Albert Schweitzer Celebrations

Photo | Ringquist Collection

FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS

“The only thing of importance, when we depart, will be the traces of love we have left behind.” – Albert Schweitzer

Aspen Historical Society, TACAW and Aspen Community Church will host two days of public events on June 30 and July 1 to celebrate the anniversary of the philosopher and humanitarian Dr. Albert Schweitzer’s historic visit to Aspen, to honor the Roaring Fork Valley’s legacy of service, volunteerism and philanthropy and to introduce standout humanitarians working around the world today. In addition, together with Aspen Journalism and other partners, we will launch a new book about contemporary humanitarians inspired by or  on the same path as Albert Schweitzer, translated from the French. English translation of “Investing Our Humanity” by Francis Guthleben and Jenny Litzelmann? (Their book in French was called “Albert Schweitzer: Intime”

Dr. Schweitzer, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning theologian, Bach scholar, musician and medical missionary, came to Aspen in 1949 as the keynote speaker for the Goethe Bicentennial Convocation and Music Festival. The event precipitated the founding of the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies (now The Aspen Institute) and the Aspen Music Festival and School and helped establish Aspen as an international cultural center. Dr. Schweitzer presented his teachings around “Reverence for Life,” a philosophy that encouraged empathy and service to others. His philosophy and teachings still inspire humanitarian work around the world today.

Join partners for a series of free events including a special panel with renown street medicine leaders at TACAW, an organ concert at Aspen Community Church and a talk and book signing at the Wheeler/Stallard Museum.

Events presented by Aspen Historical Society, Aspen Community Church, TACAW, Alchemy Charitable Foundation, Greg & Maureen Poschman, John Dougherty, Lachlan Forrow and The Aspen Institute with support from Aspen Public Radio, Aspen Daily News, Aspen One, Aspen Journalism, and others.

June 30  @  TACAW 5:30 pm doors / 6:30 pm program / 7:30 reception
Reverence for Life on the Streets: Medicine as a Moral Act in an Unequal World
Panelists:

• Moderator: Dr. Kaitlin Schwan, USC, Director, California Street Medicine Collaborative.
• Dr. James O’Connell, President Boston Healthcare for the Homeless, Asst Professor of Medicine, Harvard University.
• Dr. Jim Withers, Founder Operation Safety Net, Street Medicine Institute, CNN Hero.
• Harsh Mander, Human Rights and Peace worker, Nobel Prize nominee, former Special Commissioner to the Supreme Court of India and Indian Prime Minister’s National Advisory Council
  

For more information on the panelists and their work, please visit https://tacaw.org/calendar/equity-speaker-series-reverence-for-life-on-the-streets-medicine-as-a-moral-act-in-an-unequal-world/ 

July 1 – Albert Schweizter Day in Aspen

4 p.m. @  Aspen Community Church 200 E. Bleeker St., Aspen
“Schweitzer, the Organist”
Concert/Presentation by Dr. James Welch  performing selected works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Felix Mendelsohn, Cesar Franck and Charles Widor

5 p.m. @ Wheeler/Stallard Museum 620 W. Bleeker St., Aspen
Complimentary Picnic Reception

6 p.m. @ Wheeler/Stallard Museum 620 W. Bleeker St., Aspen
Book Launch: Investing Our Humanity
with author Francis Guthleben and Christoph Wyss, Board President of The Albert Schweitzer Museum, Gunsbach, France

7 p.m. @ Wheeler/Stallard Museum 620 W. Bleeker St., Aspen
Keynote Address by Harsh Mander
Human Rights and Peace worker, Nobel Prize nominee, former Special Commissioner to the Supreme Court of India and Indian Prime Minister’s National Advisory Council          

Generously supported by:

(Enjoy a recording of the July 1, 2025 event from Grassroots TV)