The annual MAYDAY! Peace Conference was established at Gustavus in 1981. It occurs on the last Wednesday in April or the first Wednesday in May each year. Classes are suspended or shortened so that students and faculty may attend the events. The conference is free and open to the public, although visitors are asked to pre-reserve a ticket by visiting the website.
This year’s theme is Mighty Be Our Powers: Gender, Justice, and Peacebuilding. In her keynote address, Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee will share stories of the power of sisterhood, crossing borders, and prayer to find common ground, to empower girls and women, and to build peace. She will share her inspiring story of working to end the civil war in Liberia and the role women serve in creating peace around the world.
The event will be livestreamed and archived online.