Founded in 2012, the World Peace Forum (WPF) is the first high-level international security forum initiated by a Chinese institution. It is organized by Tsinghua University and co-organized by the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA), with TUIIR undertaking the operational work. Institutionalized in 2013, the WPF has been held for 6 consecutive years. As a non-governmental annual summer event, it aims to offer an opportunity for international strategists and think-tank leaders to discuss international security issues and develop constructive approaches to dealing with threats to international security.

On 7 to 8 July 2012, the 1^stWorld Peace Forum (WPF) was heldat Tsinghua University. then-Vice President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony and delivered an important speech. The Forum had invited former Peruvian President Alan Garcia, former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, former Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, former Russian National Security Council Secretary Ivanov and former Secretary-General of the EU Council Common Foreign and Security Policy High Representative Javier Solana; all together there were 7 former national leaders. The forum included thinking tank leaders and experts from 22 countries and ambassadors from 36 countries and other foreign guests, nearly 450 people attended the opening ceremony.

On 27 to 28 June 2013, the 2^ndWorld Peace Forum (WPF) – "International Security in a Transforming World: Peace, Development and Innovation” – was held at Tsinghua University. Li Yuanchao, whom was the then-Vice President of the People's Republic of China, gave an important remark themed “United in Our Pursuit of Peace and Security”. The Forum had invited Former President of Sierra Leone Ernest Bai Koroma,President of Suriname Dési Bouterse,Shanghai Cooperation Organization Deputy Secretary-General Jalolov Mirzosharif, former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, former Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz,former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, former Japanese Prime Minister of Yukio Hatoyama, Former National Security Advisor of the United States Zbigniew Brzezinski, former Russian Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov, former EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana and other incumbent and former government officials. Compared to 2012, this year's forum participant’s level, the number of countries and regions as well as the extent of coverage and other aspects have surpassed last year’s Forum.

On 21 to 22 June 2014, the 3^rdWorld Peace Forum (WPF)–“In Pursuit of Common Security: Peace, Mutual Trust, and Responsibility”–was held at Tsinghua University. Former Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, former Malaysian prime minister Abdullah Badawi, former French prime minister Dominique de Villepin, former Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama, former Russian Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov, and former EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana are on the list of the forum guests. China's State Councilor Yang Jiechi delivered the opening speech at the opening ceremony and a video speech by Henry Kissinger was played at the ceremony. According to the agenda released at the press conference, a wide range of topics will be discussed at the forum, including Asia-Pacific regional security, Sino-US relations, Japan's China policy, the Korean Peninsula and non-traditional security issues.

On 27 to 28 June 2015, the 4^thWorld Peace Forum (WPF) – “Overcome Difficulties: Understanding, Consultation, and Reciprocity” – was held at Tsinghua University.The Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao addressed the opening ceremony and the former State Councilor and Chairman of the World Peace Forum Tang Jiaxuan delivered a welcoming address at the Forum. The WPF opening ceremony was hosted by Tsinghua University President Qiu Yong. The former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, former Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, former French prime minister Dominique de Villepin, Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Former National Security Advisor of the United States Stephen Hadley,former EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, and Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran are on the list of the forum guests. Main topics of the forum include security cooperation among major powers, security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, European and global security cooperation, and regional security cooperation. Some 500 former foreign leaders and scholars participated in the plenary meeting and panels on different issues.

On 16 to 17 July 2016, the 5^thWorld Peace Forum (WPF) – “Cooperation, Inclusiveness and Open-access” – was held at Tsinghua University, the two-day forum hosted ceremony lectures, dinner meetings, panel talks, press conferences and plenary discussions for all participants to bolster communication and understanding in order to promote the “Global Security Order” collaboratively. The Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong addresses the opening ceremony. The former Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, former Prime Minister of Japan Yukio Hatoyama, former French prime minister Dominique de Villepin, former Russian Security Council Secretary Andrei Kokoshin, andformer EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solanaare on the list of the forum guests. Representatives from 52 embassies attended the forum with 35 ambassadors participating in the opening ceremony. 43 scholars from think tanks in more than 20 countries including the UK, the U.S., Japan, India, and South Korea delivered presentations. In addition, there was strong representation from diverse range of universities and faculty, particularly the nearly 200 Chinese and international scholars of international relations.

On 24 to 25 June 2017, the 6th World Peace Forum (WPF) – “On Challenges to International Security: Joint Efforts, Responsibility and Reform” – was held in Tsinghua University. The Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Arken Imibakhi attended and addressed the opening ceremony. The Chairman of the Forum Tang Jiaxuan and more than 450 Chinese and foreign guests were present at the forum. The former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, former Thai Prime Minister Sathirathai Surakiart, former Russian Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov, former Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Seyed Ali Naghi Kharrazi, former Pakistani Minister of Foreign Affairs, former Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert John Carr, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of South Korea Kim Sung-Hwan, former South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoon Young-kwan, Executive Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Zhang Yesui, and Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of China's National People's Congress Fu Ying are among the forum guests. The main topics of the forum included Challenges to International Security, International Security in the Trend of Anti-globalization, Regional Security Issues and International Cooperation, and Uncertainties in International Security.

As of 2017, there are more than 30 state leaders, 60 ministers of foreign affair, 260 ambassadors and 1300 guests and 1800 medium attending to this annual event, which ensures that the WPF is influential globally and thought-provoking professionally.

On 14 to 15 July 2018, the 7^thWorld Peace Forum (WPF) – “Constructing a Security Community: Equality, Equity and Justice” – opened at Tsinghua University. Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, addressed the opening ceremony. The forum was attended by former Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai, former President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, former President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, former Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Seyed Ali Naghi Kharrazi, former Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy, former Pakistani Foreign Secretary of Riaz Khokhar, former Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi, former Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia Gareth Evans, former South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kim Sung-Hwan, former Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, former Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, the Vice Minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China Le Yucheng, the Vice Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress of China Fu Ying, the former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China He Yafei and other former politicians and opinion leaders from around the world. Diplomatic envoys from more than 40 countries attended the opening ceremony. 70 think tank scholars from 23 countries spoke at the forum, and 270 researchers and practitioners in the field of international relations were present at the event. The President of the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs Wu Hailong, the former President of the China International Institute for Strategic Studies Xiong Guangkai, the Chairperson of Tsinghua University Council Chen Xu, and the Vice President of Tsinghua University Yang Bin also attended the forum. Yan Xuetong, the Secretary General of World Peace Forum, moderated the opening ceremony. During the two-day forum, current solutions to the security challenges faced by the international community will be discussed. Besides topics such as anti-terrorism and anti-nuclear proliferation, security issues, including trade conflicts and economic security, AI technology and its impact on international relation, are also on the agenda this year.

The 8^thWorld Peace Forum (WPF) opened at Tsinghua University on July 8th, with the theme of “Stabilizing the World Order: Common Responsibilities, Joint Management, and Shared Benefits”. Wang Qishan, Vice President of China, addressed the opening ceremony.The forum was attended by former President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai, former President of Indonesia Megawati Soekarnoputri, former Prime Minister of Singapore Goh Chok Tong, former President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, former Secretary of Security Council of the Russian Federation Igor Ivanov, and other former politicians and opinion leaders from around the world. Diplomatic envoys from more than 50 countries attended the opening ceremony. More than 100 think tank scholars from 24 countries spoke at the forum, and 200 researchers and practitioners in the field of international relations were present at the event. The Vice Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of China’s 13th National People’s Congress Fu Ying, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China Le Yucheng and Zheng Zeguang, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education of China Zheng Fuzhi, the President of the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs Wang Chao, the President of Tsinghua University Qiu Yong, the Chairperson of Tsinghua University Council Chen Xu, the Vice President of the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs Li Huilai and the Vice President of Tsinghua University Zheng Li also attended the forum. Yan Xuetong, the Secretary General of the World Peace Forum, moderated the opening ceremony.During the two-day forum, topics including geopolitics and relations among the major powers, regional security cooperation, multilateralism vs. unilateralism, international order transformation and regional conflicts, free trade zone construction and trade norms, new trends in the international counter-terrorism situation, artificial intelligence: technology and governance, BRICS and world order, and other relevant topics will be discussed. The forum will have two plenaries, two plenary panels, one lunch meeting, and 22 panels, covering global, regional and other relevant issues.