Minot State to host International Peace Garden Conference

MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University will host the 73rd annual International Peace Garden Conference at Hartnett Hall on Friday, Oct. 24.

The International Peace Garden Conference, held in conjunction with Minot State University and Brandon University (Manitoba), is an opportunity for students from MSU and Brandon University to share research on issues related to democracy and political engagement. All events are scheduled for Hartnett Hall’s Collaboration Space.

“This is a complete refresh and revamp of the format this year,” said Jynette Larshus, Minot State associate professor of sociology. “Normally, we go up to the International Peace Garden, but we’ve decided to do it at alternating universities. This format is going to be more of a traditional conference with the morning paper presentation and a featured speaker. It will be more interdisciplinary and inclusive for the student body and will have a public aspect we haven’t had before.”

Titled "Civil Discourse in Contentious Times," the conference will feature student paper presentations, participant lunch, speaker Jack Russel Weinstein, Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor of philosophy and director of the Institute for Philosophy in Public Life at the University of North Dakota, and a student coffee hour with Weinstein.

“Dr. Weinstein’s address will explore how we have those hard conversations in everyday life, which is more vital than ever,” Larshus said. “With his area of expertise, we have the ideal speaker for the conference.”

The long-standing conference is named after the International Peace Garden, nestled in the Turtle Mountains along the U.S. and Canadian border. North Dakota and Manitoba combined to donate nearly 2,400 acres along the international boundary line to establish the garden with an official dedication on July 14, 1932. Celebrations of peace and cooperation continue at the International Peace Garden, with unique installations like the Carillion Bells, the Hands of Peace sculpture, and the 9/11 Memorial.

The 2025 International Peace Garden Conference begins at 10 a.m. with student paper presentations. This event is only open to those registered for the conference or attending a class. A participant lunch will run from 12:30-1:30 p.m., with Weinstein's keynote address beginning at 1:30 p.m. The keynote address is open to the public. Following the address, the student coffee hour will begin at 3:30 p.m. and is open to MSU students only.

The International Peace Garden Conference is supported by a Minot State Cultural and Intellectual Engagement Council grant, the Minot State Vice President for Academic Affairs office, and the MSU Department of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Interdisciplinary Studies. See attached FLYER for more information.