Since 2018, the Day of Dialogue has been one of Knox’s important traditions. The event aims for the entire campus community to pause classes to promote conversation, reflecting Knox’s long-standing mission to focus on intellectual and personal development. 

This year, the Day of Dialogue will occur on Wednesday, Feb. 11. It will start early in the morning at the HOPE Center Sanctuary with “Mindful Minds: Moving into Dialogue with Yoga” from 8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. The yoga will be a precursor to the later conversations during the day and allow participants to decompress and have a calmer mindset for the rest of the day. 

The first lecture will be held in the Lincoln and Skylight rooms in Seymour Union. The event, titled “To see with eyes unclouded by hate: Looking at the ‘truth’ through a different lens,” is meant to encourage all those who attend to explore the relationship between perspective and understanding. The event will happen from 11:30 a.m to 1 p.m.

After a brief lunch break, participants will meet at the same venue for the second discussion, “Turning Fear into Advocacy: Finding a voice when fear forces silence.” Scheduled from 1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m., this talk will push attendees to speak up about important issues. 

The day will close with the final event, “Allyship to our communities and our neighbors.” It will be held at the Skylight and Lincoln Rooms in Seymour Union, from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The events are designed to build upon earlier discussions, including the Etz Institute talk on Jan. 29 featuring Robert P. George and Cornel West. 

The Day of Dialogue encourages the challenging of ideas and the promotion of dialogue across differences. Previous keynote speakers have included Dr. Tierney Bates, Dr. Becky Martinez, Rev. Sam Offer, and Dr. Bettina Love. The event is organized by the Multicultural Student Advisory Council.