By Samantha Lund, News Writer
An international peacemaker is scheduled to visit Pacific Lutheran University Monday and Tuesday on his way to the Nobel Peace conference. Steinar Bryn’s visit will be one of many he has made to PLU to speak to students about the Nansen Dialogue Network (NDN).
The NDN is an international organization that promotes dialogue and peace building talks in countries with active conflict. Bryn received a nomination for his fourth Nobel Peace Prize this year for his work with NDN. He actively works on building peace in the world’s conflict-sensitive areas.
Bryn is the senior advisor of NDN. NDN’s vision is “to empower people who live in conflict situations to contribute to peaceful conflict transformation on the basis of democracy and human rights” according to its website.
It also has a modern take on conflict resolution. As its website states, NDN brings together a variety of people to discuss their conflict and solutions, seeking institutional change and beneficial joint understanding.
PLU teaches NDN’s method to communications students, and one of the Wang Center’s study away programs is at the headquarters of NDN in Lillehammer, Norway.
In the last decade, Bryn has visited PLU many times. Amanda Feller of the communications program said she is close with Bryn and keeps him coming back to PLU along with the Wang Center and the Norwegian studies program. Feller is the leading professor of PLU’s conflict and global peace building major.
For his upcoming visit, Bryn will be guest lecturing in communications and Norwegian studies classes. He will also be speaking with different groups of students on campus and there will be a final lecture open to the whole campus Tuesday.
Bryn also will be hosting a screening of his award-winning film “Reunion: Ten Years After the War” Tuesday night from 6-8 p.m. in the Chris Knutsen room of the Anderson University Center. The film, released in 2011, revolves around the meeting of Albanians and Serbians for the first time since their countries began fighting in 1999.
The final lecture by Bryn is open to the entire campus and students are encouraged to come.
