European Platform for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (EPACBI) brings boycott movement to a higher level in Europe
The first European meeting of academics in support of the PACBI Call for the academic and cultural boycott of Israel convened in Paris on 25 and 26 September 2010. Together with a representative from PACBI, over 50 academics from nine countries discussed the coordination of the campaign across Europe in order to respond more effectively to the Call, which is backed by the majority of Palestinian civil society organizations and federations.
The first European meeting of academics in support of the PACBI Call for the academic and cultural boycott of Israel convened in Paris on 25 and 26 September 2010. Together with a representative from PACBI, over 50 academics from nine countries discussed the coordination of the campaign across Europe in order to respond more effectively to the Call, which is backed by the majority of Palestinian civil society organizations and federations. This comes at a time of growing international strength of the boycott movement and stresses the need to address the complicity of Israeli academic institutions in denying Palestinian rights as guaranteed by international law.
Academic delegations came from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, following the invitation by AURDIP (Association des Universitaires pour le Respect du Droit International en Palestine) and BRICUP (British Committee for the Universities of Palestine).
A major outcome of the conference was the formation of a European Platform for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (EPACBI) as a joint coordination structure. Its aim is to enable the network of national groups and organizations and to develop common European projects and campaigns. PACBI’s guidelines for the international academic and cultural boycott were overwhelmingly adopted as common principles to assist and empower boycott projects within the European contexts.
Priority areas for cross-Europe working groups will include the EU funding of Israeli academic research, extending the reach of EPACBI throughout Europe, especially Eastern Europe, and support for academics and artists of all nationalities who suffer harassment because of their support for boycott.
A European coordination committee and a joint communication system will allow for more efficiency and cohesion. The further development of EPACBI will be covered in periodic EPACBI newsletters. Academics and artists wishing to join the European network are invited to contact BRICUP (info@bricup.org.uk) or AURDIP (aurdip@aurdip.fr)
The conference included a well-attended public meeting that brought together over 100 people to listen to prominent supporters of the academic and cultural boycott: John Berger, English author; painter and art critic; Christophe Oberlin, French surgeon who worked in the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis; Eyal Sivan, Israeli filmmaker; a representative of PACBI; Robert Boyce, historian, professor at the London School of Economics and secretary of BRICUP; and Ivar Ekeland, former president of Université de Paris Dauphine and president of AURDIP.
PACBI congratulates colleagues and supporters in Europe for their concerted efforts leading to a new dimension of boycott movement in Europe.