Statement of Solidarity with the Moroccan People

Monday, September 11, 2023

EUTOPIA Presidential Declaration

We, the Presidents of the EUTOPIA Alliance, including ten European universities, wish to extend our deepest condolences and unwavering support to the people of Morocco in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake that struck the Marrakech region on September 9, 2023. Our hearts go out to all those affected by this tragic event, and our thoughts to the Moroccan academic community, students, faculty and staff.

The destruction and suffering caused by this seismic disaster are a stark reminder of the unpredictable forces of nature. We stand united in solidarity with the Moroccan people during this difficult time, offering our sympathies to the victims and their families and expressing our admiration for the strength and resilience demonstrated by the Moroccan community in the face of adversity.

As an alliance of universities committed to fostering global collaborations, we want to emphasise the enduring relations that unite EUTOPIA with its global partners, especially with the International University of Rabat. Our shared commitment to education, research, and innovation transcends geographical boundaries. Together, we have worked towards building bridges of understanding and cooperation across continents.

We also reaffirm our commitment to strengthening these global bonds as we express our solidarity with Morocco. We believe that through collaborative efforts, we can contribute to the recovery and rebuilding of the affected regions, and we are considering the best actions to take to provide the assistance that may be required.

Our thoughts are with the Moroccan people as they confront the aftermath of this devastating earthquake. We hope the unity spirit will guide Morocco towards a swift recovery.
 

• Tiziana Lippiello, Rector of the Ca'Foscari University of Venice, Chair of EUTOPIA
• Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Warwick, Vice-Chair
• Daniel David, Rector of the Babes-Bolyai University
• Jan Danckaert, Rector of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel
• Laurent Gatineau, President of CY Cergy Paris Université
• Ursula M. Staudinger, Rector of the Technische Universität Dresden
• Malin Broberg, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Gothenburg
• Gregor Majdič, Rector of the University of Ljubljana
• João Sàágua, Rector of the NOVA University Lisbon
• Laia de Nadal, Rector of the Pompeu Fabra University-Barcelona

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The EUTOPIA European University alliance brings together ten European universities aiming to become, by 2030, an open, multicultural, confederated operation of connected campuses. EUTOPIA is among the 20 projects twice awarded funding by the European Commission (2019 & 2022) to create deeper cooperation between universities.

EUTOPIA stands for Academic freedom in search of truth; Excellence as a purpose of our teaching, research and innovation models; Sustainable, responsible and ethical attitudes towards the planet; Cooperation and openness.

EUTOPIA means today 300,000 students, 45,500 staff, 23,700 academics, 874 research units and 139 faculties in 10 European countries.

EUTOPIA brings together 10 European universities and 4 Global Partners

• Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
• Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
• Ca'Foscari University of Venice, Italy
• CY Cergy Paris Université, France
• Technische Universität Dresden, Germany
• University of Gothenburg, Sweden
• University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
• NOVA University Lisbon, Portugal
• Pompeu Fabra University-Barcelona, Spain
• The University of Warwick, United Kingdom

• Monash University, Australia
• International University of Rabat, Morocco
• Stellenbosch University, South Africa
• Kyungpook National University, South Korea

Media Contacts:

• Armando Uribe-Echeverria, armando.uribe-echeverria@cyu.fr, +33 6 22042748
• Renu-Elza Varkey, renu-elza.varkey@cyu.fr