As the guest speaker for the 2005 George Weissman Lecture, Philip Gourevitch examines how artists have responded to the September 11 attacks on the United States, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and ongoing terror, acts of war, bloodshed and genocide.

Professor Alison Griffiths talks about her investigation of medieval cathedrals, religious panoramas, and Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” as specific but related ways of experiencing pre-cinematic and cinematic representations of Christian iconography, especially Christ’s Passion.

A performance by Dikki Du and the Zydeco Crew, introduced by Jerry Bornstein.

This is the Third Annual Friedman Symposium, founded by Robert A. Friedman. The program was introduced by Cynthia H. Whittaker from the History Department. Panelists Gail Collins of the New York Times, Barbara Raab of NBC News, Wayne Hoffman of The Forward, and Professor Carol Berkin of the Baruch History Department speak on journalism, media and presidential campaigns.

A feature presentation by Baruch College and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research about the letters Jewish Immigrants wrote to The Forward newspaper, with Samuel Norich, incoming General Manager at The Forward; Vera Hannenberg, Secretary to Abraham Colian and Hillel Rogoff; Jonathan Rosen, Culture Editor at the English Forward; Harold Ostroff, General Manager at The Forward from 1977-1997; and Fani Jacobson, Secretary at the Forward since 1948.

James Surowiecki, who covers finance and economics for the New Yorker magazine speaks about his new book, The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many are Smarter than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economics, Societies and Nations as well as some of the challenges of covering his beat for one of America’s most prestigious magazines.

William Finnegan, a staff writer at The New Yorker magazine and author of four critically acclaimed books, reads selected passages from his work, he is the Fall 2004 Sidney Harman Writer-in-Residence at Baruch College. Geanne Rosenberg, a professor in Journalism, introduces the speaker.

Sax in the City perform as part of the 12th annual Milt Hinton Jazz Perspectives Concert series.

Sax in the City is comprised of Don Rhynard (soprano saxophone), Harry Hassell (alto saxophone),

Patrick Lombardo (tenor saxophone) and Michel Gohler (baritone saxophone).

The performance took place on December 4, 2003 at 1:00 p.m. in the Lobby of the Vertical Campus.

A lecture made by Sidney Harman regarding the importance of formal education in business field. He relates the topic using himself as an example to discuss about the value of education, business, reading, writing, career, and knowledge.

Readings from the prize winning author and a New Yorker correspondent, Philip Gourevitch, of his book entitled: We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: stories from Rwanda, the Fall 2002 Sidney Harman Writer-in Residence at Baruch College. The event begins with an introduction by Roslyn Bernstein, director of the program.