Protecting Universities Is a Prerequisite for Sustainable Development
| Secretary-General of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO at a Meeting with the Representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross: Sustainable Development Is Impossible Without the Security of Scientific and Educational Institutions |
Dr. Hassan Fartousi, Secretary-General of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO, emphasized the need to support scientific and educational institutions damaged during the war and to protect scientists, researchers, and scientific infrastructure during a visit by the representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to Shahid Beheshti University.
Expressing his appreciation for the presence of the ICRC representative and for the efforts of the organization and Red Crescent societies to provide assistance to those affected by the war, the Secretary-General stated that the international community expects international organizations to respond more swiftly and sensitively to the effects and consequences of war on scientific, educational, and cultural institutions.
Referring to the damage inflicted on the country’s higher education sector, he added that, according to available statistics, 31 universities across the country had been damaged during the war, six of which had been directly targeted. He noted that Shahid Beheshti University, as one of the country’s most important scientific and research institutions, had been engaged in scientific knowledge production for many years and represented an example of the country’s scientific capacity.
Emphasizing the role of universities in societal progress, Fartousi stated: “Universities and research centres are strategic assets for every country. How can we speak of sustainable development when scientists, researchers, and scientific institutions are facing threats arising from war?”
During the meeting, the ICRC representative also expressed regret over the loss of humanitarian workers’ lives in areas affected by the war and stressed the importance of respecting international humanitarian law to mitigate the human consequences of war.
The ICRC representative’s visit to Shahid Beheshti University aimed to assess the damage caused by the war to scientific and educational infrastructure and to discuss ways to support these institutions.
