Freiburg, 16/08/2024
Disputes about the Israel/Palestine conflict in public, in politics, in the media and also at universities in some cases become highly controversial and emotional.
Although the 2024 summer semester has remained largely free of conflict, we have experienced sporadic incidents when matter-of-fact discussion and agreement were no longer possible.
On Alumni Day, 5th July 2024, this culminated in exerting our house rules to protect the good order of the university. This decision was not taken lightly, and fortunately has remained an isolated case. During the event, a heated debate arose and there was a highly polarised atmosphere among the guests in the audience. This was sometimes expressed in terms that were considered offensive. We must emphasise here: even if opinions differ, it is not acceptable for a political dispute to result in rudeness or for the conventions of discussions not to be respected.
The University cannot assume liability for the comments of its guests – however we take our responsibility for ensuring a discrimination-free campus for all members very seriously. These incidents have shown how challenging it can be to provide protection against discrimination in a highly polarised situation. Hence, the university management is investigating what measures can be taken to maintain a respectful and supportive approach at university events.
The University has also published guidelines on ensuring a respectful exchange of ideas on a website. This sets out the principles and guidance on how all members of the university can communicate respectfully with one another about the Israel/Palestine conflict. The university management urges members of the university to take these guidelines to heart.