About Westminster Town Hall Forum
History
The 28-year old Westminster Town Hall Forum traces its roots to an informal lecture series on public affairs at Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Minneapolis. In 1980, a group of visionary church members, including Diane and Paul Niemann and the Rev. Donald M. Meisel, recognized a need in the greater community for an expanded understanding of the complex issues confronting our society and world. They developed the concept of a free, noontime forum where leading thinkers, authors, innovators, and activists could provide ethical reflection on pressing contemporary issues. A guiding theme for the Forum was established — voices of conscience: key issues in ethical perspective. To ensure that the Forum included a broad range of ideas and opinions, the founders determined that forums would be nonpartisan, nonsectarian, and free and open to the public. Those basis tenets remain essential components of the Forum today.
Speakers
More than 200 speakers have addressed the Forum during those 28 years, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Elie Wiesel, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Shirley Chisholm, Arthur Schlesinger, Ellen Goodman, Cornel West, Thomas Friedman, Robert Coles, Walter Mondale, Marian Wright Edelman, Edward Albee, Elaine Pagels, Salman Rushdie, and David Brooks.
General information
Forums are held from noon to 1:00 pm at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Nicollet Mall and 12th Street, in downtown Minneapolis. Each forum is preceded by music at 11:30 am. A public reception and small group discussion follow the forum from 1:00 to 2:00 pm. Town Hall Forums are broadcast on the News and Information stations of Minnesota Public Radio.
Seating can be reserved for groups of 25 or more by calling the Town Hall Forum at 612-332-3421. Convenient parking is available across the street from Westminster at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Nicollet Mall and 13th Street, and at Orchestra Hall Ramp, Marquette Avenue and 11th Street.
We welcome your financial support in our efforts to keep this forum free and open to the public. Donations can be mailed to: the Westminster Town Hall Forum, 1200 Marquette Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403.
Questions?
Visit WestminsterTownHallForum.org, or contact Susan McKenna at 612-332-3421, or smckenna@wpc-mpls.org.
