In the wake of the tragic events of Sept. 11, a group of graduate and undergraduate students from the University of Illinois at Chicago will participate in a video conference with a group of students from the Palestinian Birzeit University located on the West Bank in Ramallah. A live audience will observe.

The program, titled "Students Talking to Students," will feature faculty members and eight to 10 students from each university asking questions of each other.

"The hope is that we are able to spark a meaningful dialogue," said Lennard Davis, head of the UIC English department. "We hope that through our conversation we can reach, if not agreement, at least consensus."

Nov. 28
10:30 a.m.-noon

Lecture Center C
Auditorium One
802 S. Halsted St. (just west of the UIC Chicago Circle Center)

Davis developed the idea of the teleconference with his wife, Bella Mirabella, a professor at New York University. NYU organized a similar program recently with the American University at Cairo.

Davis plans to develop a template or a kit of the "Students Talking to Students" program to make it available to other universities. He would like to see this pilot program expanded to include future conferences and team-taught video courses composed of UIC and Birzeit students.

"We have much to learn from the Palestinian students, and they have much to learn from us," said Davis "We expect both sides to change preconceptions and come away with better understanding. Ultimately, that is what the university experience is about."

Sponsored by the UIC department of English.

For more information, call (312) 413-2203.