The petition can be signed at the Blackboard of the Fachschaft in Foyer. There, you also find forms to collect signatures in the hope to foster the debate.
There will be a possibility to sign the petition online, too, soon.
As decided on by the general assembly of physics students at the University of Cologne
Petition of Cologne physicists for a ceasefire to stop the genocide in Palestine
In the face of mounting evidence of war crimes being committed by the Israeli government, we feel the need to speak up. We find the current position of our university to be insufficient. We demand, that it lives up to the important role played by science in public discourse.
With this petition, we demand that our rectorate publicly assume the necessary responsibility and:
- Calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, and condemns Israel’s war and genocide
- Calls for a complete stop of all exports of weapons and other equipment necessary for warfare to Israel
- Takes initiative and concrete steps to rebuild the Palestinian science and education system, through cooperations with Palestinian Institutions and the offering of education resources
In April 2024, „UN experts […] expressed grave concern over the pattern of attacks on schools, universities, teachers, and students in the Gaza Strip, raising serious alarm over the systemic destruction of the Palestinian education system.“ [1] This pattern has only continued since, and all Universities in Gaza have now either been destroyed or severely damaged. [2] Most recently, a UN special Committee has found that:
„Israel’s warfare in Gaza is consistent with the characteristics of genocide, with mass civilian casualties and life-threatening conditions intentionally imposed on Palestinians there“. [3]
We stand in solidarity with our fellow students, colleagues and everyone in the Middle East facing death and the destruction of their livelihoods, and with those struggling for a permanent ceasefire.
As physicists, we take collective responsibility for the weapons of mass destruction and other high-tech weapons developed by our colleagues. These weapons are currently facilitating the killing of tens of thousands of civilians and the eradication of entire cities.
Science and education can be a driving force for peace building and work towards global equality. Universities therefore need to relentlessly advocate for, and embody international law and the UN sustainable development goals.
sources:
1: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/04/un-experts-deeply-concerned-over-scholasticide-gaza
Universities newest Position: https://portal.uni-koeln.de/en/universitaet/aktuell/statements/single-view/statement-on-the-university-of-colognes-position-regarding-the-middle-east-conflict-israel-and-the-palestinian-territories
SDGs: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/
Annotation: The meeting of the student council decided on 2025, February 13th to add the word „permanent“ before „ceasefire“ to update the petition according to current developments