Greg Mortenson, SPk (born December 27, 1957) is an American humanitarian

Humanitarianism

In its most general form, humanitarianism is an ethic of kindness, benevolence and sympathy extended universally and impartially to all human beings. Humanitarianism has been an evolving concept historically but universality is a common element in its evolution...

, professional speaker, writer, and former mountaineer. He is the co-founder and executive director of the non-profit Central Asia Institute

Central Asia Institute

The Central Asia Institute is an American non-profit organization, co-founded by Greg Mortenson and Jean Hoerni and based in Bozeman, Montana...

 as well as the founder of the educational charity Pennies for Peace

Pennies for Peace

Pennies for Peace is an international service-learning program sponsored by the Central Asia Institute that "helps educate American children about the world to show them they can make a difference one penny at a time." The program focuses on raising cross-cultural awareness through education to...

. Mortenson is the co-author of the New York Times Bestsellers Three Cups of Tea

Three Cups of Tea

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time is a book by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin published by Penguin in 2006. For four years, the book remained on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller's list...

 and author of Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan

Stones into Schools

Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan is a New York Times bestselling book by Greg Mortenson published by Viking in 2009...

. In April 2011, he was accused of using literary license in his non-fiction books and of financial improprieties at his charity, Central Asia Institute

Central Asia Institute

The Central Asia Institute is an American non-profit organization, co-founded by Greg Mortenson and Jean Hoerni and based in Bozeman, Montana...

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Greg Mortenson was born to Lutheran missionary

Missionary

A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...

 parents in St. Cloud, Minnesota

St. Cloud, Minnesota

St. Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region. The population was 65,842 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Stearns County...

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