EUTOPIA alliance statement regarding COVID-19
Contra el genocidi i contra la violació dels drets humans, a Gaza i arreu del món
Peace comes when you talk to the person you most hate. And that’s where the courage of a leader comes.
Desmond Tutu (1931-2021), first recipient of an honorary doctorate from UPF
These words, spoken by Desmond Tutu, the first person ever to be awarded an honorary doctorate by UPF, are more applicable today than ever. The UPF condemns, and will always condemn, the use of violence to settle disputes. At UPF, we advocate approaching political or territorial conflicts based on dialogue and respect for all peoples and minorities.
As a university, we also want to show our support to the academic community in countries at war. Universities and scientific institutions are more necessary than ever in these regions. Access to education and the promotion of critical thinking, in the context of strong independent institutions, are the way to ensure the informed debate and reflection that can open the door to new avenues for finding solutions.
At UPF, we are aware of the university community’s concern for the human rights violations we are seeing in the conflicts around us. That is why on this website you will find information about campaigns and actions related to current conflicts, as well as opinion pieces and institutional statements. We also offer a dedicated e-mail address – [email protected] – to contact the university and let us know about your interests and concerns.
EUTOPIA alliance statement regarding COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic confronts all our universities with new challenges. It influences our work and our daily life, driving us to find new ways of working and learning remotely from separate locations while remaining together as one network. It certainly pushes us to invent new working flows. We are currently practising virtual communication across borders, which will form a part of EUTOPIA’s international and innovative identity.
We believe that our project of a future European University will grow more valuable from this adversity, because we will have worked with each other differently. We wish to bring something positive out of this worldwide challenge. Together we are stronger and we hope to build the future out of our combined wisdom and connectedness
We are confident in our ability to ensure by other means the teaching, the pursuit of research, and the administrative stability for our 165,000 students and 30,000 academics and administrators.
Our six universities took due measures to protect our communities. You can find details in the websites of the members of the EUTOPIA Alliance:
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel
- CY Cergy Paris Université
- University of Gothenburg
- University of Ljubljana
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra
- University of Warwick
We will be posting regular updates about the impact of the COVID-19 on our project’s timelines.
Related Assets
Catalan government
Catalan development cooperation aims to help prevent and respond to emergency situations. This page explains how you can collaborate on the provision of foreign aid both in general and to specific regions.
European Commission
Through cooperation and assistance programmes, the European Commission offers humanitarian aid and coordinates efforts with other international actors to promote peace and stability in war-torn regions.
Oxfam Intermón
Oxfam Intermón works in 90 countries. They have launched a fundraising campaign, which is more necessary than ever, given the magnitude of today’s wars. The NGO is also sponsoring a campaign to collect signatures to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is a medical-humanitarian action organization that provides assistance in 70 countries to people threatened by armed conflicts, violence, epidemics or neglected diseases, natural disasters and exclusion from medical care. They have also promoted a campaign to collect signatures to ask for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Red Cross
The Red Cross also provides emergency humanitarian aid in regions in crisis.
Legal Clinic
The UPF Legal Clinic regularly holds talks and roundtables on the protection of human rights in crisis regions.
Libraries Without Borders
The Libraries Without Borders programme, sponsored by the Catalan Development Cooperation Agency (ACCD), offers Catalan public library patrons knowledge and insight into situations of human rights violations and provides resources to take action.
Council for At-Risk Academics
The Council for At-Risk Academics, in partnership with universities and higher education institutions, provides urgently-needed help to academics in immediate danger, those forced into exile, and many who choose to work on in their home countries despite serious risks.