OLLI class on religions

With support from the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) and University Village staff, the Confucius Institute at the University of South Florida (USF) just completed a four-week class on "Religious Beliefs in China" for senior citizens in the Tampa Bay area. This is the third time we have offered an OLLI class (taught by CI Director Kun Shi), and the enrollment reached an all time high: 52. The 8-hour sessions covered the three interactive belief systems in China (e.g., Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism) as well as other religions (e.g., Christianity and Islam) and indigenous belief systems (e.g., ancestor worship and shamanism). The class includes video clips of religious performances and lively discussions, including the impact of religious beliefs on Chinese society. The volunteer assistant (Armida) created a webpage to post all reference materials and video links for the participants who missed a session or want to expand their knowledge on the complex subjects of Religious Beliefs in China.

This fall, the CI will work with OLLI again to offer a 6-week class on "China: Past and Present."The class will be taught by Kun Shi on Tuesdays from October 2 through November 6, at 1:00-3:00pm, in John Knox Village. For more information and to register, visit www.usfseniors.org.

Reports of the previous OLLI classes provided by the USF Confucius Institute:

• Spring 2012 Class:http://global.usf.edu/wordpress/?p=2489&cat=31
• Fall 2011 Class: http://global.usf.edu/wordpress/?p=1809&cat=31