ELIA condemns in the strongest terms the violent attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians since October 7th, 2023, and military action led by the Israeli government that has caused tremendous loss of life and suffering for civilians in Gaza.   

 

ELIA condemns all disregard of international humanitarian law and joins international humanitarian organisations in their ongoing calls to protect and guarantee the safety of all civilians in Palestine and Israel.  

 

ELIA urges the international political community, including the European Commission and Council, to use their diplomatic power to pressure all parties involved in the conflict to respect international humanitarian law to stop/prevent war crimes.  

 

The international political community needs to work towards a solution that will ensure sustainable, long-term peace based on non-violence, dialogue, and mutual respect between cultures.  

 

ELIA stands firmly in its belief that freedom and peace are essential conditions for the arts and education to thrive. These conditions are nurtured by respectful exchange, research, and collaborations across borders, and most importantly commitment to a shared humanity. 

 

We reiterate that ELIA stands against all forms of discrimination and racism, including antisemitism and islamophobia.  

 

Our thoughts, in particular, go out to young people and children, students, educators, researchers, and artists that continue to be affected by this war.

Additionally, ELIA acknowledges that in parallel to this violent conflict many other crises and systemic injustices are taking place across the world, which might be less visible in European media, but also cause for tremendous humanitarian concern. We are aware that many ELIA members experiencing these concerns are working hard to provide safe and brave spaces for people to come together and have open dialogue within their institutions. We also recognise how difficult and complex this undertaking is. Leadership and arts education in times of crises are crucial topics for our community. ELIA endeavours to continue facilitating platforms for dialogue, exchange, and peer-learning for its members. 

 

 

In light of the war in Palestine and Israel, and in relation to other current and future conflicts and crises, we ask ELIA members to fill in the survey below. Through this survey we aim to collect your input regarding the impact the war is having on your institution, staff and student bodies. We hope it will also provide some insights on how ELIA could better support its members and how ELIA members might be able to provide support to each other in times of conflict and crises.