War in Gaza, the University of Turin blocks the call for collaboration with Israel. Meloni: "Welling choice"
The university is the first to suspend the collaboration with academic realities Israeli but precise: the stop is only at the Maeci announcement, the other activities they continue. Partial victory for the student collectives who have The meeting of the academic Senate has been blocked. October October: "very serious"
«I consider worrying that the academic senate of the University of Turin chooses not to participate in the Call for scientific cooperation with Israel . And he does it after an occupation by the collectives. If the institutions bend to these methods we risk having many problems". Are the words of the premier Giorgia Meloni in the Chamber , during the replica in the debate on his communications in view of the European Council
What happened. The University of Turin, first at Italian, has decided to suspend the collaboration with Israeli academic realities . «The senate of the University considers participation in the Call of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Maeci), given the continuation of the war situation in Gaza ». Communication is configured as a partial victory for the student collectives who They first blocked the meeting of the senators and then obtained a public assembly to discuss their boycott request for all agreements with Israeli universities. After a long discussion, the leaders of the University have decided to approve a document that in fact closes the doors to a single call , the one recently published by Maeci who aims to finance joint research projects Between
Italy and Israel In three application sectors: soil technologies, those for water (as a treatment of drinking, industrial waters and unloading or desalinization) and the precision perspective, electronics and quantum technologies.
On the case also intervenes The Minister of University and Research Anna Maria Bernini : "That of the University of Turin is a decision that I do not share albeit assumed in the context of the autonomy of the universities. It is sad that a similar choice coincides with the first national day of University that has as its title: "Open doors". And it is frankly disconcerting that one could think of closing them. I consider every form of exclusion or boycott wrong and extraneous to tradition and culture of our universities that have always been inspired by the opening e to inclusion ".
The University of Turin, for its part, in a note, clarifies that The motion approved by the academic Senate in the session of yesterday 19 March, with which "given the persistence of the State of war was considered not appropriate to participate in the announcement Maeci 2024 Italia-Israel », It refers exclusively to the announcement in question. Therefore, All the agreements and collaborations in progress with universities Israeli remain active, in full compliance with the principles and Values of freedom of thought and research of the University of Turin.
A single opposite vote
To vote on the stop to the Maeci ban for the collection of joint projects for the year 2024 It was almost all the United Senators . Two abstentions and one "no", expressed by Professor Susanna Terracini . The director of the Department of Mathematics explains: «I would have no problems approving A request for the ceasefire , because I am strongly disturbed for the massacre that is taking place in the Gaza strip. While, they are strongly contrary to academic boycottings , Because, being excluded possible war projects, collaborations I am a bearer element of understanding and peace ». Of different opinion The militants of the Palestine project, to change the course, of students Independent and other university left acronyms. The students they push to approve the appeal - launched by the Turin area Paola Rivetti , Today professor of Political Science in Dublin, and signed by 1,600 colleagues of our country (60 from the Turin University) - who asks the Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani , to suspend the entire Industrial Cooperation Agreement, Scientific and Technological Relations between Italy and Israel for "the risk of dual and violations of international and humanitarian law'.
On this, the leaders of the University of Turin take time. Thus accepted the proposal of
Francesco Ramella, director of the Department of Culture, Politics and Society
, to limit the action to a document that in fact suspends the participation of
Combined with the Maeci ban of this year
.
«To date, only three colleagues had expressed their interest in
participate, all belonging to agraria, but then they renounced
independently",
Gianluca Cuniberti explains
. The director of
Story that, after underlining the united ability to dialogue
Even on such divisive themes, he announces another initiative that he will do
discuss: in a few months it will be launched
The history course of the Gaza Strip
hosting Sara Roy, the Harvard teacher.
The decision of the academic Senate «is very serious and disturbing And he brings us back to a distant past that we would never want to relive, "he declares Stefano Paris , president of the Settebrebre Association . «Hit the world of the University and the research of Israel which is at the forefront of the world and prevent collaboration with a university important like that of Turin, which could bring positive repercussions For our country it is yet another demonstration of the climate of hatred Anti -Semitic that has been mounting with fury in Italy since 7 October. Let's ask to all institutions and in particular to the Minister for University e research, crui and civil society to commit and intervene to block an alarming and intolerable drift for one liberal democracy ».
The University of Turin and the stop at the ban with Israel, the rector Stefano Geuna: "It is not boycott or anti -Semitism"
After a day of controversy, the rector tries to reassure: «Not We wanted to make anyone angry, much less premier Meloni. All the Agreements in force with Israel remain valid "
This was admitted by Rector Stefano Geuna, with the
decision of yesterday's academic senate, we talk about the motion with the
such as the University of Turin defines inappropriate to participate in the announcement of
Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the research shared between Italy and Israel,
«Views - it was written and approved - the protracted of the situation of
war in Gaza », she and her university wanted to put in difficulty
The Meloni government?
“We didn't want to get anyone angry, so much Less the Premier Meloni. And I want to reiterate what happened in the Senate academic, the most representative organ of our community. Was an action referring to a specific announcement and there was no mention of boycott. This is not true".
Why?
«All agreements
currently in force with the Israeli universities, which are many,
remain valid. This is not what happened ».
And what happened?
"Was
made an evaluation by the academic community that I believe goes
respected for what it is. There is no intention to infuriate
Nobody and there is no boycott, less than less anti -Semitism as I have
also read. The facts speak for themselves. And I would not like to comment
further to activate a debate on a question we have
clarified today, perhaps because yesterday it was not very clear. It's about a
Very specific thing. But collaborations with Israeli universities
they remain absolutely standing ».
Some colleagues say that in some departments there are anti-Israeli drive.
"I
I don't see these things, honestly, especially in ours
university. We are a community of one hundred thousand people and I, I repeat, speak to
name of the academic Senate, the representative and elective organ of
All components: teachers, technical -administrative person,
Students ».
Morale.
“This organ has taken
A decision on a specific thing that is not an aversion against
Israel. None of the members of the academic Senate is. Yesterday, in
moment of listening that we did with the guys who protested,
All teachers said: "We don't want boycotts." Boicottaggi
scientific are not needed, science has been and will always be a bridge,
especially in moments of international difficulty like this that
We are living. This tells us the story and on this line they are
concentrated the interventions of the professors ».
Not everyone voted in favor, in reality.
"It's true, a colleague expressed himself contrary, but everyone reiterated that academic boycott is not needed."
And Prime Minister Meloni says that you have been dragged by the collectives of far -left students.
"THE
collective? Let's talk about the students' representatives. Today like yesterday,
In today's debate, we created a moment where everyone has
spoken, even those who do it in an effervescent way and those who prefer a tone
more posed because it has a few years more. We are very interested in doing it,
All interventions bring interesting ideas. This is our
method".
But would you regain her motion?
The Rector Geuna turns his back and leaves.