{"id":11020,"date":"2022-09-21T17:46:51","date_gmt":"2022-09-21T17:46:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/news\/?p=11020"},"modified":"2022-10-11T20:54:07","modified_gmt":"2022-10-11T20:54:07","slug":"swedish-ambassador-norwegian-deputy-ambassador-to-speak-on-nato-ukraine-and-european-security-at-great-nato-debate-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/news\/2022\/09\/21\/swedish-ambassador-norwegian-deputy-ambassador-to-speak-on-nato-ukraine-and-european-security-at-great-nato-debate-event\/","title":{"rendered":"Swedish Ambassador, Norwegian Deputy Ambassador to Speak on NATO, Ukraine, and European Security at Great NATO Debate Event"},"content":{"rendered":"
The event will be held at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Thursday, September 22 from 5:00\u20137:45 p.m.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Her Excellency Ambassador of Sweden, Karin Olofsdotter, and Torleiv Opland, Deputy Chief of Mission, Norwegian Embassy in Washington D.C., will join the event virtually and speak on a panel. Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor of the United States will accept his 2022 Champion of Change Award and share remarks virtually.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Governor Tim Walz and\u00a0First Lady Gwen Walz\u00a0will provide remarks live and in person, and Mayor Jacob Frey, and Mayor Melvin Carter\u00a0will serve on the \u201cTurn the Tables\u201d panel. MPR News Host and Senior Reporter Nina Moini will serve as emcee, and Star Tribune Editorial Writer and Columnist, John Rash, will announce the winner.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Arguing the Affirmative will be Maren Lien, senior at St. Paul Central High School and Leah Schwitzer Rodriguez, a sophomore at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis. Arguing the Negative will be Sebastian Crea, a senior at Highland Park Senior High School, and Lillie Elizabeth Perez, a sophomore at Tartan High School, Oakdale. All are members of their schools\u2019 debate teams, hosted by the Minnesota Urban Debate League, a program of Â̲èÖ±²¥.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The Affirmative team will argue that NATO expansion will provide an important bulwark of stability, democracy, and a main force for solving climate change. While the Negative team will maintain that NATO expansion provokes rather than restrains conflict, and undermines both European security, trade, and climate change mitigation.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, and Sweden and Finland\u2019s subsequent decision to join NATO have brought the issue of NATO expansion to the forefront of global security and attention. Recognizing the vital importance of these issues, four Minnesota Urban Debate League high school students will debate the implications of Nordic countries joining NATO in a showcase debate<\/a>, and the Swedish Ambassador and Norwegian Deputy Chief of Mission will speak, respond, and take questions about Ukraine, Russia and the future of European security.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n