We, the undersigned researchers in Social and Cultural Anthropology and Global Development Studies at University of Helsinki stand in solidarity with students who are currently organizing as the Gaza Solidarity Encampment in the city centre campus.
We support the demands of the camp for the University of Helsinki to follow its own ethical principles and, in line with its commitment to promoting universal human rights, join the academic boycott of Israeli universities called by the Palestinian civil society.
As stated in the demands of the Solidaarisuus Camp, this means ceasing collaboration with universities and other institutions in Israel that are actively complicit in the genocide happening in Gaza and the Israeli apartheid regime by means including but not limited to collaboration with Israeli armed forces in development of war and surveillance technologies used against Palestinians. We join the students of the Solidaarisuus Camp in calling for the University of Helsinki to immediately take action in reviewing its existing connections with Israeli academic institutions and companies benefiting from Israel’s genocidal actions in Gaza, and to
- Terminate the existing exchange agreements with Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- Cease research collaboration with Israeli universities, including EU-funded projects coordinated by the University of Helsinki and involving Israeli universities as partner institutions
- Disclose any investments in companies that profit from the ongoing genocide in Gaza and starting the process of withdrawing those investments
We encourage the leadership of the University of Helsinki and its faculties to engage in active dialogue with the students at the Gaza Solidaarisuus Camp and to show appreciation for their courageous action as active members of the civil society to hold the University accountable to its ethical principles.
Sincerely,
Hanna Rask, doctoral candidate
Maija-Eliina Sequeira, doctoral candidate
Jenni Viitala, doctoral candidate
Pierre Auzerau, doctoral candidate
Maarit Forde, university lecturer
Eemi Nordström, doctoral candidate
Tuulikki Pietilä, senior university lecturer
Eero Saukkonen, doctoral candidate
Viljami Kankaanpää-Kukkonen, doctoral candidate
Samuli Lähteenaho, doctoral candidate
Jon Frederiksen, doctoral candidate
Suvi Rautio, postdoctoral researcher, editor-in-chief at Suomen Antropologi
Roman Urbanowicz, doctoral candidate
Saana Hansen, postdoctoral researcher
Matti Eräsaari, university researcher
Tuomas Tammisto, affiliated researcher
Salla-Maria Korhonen, doctoral candidate
Toni Nieminen, doctoral candidate
Avi Betz-Heinemann, Postdoctoral Researcher
Olli Kaukonen Lindholm, doctoral candidate
Toomas Gross, senior university lecturer
Stefan Millar, postdoctoral researcher
Saana Hokkanen, doctoral researcher
Anu Lounela, university researcher
Sergio Fernández Bravo, doctoral researcher
Yue Hu, doctoral candidate
Sanna Komi, doctoral researcher
Katja Uusihakala, university researcher
Barry Gills, professor
Anna Heikkinen, doctoral researcher
Usman Ashraf, Doctoral Researcher
Ildze Jakunova, doctoral candidate
Nadia Augustyniak, Postdoctoral Researcher
Marianna Keisalo, university lecturer
Emmi Holm, Doctoral researcher
Sanna Vellava, Postdoctoral researcher
Will LaFleur, Doctoral researcher
Maija Lassila, postdoctoral researcher
