Luther College announces Ine Eriksen Søreide, Norway’s first female foreign minister, as 2025 commencement speaker

Ine Eriksen Søreide, the first woman to serve as Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, will give the 2025 commencement address at 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 25, at Luther College’s Carlson Stadium.

Ine Eriksen Søreide

“As we enter into a year of commemorations of the 200th anniversary of the first organized Norwegian migration to America, we are excited to welcome a veteran member of the Norwegian government to speak to our graduates,” said Luther College President Brad Chamberlain. “Ine Eriksen Søreide brings to us a unique perspective on the value of community on the world stage from her time in roles as Norway’s Minister of Defense and Minister of Foreign Affairs.”

Eriksen Søreide is the chair of the Norwegian Parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense. She served as Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2017 to 2021.

Prior to that position, Eriksen Søreide was the Minister of Defense from 2013 to 2017. She chaired the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense from 2009 to 2013 and the Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs from 2005 to 2009.

Born in Strømmen, Norway, Eriksen Søreide received her law degree from the University of Tromsø. She was elected to the Norwegian Parliament in 2001.

No tickets are required for the outdoor commencement ceremony. The event will be livestreamed. More information is available at commencement.luther.edu.