International House Berkeley

6 International House Times Mandela Honored at I-House: In South Africa, the 'hard work of reconciliation' remains a work in progress By Cathy Cockrell, UC NewsCenter At a conference on "the hard work of reconciliation" held at I-House on April 28, 2014, survivors of Apartheid and human rights activists convened to share their personal stories during the first of a series of campus events celebrating the legacy of Nelson Mandela and the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of his election to the South African presidency. Panelists included South African Justice Albie Sachs, who helped draft South Africa's Constitution Summer Reading by Alumni Authors We are pleased to add books featured below to the Summer Reading list at ihouse. berkeley.edu/alumni/ Justin Go (IH 2000- 03) stopped by on tour for his debut novel The Steady Running of the Hour, which is a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers pick. He credits I-House as a major influence on his life and work. An Unexpected Grace by Kristin von Kreisler (IH 1967). A novel about a woman and a golden retriever helping each other recover from violence and abuse. Whim, Woe and Wonder: Tales for the Ever-Present Child by Craig Kandell (IH 1981). Story poem and prose tales that "will enchant adults, young adults, tweens and even precocious children alike!" Green Buildings Pay: Design, Productivity and Ecology by Emanuele Naboni (IH 2012). Presents detailed case studies of how different approaches to green design can produce more sustainable patterns of development. High-Performance Buildings: A Guide for Owners & Managers by Anthony Robinson (IH 1974- 75). A blueprint for action about how to improve the energy efficiency and performance of new or existing buildings. See our Alumni section on our website for links to purchase books featured here. More authors in our Notable Alumni page in the Literature and Journalism section: ihouse. berkeley.edu/alumni/notable/ Residents Essays on I-House "Border Crossing" Connections Linda Biehl, right, whose daughter Amy was killed by South African anti-apartheid demonstrators in 1994, spoke in tandem with Ntobeko Peni. Though convicted in the attack, Peni later became a partner with Biehl in helping impoverished townships. Each year, the Border Crossing Essay Award is given to three residents who best capture the essence of their I-House experience in a composition. is year, in an unprecedented tie for First Place, Alexandra "Lexi" Lambeck from the US and Vishwanath Bulusu from India both reflect on how I-House has broadened their view of the global community. Following are excerpts: First Encounters, I-House Style Alexandra "Lexi" Lambeck "'Is that a star on your necklace? Are you Jewish?' my new friend Franz asked one day at lunch last summer. When I said yes… Franz explained, 'I'm from a small town in Germany, and I've never met a Jew before.' ese days it's embarrassing to admit but in that moment, I was very nervous. I had never met a German before, and I knew next to nothing about the country. I had no idea what, if any, kind of prejudices might still be present, let alone how an individual might feel. Now of course I know my nervousness was ridiculous, but the point is that, without I-House, who knows when I next would have had the opportunity to learn that?" A Melodious Awakening Vishwanath Bulusu "If the world is my music, I-House is my stage. Living here has been a vibrant rhythmic ride. First, my dreams changed, then my spirit transformed and now I have had a melodious awakening. I still remember when twenty three Intercultural Leadership Initiative residents, each from a different culture, encouraged me to sing my national anthem and stood up in attention for the pride and honor of my country. I have never felt more Indian, I have never been more global." and served as a jurist in the Constitutional Court, Linda Biehl, whose daughter Amy, a 26-year old American student, was killed in South Africa during an anti-apartheid demonstration and Ntobeko Peni, who was convicted in the attack but became a partner with Biel under the Amy Biehl Foundation Trust to help youth in impoverished townships. "Sometimes it is very important that wounds are touched, not for the purpose of inflicting pain, but for the purpose of proper healing." Peni said. "If it were not for the reconciliation aspect that I experienced with the family, I would not be the person I am today." Manfred Jacobs, who was a young warden at Victor Verster Prison when Mandela was jailed there before his release in 1990 and a senior warden when Peni was imprisoned there also shared personal anecdotes about Mandela's "transformative effect on prison guards." n 6 International House Times

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