NYU Update: Asian Film Festival Highlights, UN Palestine Conference, Yeah Yeah Yeahs at MSG, Broadway’s ”Chicago,” & Disability Panel

Good morning, NYU community! It's Monday, July 28, 2025, and here's what's happening on and around campus. Over the weekend, the 24th New York Asian Film Festival concluded on July 27. This year's festival, themed "Cinema as Disruption," showcased over 100 films, including eight world premieres and 41 North American premieres. The festival opened with the South Korean film "Informant" by Kim Suk and closed with the Filipino comedy "Flower Girl" by Fatrick Tabada. The event highlighted a diverse selection of contemporary works and classic titles from across Asia. Today and tomorrow, July 28 and 29, the United Nations Headquarters in New York is hosting the International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution. The conference aims to develop a widely supported international framework addressing the disarmament of Hamas, the release of hostages, the reform of the Palestinian Authority, and post-conflict planning, including consideration of a two-state solution. Several Western countries are expected to recognize the State of Palestine during or following the conference. In the arts scene, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are performing tonight at Madison Square Garden. The legendary garage-punk revivalists have been a defining force in New York City's indie rock scene since their explosive 2003 debut, "Fever to Tell." Their "Hidden In Pieces" tour promises an electrifying performance. Tickets are available for those interested in attending. For those interested in theater, "Chicago - The Musical" continues its run at the Ambassador Theater. This iconic production, one of the longest-running musicals on Broadway, offers a heady mix of sex, death, and the insatiable lust for fame, all set to one of musical theater's most iconic scores. Tickets are available for tonight's performance. Looking ahead, the NYU Press is hosting a panel discussion titled "How To Be Disabled in a Pandemic" on July 22. This event, in collaboration with the NYU Center for Disability Studies, features essayists Aiyuba Thomas, Chancey Fleet, and Harris Kornstein discussing their experiences during the pandemic. The panel is part of Disability Pride Month and aims to shed light on the challenges and resilience of the disabled community during these times. That's all for today's update. Stay tuned for more news and events happening around NYU.