Debate
A university conversation on Israel/Palestine
- Date
- Tuesday 1 July 2025
- Time
- Explanation
- Doors open at 17:15
- Address
-
Academy Building
Rapenburg 73
2311 GJ Leiden - Room
- Telders Auditorium
The question at the heart of this meeting will be: ‘How could or should Leiden University respond to the conflict between Israel and Palestine?’ How should the university act at this historical moment in relation to the war in the Middle East?
The aim of this meeting is to start an open, university-wide conversation, involving as many staff and students as possible. The meeting has been organised in close consultation with the Faculty of Humanities and the Executive Board.
The language spoken at this meeting will be English. All Leiden University staff and students are welcome, but registration is mandatory. Please don’t forget to bring your LU or LUMC Card with you to the venue.
Registration formProgramme
Hester Bijl (Rector magnificus) will open the meeting.
Jan Aart Scholte (Professor of Global Transformations and Governance Challenge) will speak on what diplomatic, economic, financial, military, cultural and academic pressure could entail and what kind of action would be worthy of Cleveringa’s legacy. See his interview on the university website, How can the humanitarian disaster in Gaza be stopped?
Larissa van den Herik (Professor of Public International Law) will speak on whether academics can and should speak out on genocide. If, as a matter of law, there is a risk of genocide, does the university have an obligation to distance itself? See the news item Experts criticise Dutch government: Netherlands doing too little against violence in Gaza.
Christian Henderson (University Lecturer in International Relations / Modern Middle East Studies) will present arguments why academics should speak out and why the university should take a forceful public stance.
Noa Schonmann (University Lecturer in International Relations/Modern Middle East Studies) will speak on the roles of academics in relation to political activism. Also listen to the Leiden University student podcast Radio Palestina/Israel, launched by Schonmann and journalist Rajaa Natour.
Afterwards, moderator Mark Rutgers (former dean, Faculty of Humanities) will lead a conversation with the audience. Timo Kos (Vice-President of the Executive Board) will close the meeting. Drinks will be served after the event.