Francois Zankih

Francois Zankih is a young policy practitioner and activist focused on peace, security, conflict, and human rights. He is the founder of the Tukhum Institute, a think-and-do tank advancing people-to-people diplomacy and diplomatic and geopolitical transparency, and the founder and Executive Director of the Guardians of Equality Movement (GEM).
He is also an endurance athlete, cyclist, and runner who uses sport to advocate for peace and humanitarian causes.
His activism emerged from his experiences of war, family loss, and authoritarian persecution in Syria. His fieldwork has examined conflict dynamics, armed non-state actors, deradicalization, and civilian protection. His work exposed him to severe security risks, including kidnapping, torture, and direct persecution, ultimately forcing him into exile.
Zankih has published with institutions including the Atlantic Council, appeared on Voice of America, and spoken on more than fourteen international panels hosted by institutions including the University of Cambridge, the Council of Europe, and the United Nations.