President Neil L. Rudenstine and Angelica Zander Rudenstine, along with Harvard Alumni Association President Carl H. Pforzheimer III '58, MBA '64, and Elizabeth S. Pforzheimer visited with nearly 1,000 alumni in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Paris, and London this summer in what was the President's most extensive visit to Europe since the start of his presidency.

These "Harvard Comes To Europe" events were hosted by local Harvard Clubs and included remarks by Rudenstine and presentations from Harvard faculty members.

"The whole trip was exhilarating, from beginning to end," said Rudenstine. "We saw firsthand the strength of Harvard's long-standing ties with Europe, and could sense just how important it will be to strengthen these ties in the years ahead. Our hosts could not have been warmer in their welcome, or more deeply interested in Harvard and its plans for the future."

One highlight of the trip was an evening in the spectacular setting of the French Senate, which drew nearly 300 guests. Following Paul A. and Catherine F. Buttenwieser University Professor Stanley H. Hoffmann's talk about how Harvard has changed during the last 40 years, French Senator Charles Jolibois, LLM '51, presented Rudenstine with a medal to commemorate his visit.

"I saw many students and friends from years past," commented Hoffmann, who is originally from France and has been a Harvard professor for 42 years. "We were given the red carpet treatment. I enjoyed it enormously."

An evening in Berlin hosted by Bernhard C. Heine, MBA '90, attracted alumni and friends from Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Poland.

In Düsseldorf, nearly 200 alumni, representing all five Harvard Clubs in Germany, attended the event. Jobst-Hinrich von Bülow, LLM '57, presided over the occasion, which featured a talk by Albert J. Weatherhead University Professor Emeritus Samuel P. Huntington entitled "The Clash of Civilizations and Its Implications for Europe," the subject of his most recent book.

The London festivities, hosted by James V. Baker '68, MBA '71, at which Professor Huntington also spoke, drew the largest attendance on the President's tour, with approximately 400 alumni gathering at the Landmark Hotel.

"I was impressed with the number of alumni of all ages and from all Schools who turned out in Düsseldorf and London," said Huntington. "It was clear that alumni in Europe feel very much a part of the Harvard community and consider their connection to the University quite meaningful."

The sense of connection to Harvard among alumni is only getting stronger, according to Douglass M. Carver '59, past president of the Harvard Club of France, who recently stepped down as the HAA's European regional director.

"In the six years that I have been regional director for Europe, Harvard Clubs have emerged in Munich, Russia, Croatia, Hungary, Prague, Finland, and Cyprus," said Carver, who was presented with an Alumni Service Award in Paris. "We are up to about 25 Harvard Clubs in Europe, all of which are more active now than in the past."

According to John P. (Jack) Reardon '60, executive director of the Harvard Alumni Association, Carver's participation was instrumental in the success of the Rudenstines' visit to Europe.

"Without Douglass Carver's motivation and hard work, this 'Harvard Comes To Europe' program never would have happened," said Reardon. "He has done a wonderful job as regional director, and I can't thank him enough."