This year is an exceptional year for the HKS Chapter with nine France-based students admitted to the Kennedy School: four from France, one from the UK, two from Kingdom of Morocco, one from Bosnia and one from Armenia, all with very diverse backgrounds and experiences. These newly admitted students were congratulated by their alumni fellows who shared their HKS experience with them at a small reception on April 24th. It is a great pleasure to notice that a growing number of Europeans are choosing the Kennedy School to pursue their career. We wish the new admits well and look forward to welcoming them back in our Club upon their graduation! With 82 nationalities represented on average each year, the Kennedy School is the most international faculty of Harvard University.

If our first 2012 all-ivy Happy Hour was any indication, the second one was bound to be a success. And indeed, around 60 Ivy League and Oxbridge alumni showed up to meet each other and exchange over pints of Irish beer at Carr's, our usual meeting spot. The mood was light and friendly as alumni from all Ivy schools as well as Oxbridge, some living in Paris, others abroad, were excited to see each other again. Please stay tuned for news on the next one in a couple of months! - Submitted by Alexandre Terrien 



© Yves Klein, ADAGP, Paris. "FC1"

Although our Benefactor Members frequently tell us that they expect no special benefits in return for their generous support of the Club, we sometimes have unique invitations that we make available in priority to this group as an expression of our gratitude.  On the evening of April 5, we were able to offer our Benefactors and certain fleet-fingered Facebook fans, the extraordinary opportunity to attend a conference and cocktail party at Christie's, the world renowned auction house.  Christie's organized the event to present Yves Klein's legendary FC1 (Fire Color 1) before the work, estimated at $30 - 40 million, is sold at auction in New York on May 8.

 

The evening began with a dialogue between Elena Palumbo-Mosca, known as Princesse Elena, and Daniel Moquay, the director of the Yves Klein Archives. As original film footage of the making of the fabled FC1 played out behind her, the Princesse explained how she met Klein as a young au pair in the late 1950s and became one of his favored models. Our gaze flitted between the film screen and the stunning woman in her 70s as she recounted imprinting her blue-smeared body against the wet cardboard. Following the presentation, guests were invited to climb the stairs, illuminated in blue for the occasion, to discover FC1.  The approximately 20 HCF members and their guests all expressed their amazement at the incomparable backdrop for sipping champagne and mingling with Parisian art connoisseurs and beautiful people.

 

More information on FC1, as well as an interview with Princesse Elena, can be found here. Submitted by Felicia Henderson, VP Membership. 

 A close friend of the Harvard community in France passed away on March 25,  2012.  Marian Sachs François-Poncet was the daughter of Arthur Sachs, financier and one of the most generous donors at Harvard, whose scholarships have helped many dozens of French students and scholars to attend our university over the past 60 years.

 

A religious ceremony took place at Saint-François Xavier Chuch on April 4, 2012, in the presence of many Harvard alumni and former Sachs scholars, including HCF president Philippe Le Corre.

 

Marian Sachs was a devoted guardian of the Arthur Sachs scholarship process, which includes the "pre-commission", an evaluation session handled entirely by former recipients of the scholarship. Marian kept a close eye on the process and almost always attended in person the final commission in the presence of  Margot Gill, administrative dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Marian Sachs kept a strong interest in "her" scholars once they were in Cambridge and afterwards. "Those who were lucky enough to know her recognized in her a person with a strong sense of duty and high ideals," said Jana Navratil-Manent, secretary general of Arthur Sachs scholarships. 

 

The Harvard Club of France sends condolences to her family. 

Let's welcome the Dins back to Paris! 

 

For the first time in twelve years, the Din and Tonics will stop in Paris on their summer world tour on June 24-26. Harvard University's signature all-male a cappella singing group, the Dins are known around the world for their rich tradition of musical and performance excellence. With a repertoire centered on the American jazz standards of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, these Harvard gentlemen- who perform in white tie, tails, and lime green socks- have an enviable reputation for their impeccable musicality, snappy choreography, and hilarious antics.

  

The Dins are looking for places to stay during their stay here. If you would like to host a Din or even hire them for an event, please send an email 

to: alexandre@post.harvard.edu.  More info: http://dins.com/

 

Alexandra

 

Read about our Campus activities on Facebook. 

April's events were diverse and I am looking forward to May and June's mix of speaker events, parties and of course, our annual party at the Ambassador's Residence June 19. All articles, unless otherwise noted, are written by yours truly...As always, I hope you enjoyed this newsletter. Please send us any comments. I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event, Courtney Pulitzer, Club Coordinator