparks research and reflection, to written and oral debates that demand evidence, empathy, and clarity, the IPPF challenges students to test their ideas and themselves. Their enthusiasm for this work underscores why the Brewer Foundation launched this forum 25 years ago: to cultivate the next generation of thinkers and communicators who can build solutions through dialogue.

As we prepare to announce the advancing Top 64 teams later this week, we are reminded of how far the IPPF has come and how vital its purpose remains. Our student participants represent the best of what education can inspire: minds open to inquiry, voices committed to civility, and hearts willing to engage with complexity.

We look forward to sharing their progress in the months ahead and to continuing our partnership with those who share our belief that words, used well, can change the world.

William A. Brewer III Brewer Foundation Chairman