On March 8-10, 2002 at Starved Rock State Park in Utica, Illinois, 28

K-12 teachers from all over the state of Illinois will be given the opportunity to explore common grounds for global understanding in the wake of the tragedy of September 11th. Teachers will explore this topic during a seminar entitled “Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: Grounds for Understanding” led by scholar Dennis Temple, Professor in the Department of Philosophy, Roosevelt University. Tuition, lodging, meals and program materials are provided to teachers by the Illinois Humanities Council.

The tragedy of September 11th, like the war in Kosovo and the fighting in Palestine, is another chapter in a long history of mistrust and conflict between Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Central to this seminar is the idea that one of the best ways to promote respect is to see what others truly believe and how they live and worshipóto replace myths and distortions with knowledge and understanding.

The participants in the seminar are alumni of the Illinois Humanities Councilís “True Learning, True Teaching” Teacher Seminars. Created six years ago by the Illinois Humanities Council, the “True Learning, True Teaching” program is designed to reward the stateís finest teachers with opportunities for further learning and intellectual renewal. Each seminar contains a humanities focus, is interdisciplinary in scope, and is led by a prominent humanist scholar from a local college or university.