EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE
The Relevance of International House: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
ack in the 1920's and 30's, International House Berkeley was seen by some as a
much needed pioneering institution; others saw it as a frightening and dangerous
threat to the status quo.
hen the House opened in 1930, it was the first interracial, multinational, and
coeducational residential center west of the Mississippi. Many were shocked to
see people from different racial and cultural backgrounds actually living together.
In fact, so uncomfortable were some with the idea of I-House that as late as the
1960's, it was derisively referred to by the unenlightened as the "zoo."
oday, I am reminded by alumni from the early years that the vision of the
founders, Harry Edmonds and John D. Rockefeller Jr., was not only right but that
it worked. As one alumna put it:
We came to grips with each other as real entities, not images on travel posters;
one in which we had to deal with the realities of our own ethnocentrisms, and not
abstractly either...one in which we were bent, hurt, pleasured, delighted,
enlightened, changed ...in short, one in which we grew.
he House fostered tolerance, shattered stereotypes and opened rich new
possibilities not only for its residents but also for the many communities they
touched. Some of the most significant integration breakthroughs in Berkeley came
through the influence of I-House and its residents. And the creation of many other
International Houses in the United States and abroad drew inspiration from the
seeming miracle of diversity at work and thriving at I-House Berkeley.
oday, when the expression "global village" has become a clich‚, the mission and
work of International House becomes even more significant. As national frontiers
blur, and as walls and curtains between nations crumble, as people within and
between nations are thrust together by technology, too often the fear of difference
and the ugly specter of ignorance and prejudice raise their heads. Neo-nazis,
racists, and ultra-nationalists trouble the headlines of the day. We read and hear of
minorities and immigrants being scapegoated, religious sites being desecrated, and
we see the horrifying evidence of genocide being practiced once again in the last
decade of the 20th century!
n the face of these tragedies, where does one look for hope? Where does one
learn the skills of communication across cultures? And where, most importantly,
does one learn to feel comfortable, even enthusiastic, about differences in culture,
nationality, race, and outlook? You, more than anyone else, know the answer to
these questions.
he years ahead at I-House will continue to reflect the globalization of
communicating. We are now on the World Wide Web (http:\\www-
ihouse.berkeley.edu\ih); we are hoping soon to provide all resident rooms with
direct access to the Internet and we have installed a satellite that now brings
newscasts to the Great Hall from over 25 countries.
ut while high technology at I-House will provide many of the professional tools
for success in a transnational world, only the experience of living diversity day to
day, can deliver the ultimate mission of the House; fostering understanding and
friendship across cultures.
ecause our building was initially provided so that people with many differences
could live together in mutual respect, our highest priority must be on continuing
the critical process of renovating and preserving this splendid facility for
generations to come. Maintaining our building is perhaps the most important way
to honor its past and to insure its future as a living symbol of the humane and life
enriching possibilities of living with diversity.
lease accept my personal thanks for supporting this special place and for carrying
its meaning wherever you go.
Joseph Lurie
Executive Director
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