Center for Human Dignity

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This article or section contains information about a planned museum.
It is likely to contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change as the construction and/or completion of the museum approaches.

The Center for Human Dignity is the Simon Wiesenthal Center-planned Jerusalem Museum of Tolerance. The construction of the approximately 200-million dollar Museum began in June 2005 and was expected to be finished in 2007, but after it was discovered that the building site was located over an ancient Muslim burial site, its construction was frozen by a Supreme Court order issued on February 2006. ^[1]

[edit] Design

The Center, designed by Frank Gehry, is to include a museum, a theater, a conference hall, a library, and an educational center. The design of the Center is seen as unique for Israel and, as such, had seen many opponents and proponents. It is noted for its unusual amorphic shape as well as its glass and titanium coating, similar to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

[edit] Support and criticism

Those who are in favour of the Center, including Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski, maintain that it will bring tourists to the city, while its opponents (excluding the Muslim grave site objection), argue that it will stand out and draw attention away from the traditional architecture of neighbouring streets and that of the city, in general.

[edit] Court-ordered mediation

The Muslim groups who initiated the legal action which resulted in the Supreme Court order to freeze all construction, have been undergoing mediation with representatives of the Center. Former Supreme Court president Meir Shamgar serves as mediator. ^[1]