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Mission & values

About / Mission & values
Contemporary building with large windows and geometric design next to a historic stone mansion. Sign reads American Swedish Institute. The sky is partly cloudy, and there are trees and greenery around the buildings.

Our mission

The American Swedish Institute’s mission is to inspire curiosity, embrace creativity, and grow community by exploring the past, present, and future of Swedish culture.

Our vision

At ASI, we envision a future where communities, connected by stories and ideas from near and far, find inspiration and build a shared future.

Our values

Relationships

The relationships we cultivate, both locally and globally, are at the core of our work. We build bridges across cultures and generations as we foster community and sustain lasting relationships over time.

Diversity

We believe that communities that hold and embrace diversity and change are vibrant, joyful, and resilient. We engage with the complexities, creativity, and impacts of the interconnections among cultures and histories.

Curiosity

We believe that being open to reflection, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas can lead to innovation and transformation. We offer unique, varied experiences that pique curiosity, invite participation, encourage new ways of thinking, and deepen learning.

Stewardship

We value our individual and shared histories, honoring what has come before while remaining open to what is to come. We preserve this historic site and cultural center as well as the heritage, practices, and artifacts of Swedish and Swedish American cultures so all generations may explore and be inspired by them.

Acknowledgement of the Dakota People

Welcome to the American Swedish Institute. We wish to acknowledge the Dakota peoples, on whose land we meet, and to thank them for their ongoing care of the land, and acknowledge their connections to this community and the richness of their culture. In this spirit and in recognition of the growing diversity of our neighborhood, we thank you for coming here and for being a part of the American Swedish Institute’s mission to serve as a gathering place for ALL people.