As representatives of the Academic Community of the member Universities of the Black Sea Universities Network, we express our deep concern regarding the ongoing and dramatic escalation of military actions ongoing in our region.

Since 2022, we have been witnessing the daily deterioration of the conflict, marked by atrocities against civilians, attacks on shelters and basic infrastructure, and the destruction of economic and cultural heritage located in our region that belongs to all humanity. Each day brings further evidence that this crisis cannot be resolved through military means and that the path of war is leading us toward catastrophe.

During this aggression, the most vulnerable members of society—children, the elderly, and those with health problems — have suffered the most. Among the most severely affected sectors is education, where activities have been reduced to nearly zero. As a consequence, several generations of students and pupils are going to face long-lasting trauma and frustration that may endure for decades. Alarmingly, attacks targeting educational institutions continue to increase in frequency and severity.
Many research institutions, universities and educational facilities have been targeted in the wars ongoing in our region. We are left asking: who could deliberately target a university, a school, or a hospital? And even if it is not deliberate, it is obvious that by sending thousands of weapons towards different communities, there will also be hits on such kind of institutions. We urge all the governments and all the leaders in the world to refrain from targeting educational facilities, health facilities and hospitals, historical buildings and heritage sites. The weapons should not target innocent women, children and students of all kinds, who are the future of our planet. No human being should crave for food, water and shelter. This is our irrevocable debt to our fellow citizens of the world as well as to our children and grandchildren.

We call upon the entire regional and global academic community to take a stand. Enough is enough. It is time to channel all our efforts toward ending this meaningless conflicts in our region and in the world. The world is big enough to accommodate and nourish all of us. We urge the parties involved to come to the negotiating table, to listen to one another, and to remain there until they find a solution—a solution for a sustainable and a long-lasting PEACE.

On behalf of the BSUN Executive Board,

Prof. Osman Bülent ZÜLFİKAR,
BSUN President