News Archives - 1996

Augsburg College will become the first college in the world to be designated a Peace Site during a ceremony on campus March 4. Augsburg will join some 600 Peace Sites worldwide as designated by the group World Citizen Inc., which began the Peace Site program in 1988.

The designation for Augsburg, approved recently by the school's Student Senate, will be publicly acknowledged March 4, 6 p.m., at the college's annual International Dinner and Fashion Show. Augsburg officials will accept a Peace Site flag and plaque from Lynn Elling, World Citizen's international coordinator. Elling first approached staff at Augburg's Center for Global Education about the college becoming a Peace Site in 1995 during the Peace Prize Forum held at Augsburg that year. Augsburg is one of five Lutheran colleges that host the annual Forum in cooperation with the Norwegian Nobel Institute, which awards the Peace Prizes.

There are 133 Peace Sites in Minnesota, including 72 elementary and secondary schools, Elling says. Peace Sites, according to Elling, are committed to protecting the environment, promoting intercultural understanding and celebrating cultural differences, seeking peace within themselves and in relationships with others, reaching out in service to others, and working toward world law with justice. World Citizen Inc. connects Peace Sites with educational and information resources of many associated organizations, such as the United Nations Association, the Stanley Foundation and the World Federalists.

For more information on World Citizen Inc.'s Peace Site program, contact Mr. Lynn Elling at 612/831-2531 or 612/729-5133.