Honoring the Past and Looking to the Future

A delegation from the city of Uppsala, Sweden, and Uppsala University visited the University of Minnesota on September 15 to celebrate historic relationships and look to the future in key areas of shared interest.

Celebrating Our History 

The 14-member delegation is visiting Minnesota to honor the 25th anniversary of the Sister City relationship founded in 2000 by Uppsala and Minneapolis. The American Swedish Institute has been the sponsoring civic organization in Minneapolis for this relationship since its beginning. 

In 1997, Minneapolis leaders formally invited Uppsala to become a sister city, recognizing shared values and striking similarities. A Minneapolis delegation led by Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton visited Uppsala in 2000 to sign the agreement.

The seeds of the relationship were planted in 1983 with the launch of an exchange program between the law faculty and students at the University of Minnesota and Uppsala University—a collaboration that remains active to this day. Minnesota Law welcomed members of the Swedish delegation, distinguished faculty of Uppsala University, and current and former Law School faculty and exchange students to a celebratory reception in honor of the 40 years of collaboration. 

Shared Values and Common Ground 

Uppsala and Minneapolis have much in common. Both cities host strong educational institutions with vibrant student populations, and they prioritize sustainability, clean tech, and innovative urban planning. Both have significant Somali immigrant populations, leading to shared policy challenges and opportunities for cooperation. Geographically, both are river cities in glaciated regions with lakes, forests, and deep connections to nature. And cultural life thrives in both cities, with a focus on choral music, visual arts, and public festivals—even in winter. 

During the delegation’s visit to campus, they heard from a variety of experts from the UMN Minnesota Design Center, Institute on the Environment, and Immigration History Research Center, and from local organizations including the Great Plains Institute, Minnesota State Demographic Center, and the City of Minneapolis Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham welcomed the group to campus and highlighted that the University’s upcoming 5-year roadmap will have strong emphasis in many areas of common interest with Uppsala, including sustainability, freshwater resources, and climate change. 

The campus visit was organized by the UMN Global Programs and Strategy Alliance in partnership with Meet Minneapolis and the American Swedish Institute.

Featured image above includes (left to right) UMN President Rebecca Cunningham and UI Vice Chancellor Anders Hagfeldt.