Spertus was pleased to take part in the 17th annual Chicago Humanities Festival. The 2006 theme, PEACE and WAR, examined human accord and conflict—from ancient times to the present day, from the political to the personal, on both literal and metaphorical battlegrounds.

Moshe Safdie presented
An Architecture of Peace

Sunday, November 5, 2006 at 1:30 pm

Acclaimed Israeli-Canadian architect Moshe Safdie is responsible for such world-class projects as Habitat ’67, the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, and the U.S. Institute of Peace Headquarters. In this special presentation, he describes his vision and multi-faceted plans for Jerusalem’s Mamilla district, a former no-man’s land where he hopes will bring people together – both Arabs and Jews – while forming a link between the old and new quarters of this ancient city.

Film Screening
Moshe Safdie, The Power of Architecture

Sunday, November 5, 2006 from 3:30 – 5 pm

Directed by filmmaker Donald Winkler, this film presents a portrait of the life and career of Moshe Safdie, sharing the development of his landmark designs and commitment to enlightened urban planning. It traces his early influences, his move from Haifa to Montreal at the age of 15, and his crucial apprenticeship under Louis Kahn. Visits to significant projects in Boston, Vancouver and Jerusalem allow Safdie to share his master plan for the new Israeli city of Modi'in and elaborate on his ideas about architecture's role in contemporary society. (Canada, 2004, 91 min.)