Penn State and State College Borough are partnering to host PA Dignity Day from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus, as part of the international celebration of Global Dignity Day.
This year’s event will feature a free half-day conference with keynote speakers, dignity training and community discussions where attendees can share insights about fostering dignity in their communities with others. A buffet lunch will be provided.
Registration is available online.
Held on the third Wednesday of October since 2008, Global Dignity Day is an international celebration of dignity, unification and humanity.
“Dignity is not an abstract belief but the inherent value and worth with which every human being is born,” State College Mayor Ezra Nanes said during Borough Council’s Oct. 6 meeting in a proclamation declaring Oct. 15 as Pennsylvania Dignity Day in the borough.
“Honoring dignity does not mean avoiding conflict or remaining passive in the face of harm. It requires active, courageous engagement, standing up for what is right with self-awareness and clarity. Honoring dignity strengthens our ability to collaborate, resolve conflict, and engage across differences in ways that build connection rather than division. By
recognizing the powerful role of emotion in human interactions, we build trust and understanding that allow communities to thrive.”
Keynote speakers and workshop facilitators for PA Dignity Day 2025 include:
- Donna Hicks, an associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University and a leading expert on the role of dignity in conflict resolution.
- Tami Pyfer, the chief external affairs officer for UNITE and co-creator of the Dignity Index. Tami leads the Dignity Index government and corporate partnerships. She was a 2024 Emerson Collective Fellow and was named one of USA Today’s 2025 Women of the Year.
- Madeleine Jones, the field director at the Dignity Index where she leads efforts to embed dignity-centered practices within colleges and universities.
For more information, visit outreach.psu.edu/pa-dignity-day.
