Imagine yourself being a student running late to the university in the Kyiv city centre, a mother bringing her little child to the nursery school, a teacher who is heading to work, squinting in the autumn sun. And suddenly everything has faded out because russians decided that you have to die.
Ukrainian cities are being shelled every day. Array of deaths, abundance of tortured people in captives of occupied cities, our citizens are hurt both physically and mentally. The cruel and disgusting war does not stop even for a minute. And the striking massive cynic attacks on the entire territory of Ukraine on October 10-11, are an apparent confirmation that currently there is no safe place in Ukraine. Rashists insidiously and intentionally began shelling at a time when citizens, our colleagues, friends and families were on their way to work and study.
Three explosions 2 blocks away on both sides of NAQA office located in the Kyiv city centre rang out on October 10. Apparently, there might be no other appeal by the agency, because we may become another target and this text will be the last words to foreign colleagues.
As a result of the massive rocket attack on Kyiv on October 10, the buildings of 4 cultural, educational and scientific institutions were damaged. Russian rockets mutilated the building of the Ministry of Science and Education of Ukraine, damaged the buildings of Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University, M. Maksymovych Scientific Library, the Institute of Literature and the Institute of Archeography of the National Academy of Sciences, a number of museums have partially broken windows. These places do not look like military objects, do they?
These events should become an impetus for the entire education world. Enough concessions. Enough moral devolution. Enough compassion for the “good russians” who, with their silent support and taxes, are sponsoring the genocide of Ukrainians – on the occupied territories and places of bloody shootings.
We demand the exclusion of russia from INQAAHE. The Bologna process and ENQA membership for russia have already been suspended, and russian agencies were excluded from CEENQA in September. Recognition of the actions of russian troops in Ukraine as genocide of Ukrainians was supported by the parliaments of Estonia, Latvia, Canada, Poland, Lithuania and the Czech Republic. Ukraine is the last frontier for the attempts of a terrorist state with imperial complexes to prove to the whole world that russia can subjugate it by execution of unpunished genocide.
Threats to peace and security, nuclear blackmail, which the actions of a terrorist state actually mean, testify its violation of the warfare rules. Therefore, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe appropriately adopted a resolution in which russian federation is declared a terrorist regime, accordingly, its institutions cannot be legitimate in international educational associations.
Join the civilized world against evil. Education and science should not be outside of politics when the highest value – human life is encroached.
The appeal was unanimously approved by NAQA members on October 13, 2022.
