Lecturers Without Borders (LeWiBo) is against war, and our hearts go out to all the victims and their families. We believe that violence is never the solution to any conflict. Further, in war, children from all sides are often the innocent victims, forced to live with the consequences of the actions of those in power.
As an international organisation that partners with lecturers and schools across the globe, we would like to make our position on the current conflict clear:
• LeWiBo believes in the right to equality and dignity for all. We do not judge individuals on any grounds, including nationality, belief, gender, language, and birth.
• LeWiBo is passionate about science and education because we believe they have the power to transform hearts and minds.
• LeWiBo believes that children should not be denied their opportunity for learning just because of their nationality.
• LeWiBo respects the personal choices of all our scientists, whether they choose to continue with lectures, or decide to cancel.
We will therefore continue to provide lectures to all students in our network of schools, including those at schools in Russia.
In order to show our support and raise awareness around the war in Ukraine, we will be encouraging our students to observe a minute of silence at the start of each lecture. This time can be used for quiet reflection about the tragic consequences of war, or to pray for peace: students can decide for themselves.
LeWiBo will continue to strive for international cooperation and the free exchange of knowledge as we seek to build bridges between scientists and young people who are hungry for knowledge. We will also continue to do all we can to encourage peace.
Eugenia Covernton, CEO