On May 22 not even torrential rain could stop nearly 250 guests from celebrating spring and ISH-DC’s mission.  Foreign Ambassadors, Members of Congress, alumni, Board members, and friends joined our resident scholars from 28 countries for our annual Garden Party.  This year, we were especially pleased to welcome leaders from International Houses across the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Romania who were here for the International Houses Worldwide Director’s Conference, which you can learn all about here.

Guests, including Laurette Jaeger, wife of His Excellency Kurt Jaeger, Ambassador of Liechtenstein; Isabel Vital, wife of His Excellency Domingos Fezas Vital, Ambassador of Portugal; and His Excellency Mninwa Johannes Mahlangu, Ambassador of South Africa.

Guests were able to see firsthand the community we have built and our strong focus on cross-cultural understanding.  This was also an amazing opportunity for our alumni to share the long lasting impact that living at the House has had on their careers as well as their personal lives.

ISH-DC Resident Scholars Rose Twagirumukiza from Rwanda, Boban Markovic from Serbia (alumnus), Maria Tilander from Sweden, and Tamara Schranz from Austria.

Our residents were able to connect and have inspiring conversations with our guests that are extremely successful in their career fields. This opportunity to network with various Washingtonians and diplomats is a vital part of their experience living at the House that prepares them for the future.

The Garden Party was a wonderfully successful event. It may have been dark and storming outside, but residents, alumni and guests alike lit up the house as they shared their love for International Student House of Washington, DC.

ISH-DC Executive Director Tom O’Coin, Congressman Alan Lowenthal, Deborah Malumed, ISH-DC Board President Cynthia Bunton

 

International Student House of Washington, DC (ISH-DC) recently had the privilege of hosting the Executive Directors from Alberta, Bucharest, Chicago, London, Melbourne, New York City, and many more cities around the world for the annual International Houses Worldwide (IHWW) Directors Conference.

IHWW is a consortium of 17 International Houses (“I-Houses”) unified by a common mission: To provide students of different nationalities and diverse cultures with the opportunity to live and learn together in a community of mutual respect, understanding, and international friendship. This mission is achieved by daily interaction among our resident scholars through programs and community life designed to foster diversity of thought and experience. This dynamic flow of ideas elevates our communities as places where students and scholars from around the world can all share discoveries, approaches, and points of view.  I-Houses are home to 9,500 residents annually, graduate and undergraduate, from more than 125 countries.  Collectively, almost 350,000 individuals are alumni of an I-House, creating an unparalleled alumni network.  Many alumni have lived in more than one International House, and the friendships that they have made during their stays last a lifetime.

The Executive Directors from around the world spent the week engaging in a number of substantive conference sessions focused on shared opportunities, during which the Directors had the opportunity to participate in extensive dialogue to critically and constructively address common issues and practices.  This annual conference is an important time for International House leadership to come together and support one another as they look toward a strong future of a growing, robust, and diverse community of resident scholars and alumni.

During their time with us, the Directors also had the opportunity to enjoy a modest number of cultural activities unique to Washington, including a tour of Mount Vernon, the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the U.S. Department of State.  They also had the privilege of joining His Excellency Geir Haarde, Ambassador of Iceland, for an evening reception at his residence.  Ambassador Haarde graciously welcomed the group into his home and spoke eloquently of his time as resident scholar at ISH-DC, and the strong life-long bonds he established here in the 1970’s that remain to this very day.  Ambassador Walter Cutler, former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Zaire, and Mrs. Didi Cutler, ISH-DC Board Member, also warmly welcomed our IHWW leadership to their Georgetown home for an evening reception following a substantive day of conference sessions.

These International Houses around the world promote dialogue and understanding through shared spaces and experiences, and the exceptional leadership of each individual I-House ensures the mission thrives and remains strong.  ISH-DC was honored to host this year’s Directors Conference, and we look forward to the coming years as we continue to work together and support each other in our shared mission.

What I find most moving about the International Student House is that … sometimes, I genuinely forget that the person next to me is from Israel, or Mongolia, or Venezuela, because at the end of the day we’re a lot more similar than we are different. Ultimately, we’re friends who are driven by a common purpose, and a common desire to fix some of the injustices we have encountered along our paths. It is this sense of commonality that motivates us to find common ground, to fight common fights. That is why I choose to live at International Student House:  because it shows me, each and every day, that there are good people from across the globe motivated by the same things that motivate me to pursue a life of public service.

– Alex Beck, ISH Resident Scholar remarks on February 15

Advocates, supporters, friends and resident scholars from around the world gathered the evening of Thursday, February 15, at the residence of the British Ambassador to the United States to celebrate the mission of international education and the vital role that International Student House of Washington, DC (ISH-DC) plays in cultivating relationships among students from every corner of the globe.  Graduate students from Mongolia, India, Kuwait, Germany, South Sudan, China, and the United States represented the high caliber scholars who make up the community at ISH-DC, who prepare to return to their respective countries with the education they have gained here in Washington to become the world leaders of tomorrow. The Tribute Dinner was a wonderful evening hosted by our 2017 Global Leadership Awards Diplomatic Chairs, His Excellency Sir Kim Darroch and Lady Vanessa Darroch, as a special thank you to our many supporters.

Ambassador Darroch addressing guests

ISH-DC Resident Scholars Mariel Kalkach of Mexico and Meghna Saha of India, with Board Member and alumnus Minh Dang

Congressman Mark Meadows and Ambassador Darroch

Ambassador Darroch shared powerful remarks about the importance of international education and exchange, and some fun moments about his own educational pursuits when he was in university.  His remarks were highly encouraging to our students who are just beginning their careers and hope to one day be strong leaders, as well. Cynthia Bunton, President of the Board of Directors of International Student House, followed the Ambassador by eloquently conveying why such an organization is so vital, and her unique understanding of the value of the community as she shared,

“I am an alumna of the House.  I lived there many years ago.  For the past 81 years, more than 15, 000 young scholars and professionals from about 140 countries have lived at the House – sharing meals, pub quiz tournaments, and common space.  Every year, 300 students from 60 countries pass through our halls.  While every group of students is different, what we ultimately take away from ISH is the same.  And that is how to live together and how to better understand the world.”

International Student House resident scholar, Alex Beck, spoke about his experience of almost two years as a resident of the House.  Alex shared about the many incredible relationships he has built with friends from Venezuela, Japan, Nigeria, Thailand, Mexico, India, and many more countries.  He expressed how much he has learned about other cultures and how he will utilize this knowledge as he prepares for a life in public service.  He is one of thousands of students who have benefited from the powerful eye-opening experience of learning and living with counterparts from around the world.

You can read Alex’s full remarks Here.

ISH-DC Resident Scholar Alex Beck and Lady Vanessa Darroch

ISH-DC Board President, Cynthia Bunton, Ambassador Ray Mahmood and Shaista Mahmood

Our alumni have gone on to become Ambassadors, leaders in government and the private sector, and champions of the need for international dialogue and community.  They are a testament to the talent of our resident scholars, and are the first to share the importance of their time at International Student House and the relationships they have maintained with former residents from all over the world throughout their lives.

Ambassador Michele Bond, Lisa Barry, Didi Cutler

Dr. Susan Blumenthal Markey addressing guests

The evening ended with wonderful words by our Global Leadership Awards Chairs, Dr. Susan Blumenthal Markey and Mrs. Didi Cutler, who thanked our incredible supporters and friends, and shared about their work with the House and the confidence they have in our community of young international scholars.

We are grateful to Ambassador and Lady Darroch for hosting us for this memorable evening, and we remain grateful to our generous sponsors who support our House and our mission of providing a unique cross-cultural experience to develop students and scholars into exemplary global citizens.

Ambassador Darroch and Senator Ed Markey

You can view more photos from the evening Here.