Friends  of Freie Universitat Berlin 2004
Transatlantic Bridge Awards Gala

Feb. 26, 2004

Pierre Hotel, NY, NY

This event was a most special celebration to honor Lord Foster (Sir Norman, the architect) for his contribution in the field of architecture. It was also the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Henry Ford Building on the campus of Freie Universität Berlin. In addition, this year marks the completion on the Berlin-Dahlem campus of Freie Universität in Germany, and of the architecturally stunning Norman Foster new Philology Library named The Brain for its shape. Lord Foster, the honoree, no doubt possesses an innovative vision, which allows him to adapt new architectural design into an ever-changing landscape, in Europe, the U.S. and all around the globe. His ability to propose designs for the World Trade Center which address necessary corrective changes which address side-affects of its previous design, and at the same time design the Dome on the Reichstag building in Berlin, gives one only a small touch of the vast complexities of thought channeling through Lord Foster’s mind as he designs masterpiece after visionary masterpiece.

The great works of Lord Foster could not have been better complimented by the gorgeous, plush surroundings of the interior of the Pierre Hotel, where this great celebration took place. The hotel’s grandeur was probably chosen for its exquisite attentiveness to detail which resonated with a beautiful early-century appeal.

The event started with a cocktail reception, where delicious gourmet hors d’ oeuvres were served. Everyone at the event had a great time. After the reception, everyone was escorted to the main ballroom, which had probably some of the most elegant interior décor I’ve seen in a long time. The tables were most elegantly set up with small trees in the center, and hanging from their branches were small glass baskets containing lit candles. One would have needed to see them to appreciate their beauty.

Shortly after taking our seats, we were given a warm welcome by Helene Sostarich-Barsamian, the Executive Director of Friends of Freie Universitat Berlin, who introduced Consul General Uwe-Karsten Heye to the audience. We then heard a wonderful introduction of the university, and its mission, by Rene Reiche-Graefe, the President of Friends of Freie Universtitat Berlin. We then heard from Karston D. Voigt, the Coordinator for German American Corporation, who spoke about Lord Norman Foster and all of his great accomplishments. The master of ceremonies, Lord Weidenfeld, then addressed the audience about the eeriness of that “moment in history” (9/11), and spoke of it, saying “The present estrangement must not obscure the vision that Europeans and Americans should share that we are fighting together an existential battle for an open society rooted in an the spirit of humanism. It is this spirit of humanism, which informed the work of Norman Foster, one of the greatest architects, builders, designers and revolutionary innovators in so many fields of the visual arts. He is not only a bridge-builder in a literal sense of the word, but also through his life and work a bridge-builder linking diverse culture and communities.”

It was then the moment everyone had been so patiently waiting for—Lord Norman Foster’s address to the audience. I would first like to acknowledge that, among the many design works in his repertoire are the famous Millenium Bridge in London, the Swiss Re Headquarters in London, the Hearst Headquarters in New York, the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, the Freie Universitat Berlin Philology Library in Berlin, and the Great Court at the British Museum in London.

Lord Norman Foster started off by stating that he was deeply moved by the honor bestowed on him for his vast architectural design accomplishments. He indicated that bridges (as in the case of the Transatlantic Bridge) are powerfully symbolic, and bridge time (they’ve linked our present with the past and with the future) as well as geographic regions. He told the audience about how his first exposure to the field of architecture back in 1961, and that it was that architect’s involvement in the design of the University of Berlin that ultimately lead him into the same design arena, where he his talents launched his vastly dynamic and cutting-edge architectural career. He pointed out how the architecture of a building needs to take into account the dynamics of fuel consumption—for example, how natural, bio-degradable fuel sources can have a tremendously beneficial impact on the environment vs. fossil fuel, and spoke about the various alternatives available. He went on to discuss the tremendously high consumption we as American have for resources, and gave a vivid analogy, stating that, if everyone in the world consumed resources the way Europe does, there would be a need for two more planets just to support this large resource consumption. In the U.S., the problem is even more severe—we would need FOUR more planets to fully support us. He spoke about how his work has resulted in changes in viewpoints in the field of architecture—causing people to think more about the elements of design, rather than merely have an “off-the-cuff” opinion. Lord Foster gave a great speech.

In conclusion, we would like to pay our compliments to Ms. Helene Sostarich-Barsamian, the Executive Director of Friends of Freie Universitat Berlin for so very efficiently organizing and coordinating this event, which it was a pleasure to meet probably one of the most prominent architects of this century. Anyone wishing to learn about Berlin’s great university, Freie Universitat Berlin, may contact Friends of Freie Universitat Berlin at their website, http://www.ffub.us/HomePage.html.

Abbey H. Muneer is the Executive Director of H.A.D. Organization of New York City, Inc., a world-famous athlete, author and, above all, a humanitarian. Abbey will write articles about charity events, benefits, fundraisers and galas which are raising money for humantiarian causes. If you are interested in having Abbey and one his staff members cover one of your charity events, benefits, fundraisers or galas, feel free to notify us one week in advance, at LNEvents@hadofnyc.org, or telephone us at (718) 507-7616, between the hours of 8:00am and 8:00pm e.s.t. and ask to speak to Abbey or Maria. If you would like more information, or would like to have Liberty News Online Magazine consult your next charitable event, please feel free to visit our website, at http://www.hadofnyc.org/store/success.html, email us at humanitarians@hadofnyc.org, or telephone our hotline, at (718) 507-7616, between the hours of 8:00am and 8:00pm e.s.t. (U.S.A.)