FUURT condemns Russia’s acts of war and appeals to the international research community to share scientific knowledge for the benefit of Ukraine
The Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers (FUURT) is an equal and international community that believes in civilisation and scientific knowledge as guarantees of democracy and well-being. We harshly condemn the brutal war that Russia has initiated in Ukraine.
The strength of academics lies in research, both in Finland and Ukraine. With the help of scientific knowledge, academics are able to build a better world for us all. We are deeply distraught by the fact that Ukrainian academics and students are being forced to take up arms to defend their independent nation or to flee their home country to escape the invaders. The country’s prestigious universities are being destroyed barbarically. The reconstruction of the research infrastructure will be a long and expensive process. Those who have lost their lives are irreplaceable.
We are doing all we can to support Ukrainian academics arriving in Finland so that they might utilise their expertise for the benefit of science and the future. We also endeavour to ensure that Russian academics living in our country are able to continue their work as respected members of the science community.
We appeal to researchers throughout Europe to bring forth scientific knowledge as a means of helping Ukraine. We encourage every researcher to share in social media, with the hashtag #UkraineFacts, ways in which their own research might help Ukraine.
If you study resilience, explain how the human mind can withstand the horrors of war. If you study language learning, share how we might promote the language learning of refugee children. If you study biodiversity, share ways to enable nature to recover from bombing. If you study Ukrainian culture or language, show how unique the country truly is.
It is important for the situation in Ukraine to be comprehensively explained and explored on the basis of scientific knowledge as long as the war continues. Let’s focus our efforts to keep Ukraine in the spotlight.
Maija S. Peltola
President
The Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers
#StandForUkraine #UkraineFacts #FUURT #Facts4Ukraine