Archive · 16 Sep 2026
Harvard Backs Nicholas Kristof Lecture Despite Jewish Alumni Protest
Harvard invited journalist Nicholas Kristof to give an important lecture.
A group of Jewish Harvard alumni asked the school to cancel the honour.
They objected to a column Kristof wrote about sexual violence against Palestinians.
They also asked Harvard to explain how lecture honorees are chosen and meet with them.
Harvard’s Kennedy School refused all three requests.
The dean said inviting a speaker does not mean Harvard agrees with everything that person has said.
He said the school welcomes debate and expects speakers to be challenged.
The lecture was rescheduled by one day because of a scheduling issue.
Harvard Kennedy School declined requests to withdraw Nicholas Kristof’s Malcolm H. Wiener Lecture honour.
The Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance objected to Kristof’s May 11 column about alleged sexual violence against Palestinians.
The group also asked Harvard to publish its honoree criteria and meet before the lecture.
Dean Jeremy M. Weinstein said inviting Kristof does not indicate institutional agreement with his views.
The lecture was moved from September 17 to September 18 because of a scheduling issue involving Kristof.
- Who
- Nicholas Kristof, the Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance, and Jeremy M. Weinstein, dean of Harvard Kennedy School.
- What
- Harvard Kennedy School kept Kristof’s Malcolm H. Wiener Lecture honour despite the alumni group’s request to withdraw it.
- When
- The letters were exchanged from August 28 to September 7; the lecture was scheduled for September 18 after being moved from September 17.
- Where
- Harvard Kennedy School.
- Why
- The Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance objected to Kristof’s reporting on sexual violence against Palestinians, while Harvard cited free speech and open debate.
Harvard Kennedy School
Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance
Whether to withdraw the honour
Harvard Kennedy School
Harvard said cancelling the invitation would undermine free speech and its commitment to hearing and scrutinising controversial views.
Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance
HJAA urged Harvard to withdraw the honour, saying Kristof’s credibility was under review and his May 11 column was unacceptable.
Meaning of the invitation
Harvard Kennedy School
Dean Jeremy M. Weinstein said the invitation does not represent institutional agreement with Kristof’s views and that speakers should engage with, and be challenged by, the Harvard community.
Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance
HJAA said it was not questioning Kristof’s right to speak, but questioned why Harvard was choosing to honour him at this time.
Additional transparency and consultation
Harvard Kennedy School
Harvard’s response focused on its general practice of hosting speakers with varied views and did not accept the group’s additional requests.
Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance
HJAA asked Harvard to publish the criteria for Malcolm H. Wiener honorees and for the dean to meet with the group before the lecture.
- Honouree
- New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof
- Lecture
- Malcolm H. Wiener Lecture
- Organiser
- Harvard Kennedy School
- Protesting group
- Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance
- Main objection
- Kristof’s May 11 column, “The Silence That Meets the Rape of Palestinians”
- Requests made
- Withdraw the honour, publish selection criteria, and meet with the group
- Harvard’s response
- The school refused the requests and said inviting a speaker does not imply agreement with the speaker’s views