Since the inception in early 1963 of the Secondary Education Program, now called the Educators' Forum, the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations has maintained an active series of special seminars for educators in political science, history, foreign languages, international relations and related fields. The educators and educational administrators who attend represent primarily high schools, but educators from elementary and middle schools and junior colleges in the greater metropolitan Chicago area also take part. Each program year, several program series are held. These are informal meetings held at the Council, beginning with a short reception, a hot supper, then a lecture and discussion. Participants are invited to bring junior and senior high school students to one meeting in each series.
Subjects are of immediate concern or long-term interest and importance.
Recent series have focused on population, NATO and the European Union, and fundamentalism around the world. Participants are surveyed regularly as to subjects of interest and importance to them. Their responses are taken into consideration in planning programs. Lecturers are chosen for their expertise not only from the academic community, but from business, finance, law, journalism, embassies and other foreign diplomatic offices, and the U.S. government. The first series of 2000 will begin in late February.