Dear friend,
We, the social and natural scientists, physicians, physicists, geologists, chemists, engineers, mathematicians, and other STEM scholars worldwide, express our deep anguish at the colossal devastation and loss of life in Gaza. As scientists, it is our responsibility to raise our voices in protest and to mobilize public opinion against the misuse of science and technology. As scientists, it also is our responsibility to take action when the world is facing moral crises. We believe that scientists should not remain silent in the face of the genocide currently brought down in Gaza, as well as the apartheid state that forms the context of that catastrophe. As we witness a rise in antisemitism, Islamaphobia, and anti-Arab hatred, we must stand firm against all of these forms of hatred. We also must be clear-eyed about the fact that criticism of the Israeli government and of the Israeli Apartheid system are not anti-semitic. Indeed, many Jews the world over have also articulated such critiques.
To raise our voice on behalf of the global science community, we are organizing an online International Convention Against War and Destructive Use of Science to adopt a Declaration Against Genocide and in Support of Palestine on 9 December 2023 (Saturday) at 3 PM GMT (10 AM (EST), 4 PM (CET), 8:30 PM (IST), 11 PM (SGT)).
Among the goals of the Convention will be to compose a declaration of "Scientists Against Israeli Apartheid and Genocide in Gaza." To allow this outcome, a first draft of the declaration (proposed by the International Organizing Committee) will be circulated among registered participants during the days before the meeting, and will be discussed, democratically amended, and finally endorsed during the Convention itself. While the participants of the Convention will own the authorship of the declaration, individual scientists and associations will be invited to sign on afterward.
We appeal to all concerned scientists the world over to join the Convention to strengthen our voices of protest, to demand an immediate ceasefire, to stand by the people of Gaza, and to compel the powers to ensure a lasting political solution that should include an end to the apartheid system and thus assure that the Israeli and Palestinian people can exist and co-exist in peace and harmony.
Kindly register below to join the Convention.
Thank you.
International Organizing Committee
Carlo Rovelli, France
Dhrubajyoti Mukhopadhyay, India
Assaf Kfoury, USA
Natalya Dinat, South Africa
Suchitra Sebastian, UK
Adam Claridge-Chang, Singapore
Soumitro Banerjee, India
Josh Dubnau, USA
Flavio Del Santo, Switzerland
Clement Mouhot, UK
Jason E. Ybarra, USA
Vincenzo Riso, Portugal
Cyril Closset, UK
Marco Baity Jesi, Switzerland
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, USA
Anna Sanpera, Spain
Subramani Mani, USA
Ahmed C Bawa, South Africa
Manabendra Nath Bera, IndiaScience for the People
Breakthrough Science Society
