Augustana University will host former Prime Minister of Norway Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland for the 2023 Boe Forum on Public Affairs.
The free event invites world leaders to Augustana for a discussion about relevant political and societal issues. Brundtland, a leading climate and public health activist, will discuss sustainable development.
Brundtland became Norway’s first female prime minster in 1981 and left office in 1996. Beginning in 1983, she led the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development. The commission was influential in the field of sustainable development, which it defined as “[meeting] the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Brundtland also worked as director-general for the World Health Organization, serving during the 2002 SARS outbreak.
Brundtland will give a lecture on the subject of sustainable development, then participate in a Q&A with students moderated by university president Stephanie Herseth Sandlin.
"The former prime minister’s passion for public health and the environment, vast knowledge and expertise, and commitment to collaboration and inclusivity have influenced transformational change,” Herseth Sandlin said in a press release. “Dr. Harlem Brundtland’s address will bring invaluable insight on the importance of empowering communities to find sustainable solutions that improve the health of people and the planet.”
The 2023 Boe Forum on Public Affairs will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 16. Tickets are free and will become available in January.