International House: A Global Community of Fellowship
Why is it significant?
Stand before the dignified Georgian Revival brick facade of International House at 500 Riverside Drive, overlooking the green promenades of Sakura Park. Opened in 1924 through the visionary philanthropy of John D. Rockefeller Jr.
Key Facts
| Place | International House: A Global Community of Fellowship |
|---|---|
| Address | 500 Riverside Dr, New York, NY 10027, USA |
| Geo Coordinates | 40.81180, -73.96120 |
| Part of Walk | New York: Morningside Heights and Columbia University's Acropolis |
| Generated | Generated |
Stand before the dignified Georgian Revival brick facade of International House at 500 Riverside Drive, overlooking the green promenades of Sakura Park. Opened in 1924 through the visionary philanthropy of John D. Rockefeller Jr. and the YMCA leadership of Harry Edmonds, this magnificent residential community was built on an idealistic mission: bringing graduate students and scholars from every corner of the earth to live, dine, and study together under one roof to foster international peace.
The inspiration arose from a chance encounter in 1909 on the Columbia steps. Harry Edmonds greeted a lonely Chinese student with a cheerful Good morning. The young man stopped in surprise, confessing that in his three weeks in New York, Edmonds was the very first person to speak a single word to him. Edmonds was deeply moved and resolved to create a welcoming, cosmopolitan home where international scholars would experience genuine American warmth. The enduring friendships forged over shared communal meals and late-night intellectual debates helped bridge geopolitical divides and foster lasting diplomatic cooperation across five continents.
Over the past century, more than sixty-five thousand scholars from over one hundred and twenty-five nations have called International House their home. Its illustrious alumni include opera diva Leontyne Price, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, South African anti-apartheid leader Beyers Naudé, and playwright Leonard Bernstein. Over dinner conversations in the grand dining hall, students formed lifelong cross-cultural friendships that shaped global diplomacy.
Look above the main entrance at the carved motto that encapsulates the institution's soul: That Brotherhood May Prevail. Global alumni frequently return to walk through the grand salon, recalling the lifelong international friendships that transformed their worldviews.
Turn west toward Riverside Drive, where the colossal Gothic tower of Riverside Church rises nearly four hundred feet above the Hudson River.