It was a delight for all the senses at the institute’s spring dinner at New York’s Lotos Club on May 18.

Former fellows joined trustees, friends and soon-to-be returning fellow from Greece Steven Tagle and family in the club’s fabulous library, where New York Magazine writer Andrew Rice spoke about his fellowship in Uganda (2002 – 2004). Arriving for his two years there with precious little knowledge about the country was an exercise in “learning to learn,” he said.

Trustee Bacete Bwogo (fellow in Cuba, Costa Rica, India, 1992 – 1995) described taking time off from practicing medicine in London to visit his native South Sudan, where he’s formed a musical group to help bring peace through music, with plans to launch a music institute in the impoverished country. Then he treated guests with a performance of Sudanese songs, along with a favorite of the late Harry Belafonte’s.

It was a terrific evening, and with fellows who don’t often make it to our meetings in Washington. We plan to do it again in New York and elsewhere in the future.

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