Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of former Congressman Arlen Erdahl as the honorary Minnesota chair of United Nations Day.  U.N. Day is celebrated annually on October 24th.  

Arlen I. Erdahl, of Burnsville, served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1979 to 1983.  While in Congress, he served as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.  From 1983 to 1985, he served in the United States Peace Corps as country director for Jamaica.  From 1986 to 1989, Erdahl served as associate director of the Peace Corps.  From 1989 to 1993, he served as principal assistant secretary for international affairs in the U.S. Department of Energy.  Erdahl currently serves as the president of Stassen, Stern & Erdahl, International, a consulting firm in Eden Prairie. 

Erdahl began his public service career as a State Representative.  He served in the Minnesota House from 1963 to 1970.  He then went on to serve as Minnesota's Secretary of State from 1970 to 1974, and as a member of the Minnesota Public Service Commission from 1975 to 1978.  He is a past president and currently board member of the Minnesota chapter of United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA). 

Erdahl was born in Blue Earth, Minnesota and attended Faribault county public schools.  He received a B.A. from St. Olaf College, and a M.P.A. from Harvard University.  Erdahl served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956.  He also served as a Congressional Fellow in Washington D.C. in 1967-68. 

United Nations Day marks the anniversary of the date when the United Nations Charter went into effect.  Public officials, educators, students and civic groups across the country use the occasion to hold activities to build public awareness and support for international cooperation through an even more effective United Nations.  United Nations Day celebrations are sponsored throughout the country by the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA).  For more information, see www.unausa.org.