Hidden in plain sight in Minneapolis MN is the annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum at Augsburg College. Here is the link for the final three days of the Forum (The first day, Peace Day on Saturday, March 1, with the Dalai Lama, is sold out.)
Now in its 26th year, the Forum annually calls attention to the urgent mission of peace around the world, as envisioned by Alfred Nobel. Every day has a different theme:
Friday March 7 is Law and Business Day,
March 7 is also Peace Prize Festival for School Children (over 900 attendance, this event not open to the general public)
Saturday March 8 is Science and Health Day
Sunday March 9 is Global Day
Each day has internationally known keynote speakers (this year, several Nobel Peace Prize Laureates are in attendance); and very interesting breakout sessions on the theme of the day.
Of specific general interest to the general public is Global Day. Among this years presentors is Ms Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Laureate from Liberia who is a Peace and Woman’s Rights advocate.
I have attended the entirety of the last three Peace Prize Forums*, and they have been uniformly excellent and intellectually stimulating. In addition to the sessions themselves is the opportunity to network with persons with similar interests.
Do take the time to browse the Forum Website; let others know, and plan to attend yourself.
A recent blogpost about this years Forum can be seen here.
* – Until 2011, the Peace Prize Forum alternated between five Midwest Norwegian Lutheran Colleges, Augsburg, Concordia at Moorhead MN, St. Olaf in Northfield MN, Augustana in Sioux Falls SD, and Luther in Decorah IA. In 2011 the decision was made to permanently have the Forum at Augsburg College.