Why the 'Mother of Sustainability' is coming to Sioux Falls

Megan Raposa -

This is a paid piece from the Augustana Center for Western Studies.

Simplified: Former prime minister of Norway and noted "Mother of Sustainability" Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland will speak in Sioux Falls next week at the 26th Boe Forum on Public Affairs hosted by Augustana University and the Center for Western Studies.

Why it matters

  • Sustainability is a big topic, and a particularly important one as people face immediate and future challenges of climate change, Augustana President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin said.
  • Brundtland's talk will focus on sustainable development and, in her own words, "meeting the demands of the present generations while preserving the rights of  future generations to meet their own needs."
  • The Boe Forum – named for former South Dakota Gov. Nils Boe, who created the event – aims to bring speakers to address widely interesting and important current topics. Past speakers include Madeline Albright, Neil deGrasse Tyson and former U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation Michael A. McFaul.
"We are especially pleased to hear Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland speak about the way sustainable development provides a growth-positive approach to the future." stated Dr. Harry Thompson, executive director of the Center for Western Studies.

Tell me more about the speaker

Brundtland started her career as a physician, and in 1981 at age 41 became the first woman prime minister of Norway and the youngest person to hold the position.

She also spent five years as the director-general of the World Health Organization – during which time she was credited with helping prevent the widespread growth of the SARS virus.

More recently, in 2007 Brundtland was founding member of “The Elders."

  • That group of leaders was called together by Nelson Mandela and chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu with the goal of tackling the world's toughest problems and making the world a better place.

Tell me more about the event

The Boe Forum will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14 at the Elmen Center on Augustana's Campus.

Tickets are free and available here.