Students are invited to attend the Fostering Intercultural Respect and Engagement Conference at Lake Forest Academy on Feb. 25. Students who wish to apply need to fill out a Google form by Feb. 12. 

The conference is an opportunity for U-High students and teachers to discuss issues of diversity, equity and inclusion with other Chicagoland students and teachers. Particular emphasis will be placed on dialogue and how to have conversations across different backgrounds. 

“I think it’s good to have other perspectives and strategies for productive dialogue that other schools are engaged in or to just meet and say, ‘Hey are you guys talking about this too?’ and to connect with a broader range of folks that are interested in exploring these issues,” said Priyanka Rupani, director of diversity, equity and inclusion.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Redefining Resistance and Reconciliation, Meeting in the Middle.” The keynote speaker is Jamil Zaki, director of the Stanford University Social Neuroscience Laboratory and author of “The War for Kindness: Building Empathy in a Fractured World.”

Ms. Rupani and Dean of Students Ana Campos will hold a debrief after the conference for the students and teachers who attended.