News Archives - 2007

Augsburg’s Political Science Department and Sabo Scholars hosted various international dignitaries and representatives from several international relief organizations at a dinner in East Commons Monday Night. The topic bringing them together was landmines and hunger. The dinner served as a kick-off to Tuesday's conference at the Humphrey Institute entitled "The Long-term Costs of War:  Landmine Abatement in Laos," sponsored by New York-based Humpty Dumpty Institute.

Guests included diplomats and representatives from Laos, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka, key governmental and organizational figures, Congresswoman Betty McCollum, and keynote speaker James T. Morris, former executive director of the United Nations World Food Program, the world’s largest humanitarian agency.
 
"The most powerful investment the world can make is to eliminate child hunger," said James T. Morris in his address. "The issue could be a unifying one, where the world could come together for the common good. I don’t know why it's so difficult."

For tens and thousands of Southeast Asians, what is standing in the way of sustainable agriculture and even food delivery are thousands of acres of unsafe land which were showered with landmines during the Vietnam War. Progress in clearing landmines has been made, but the work continues.

Minneapolis was chosen as the location for the conference due to the sizeable Laotian population. "It adds authenticity and a new flavor to discussions," Morris said.

Photo: James T. Morris