Three Faculty Will Give Presentations at Nobel Peace Prize Forum

Three University of St. Thomas faculty will present sessions at the 24th annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum, a “global event that brings Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, civic leaders and scholars together with students and other citizens.”

The three-day event is open to the public, and students especially are invited to attend. The forum will be hosted by Augsburg College, Thursday-Saturday, March 1-3, under the theme of “The Price of Peace.”

Presentations by UST faculty members:

  • Dr. Sarah Schmalenberger and Dr. Vanessa Cornett-Murtada, Music, will present “Musicking Peace: Conflict Resolution Through Collaborative Improvisation” at 2:30 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. Thursday, March 1, in Ferguson Hall on the University of Minnesota’s West Bank campus.
  • Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Justice and Peace Studies, will present “The Price of Peace and the Costs of War: How War and Wall Street Hijack Our Future and What We Can Do About It” at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, March 1, at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and at 10:45 a.m. Saturday, March 3, at Augsburg College.
  • Dr. Vanessa Cornett-Murtada, Music, and Salam Murtada will present “Angham al-Salaam/Melodies of Peace: Uniting Israel and Palestine Through Music” at 10:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Saturday, March 3, at Augsburg College.

Organizers for the Nobel Peace Prize Forum describe it as “an annual event that inspires students and other citizens to become active participants in peacemaking efforts around the world. For 23 years it has been the Norwegian Nobel Institute’s only such program or academic affiliation outside of Norway.”

This year’s keynote speakers and featured guests:

  • F.W. de Klerk, former President of South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
  • Dr. Alf Bjørseth, chairman of Scatec AS, renewable energy technologies
  • Joe Cavanaugh, founder and chief executive officer, Youth Frontiers
  • Dessa, writer, rapper and speaker
  • Adam Hochschild, author, journalist and teacher
  • LaJune Lang, Honorary Consul for South Africa and founder of the International Leadership Institute
  • Sakumzi (“Saki”) Macozoma, business leader and former member of the South African Parliament
  • Andrew Slack, executive director, The Harry Potter Alliance
  • Naomi Tutu, international human rights advocate and daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu
  • Jonathan Mann, correspondent, CNN International

Special events during the forum include a performance of Benjamin Britten’s “War Requiem” and an interactive discussion with artist Dessa on “Ethics and Hip Hop.”

Registration is based on a daily admission fee of $20 for students and $40 for the general public:

  • Thursday, March 1 – Arts and Music Day; Business Day
  • Friday, March 2 – Education Day
  • Saturday, March 3 – Global Studies Day

To register and for more information visit the Nobel Peace Prize Forum website.