Norway House to Host Global Peace Forum
The inaugural daylong forum, open to the public, is set for November 19, 2026, with New York Times columnist Tom Friedman as keynote speaker.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Lecture and Seminars
Norway House in Minneapolis will host its inaugural Global Peace Forum on November 19, 2026. The public event will center on the disruptive influences of AI and global insecurity.
Why it matters
The forum builds on Norway House's long history of seminars on conflict and peace. Organizers hope it will eventually grow into a destination event on the scale of Davos, Munich, Sun Valley, and Cannes.
The forum is scheduled as a single daylong seminar on November 19, 2026, with keynote speaker Tom Friedman, who has written the New York Times foreign affairs column since 1995. Public attendance figures and ticket sales have not been announced.
The players
Norway House
A Minneapolis gathering spot known for coffee, cardamom pastries, seasonal events, and genealogical research, which has long hosted seminars on conflict and peace.
Tom Friedman
A St. Louis Park native who has been the New York Times foreign affairs columnist since 1995 and is a prominent commentator on geopolitics and globalization.
Janet Dolan
The chair of the forum organization, who envisions Minnesota becoming a place people visit once a year for a deep conversation on global issues.
The details
Janet Dolan chairs the organization running the forum, which is designed as a daylong seminar open to the public. Friedman, a St. Louis Park native, recently wrote an essay on Minnesotans' response to Operation Metro Surge, the federal immigration crackdown.
Timeline
Spring 2026: Friedman writes essay on Minnesotans' response to Operation Metro Surge.
November 19, 2026: Norway House hosts the inaugural Global Peace Forum.
Season Trajectory
The Global Peace Forum seeks to join the ranks of established annual gatherings such as the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Munich Security Conference, the Sun Valley conference, and the Cannes Film Festival. Its success would depend on whether it can sustain a recurring format that draws national attention beyond Minnesota.
The forum is open to the public, so Minneapolis-area residents can attend the daylong seminar on November 19, 2026. Details on registration and cost were not included in the announcement.
The takeaway
Community-hosted seminars like the Global Peace Forum offer Minneapolis residents an accessible way to engage directly with global issues in person.
What happens next
The inaugural Global Peace Forum takes place at Norway House on November 19, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more Lecture and Seminars coverage in Minneapolis.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Star Tribune.
