Greenland at a Crossroads: A Conversation with Rufus Gifford

Against the backdrop of renewed attention on U.S.-Denmark relations and Arctic security, Nordic Northwest and the Scan Design Foundation will welcome former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Rufus Gifford for a special fireside conversation on Monday, October 12, at Nordia House. The event comes just weeks after the United States, Denmark, and Greenland signed a new agreement aimed at strengthening Arctic and North Atlantic security.

Joining Gifford in conversation will be retired career diplomat Ambassador Steven A. Browning, whose decades of Foreign Service experience included serving as U.S. Ambassador to Uganda and Malawi, as well as senior leadership roles with the U.S. Department of State. Together, Gifford and Browning will bring firsthand perspectives from careers spanning diplomacy, international relations, national security, climate issues, and public service.

Gifford served as U.S. Ambassador to Denmark from 2013 to 2017, where his work included addressing climate change, strengthening international coalitions, and advancing clean-energy initiatives. For his service, he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.

He later served as Chief of Protocol of the United States with the rank of Ambassador from 2022 to 2023. Earlier in his career, Gifford held senior roles in Democratic presidential campaigns and at the Democratic National Committee, including serving as finance director for President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign and as deputy campaign manager for Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign.

Browning retired from the Senior Foreign Service in 2014 with the rank of Career Minister. In addition to his ambassadorial posts, his career included service as the State Department’s Special Coordinator for Ebola Response, Acting Director General and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Human Resources, and diplomatic assignments throughout Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Now based in Portland, Browning continues to lecture and teach on diplomacy, climate change and national security, and related issues.

Greenland at a Crossroads offers a timely opportunity to hear two experienced diplomats discuss Greenland, Arctic security, international cooperation, public diplomacy, and the evolving relationship between the United States and Denmark.

Tickets

General Admission: $30

Member Admission: $25

Student: $26 (Must present valid high school or college student ID upon admittance)

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