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Annual PEAR Weekend Held in Brussels

Old friends gathered and new cross-generational connections formed during the 2025 Freunde/Pan European Alumni Reunion weekend held November 7–9 in Brussels, Belgium.Nearly 50 alumni and friends representing five decades of I-House traveled from Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland, the UK, and the USA to attend the three-day weekend of meetings, tours, and dinners.Belgium is one of the six founding members of the European Union, and Brussels serves as the de facto capital of the European Union as home of the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, and, along with...

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I-House Hosts an Interreligious Dialogue with Union Theological Seminary

Spiritual growth rarely happens in familiar territory. A recent I-House panel emphasized that crossing religious boundaries, while uncomfortable, is essential to building understanding and spiritual health. On November 4, International House hosted faculty of the Union Theological Seminary (UTS) for a wide-ranging panel discussion on religion, identity, and interreligious understanding. UTS President Rev. Serene Jones led the discussion alongside panelists Benjamin Kamine, Assistant Teaching Professor of Interreligious Engagement; Su Yon Pak; Associate Professor of Integrative and...

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From the Courtroom to the Court: I-House Hosts Panel on Law, Sports, and Entertainment

At first glance, a contract negotiation and a championship match might seem worlds apart. But as it happens, they have more in common than you might expect. On October 30, I-House residents gathered for a fireside chat illustrating how law and business often intertwine behind the scenes of professional sports and entertainment. The event, titled “From the Courtroom to the Court: The Intersection of Law, Sports, & Entertainment,” was organized and hosted by second-year I-House resident Saeed Ahmad. The evening’s panel included Jeffrey Gewirtz, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal...

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“We Need Everyone in This Battle”: A Fireside Chat with Teresa C. Younger

What does moral courage look like in practice? A conversation with Teresa Younger, President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women, revealed that it starts with asking hard questions, challenging unfairness, and using every opportunity to make the world more fair. On October 16, International House hosted Younger for a powerful fireside chat on what it takes to build community and address gender disparities globally. She reflected on her life’s journey, from Girl Scout to an eventual leader of the ACLU and a celebrated advocate for women and girls of color. The talk explored themes of...

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I-House Alumnus Robert Badinter ’49 Enters the French Panthéon

Robert Badinter (1928-2024), the distinguished lawyer and former French Minister of Justice renowned for abolishing the death penalty in his country, was honored with induction into the Panthéon in Paris on October 9. Badinter, who lived at International House while studying at Columbia University in 1948-49, joined such historic figures as Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Marie Curie, and Simone Veil with the honor, and is the subject of an exhibition at the national mausoleum through March 8: Robert Badinter, la justice au cœur. Best known for his key role in ridding France of the guillotine...

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Brewing an Empire: A Conversation with Gabby Rubinstein ’97

What does it take to brew a coffee empire in the world’s greatest city? According to I-House alumna and Joe Coffee co-founder Gabby Rubinstein ’97, it starts with passion, kindness, and a little theatricality. Rubinstein joined the I-House community for a high-energy conversation on entrepreneurship on October 8. The talk was part of a new series sponsored by the Götz Mäuser ’91 Global Entrepreneurship Fellowship, a new program at I-House designed to empower next-generation changemakers to lead with empathy, resilience, integrity, and cultural intelligence. I-House President...

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