Remarks to Open “The War in Gaza: Constructive Campus Conversations”
On November 30, 2023, President Shafik delivered remarks to open “The War in Gaza: Constructive Campus Conversations.” The event was a discussion, moderated by Claire Shipman, Co-Chair of Columbia’s Board of Trustees, with Keren Yarhi-Milo, Dean of Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs, and Amaney Jamal, Dean of Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs. It centered around their column in The New York Times, "The Discourse Is Toxic. Universities Can Help."
This is a topic that’s very difficult to discuss and I want to start by acknowledging that. The events of the last eight weeks, starting with the October 7 terrorist attack, and now with the war between Israel and Hamas and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, have caused great pain and suffering. Many people in our community have been affected, directly, and some of the emotions and disagreements have spilled over onto our campus.
But this is also a teachable moment. The two scholars who will speak today are wonderful examples of what universities can contribute during times like these. Amaney Jamal of Princeton and Keren Yarhi-Milo of Columbia, one Palestinian, one Israeli, are friends and former colleagues, and have argued that universities need to step up to the challenge of enabling uncomfortable conversations and demonstrating mutual respect. I’m sure they disagree on issues, but they agree on the importance of conversation rooted in scholarship and the value of dialogue. I want to applaud their courage and thank them for being here.
Many years ago, I had the extraordinary opportunity of working on the economic underpinnings of the Oslo peace process when I was an economist at the World Bank. It was a time of great hope, and even though the process ultimately failed, it taught me one of the great lessons of my professional life: That it’s possible for people to overcome huge differences if they are willing to talk.
Navigating these past couple of months on campus has been a challenge, to say the least. I have felt keenly the passion and pain of our brilliant students, faculty, and wider community who have deep personal connections to this conflict, and I have had hundreds of conversations with students, faculty, and alumni to understand the different ways their lives have been touched by it.
"It is not okay to cast civility aside because the moment is too heated. We must cultivate a university culture that pushes back on the forces that seek to divide us. A culture that encourages empathy, not personal attacks on individuals or identities. Learning to speak, and listen with respect, that is a cherished Columbia value."
So often these conversations end up being about “What are Columbia’s values?” I think it’s important to reassert those values during turbulent times.
One thing that is sacrosanct is the intellectual freedom of our students and faculty to debate issues and come to their own views. It’s our job to teach people how to think, not what to think. This is an essential Columbia value. And this, in practice, is remarkably difficult work, as the past two months have shown all of us since everything we say is interpreted through a political lens and then distorted and amplified through social media.
Nevertheless, it is our job to honor our mission of education and research and engage with each other to help find solutions. Here, at a university, the question should not be, “What side are you on?” Instead, it can be, “What can we learn from history? What are the political, economic, and social issues? How does literature and the arts inform the debate?” Here is a place where our students can discover the many complex sides to every issue. That is also a Columbia value.
None of this is possible without a commitment to thoughtful, rigorous debate that respects our collective rights to learn, work, and live together, free from bigotry, intimidation, and harassment. It means applying rules of conduct fairly to all, because everyone has a right to feel safe, welcome, and heard at Columbia.
Creating an environment where people feel challenged and learn to navigate the discomfort that comes with that – another Columbia value.
It is not okay to cast civility aside because the moment is too heated. We must cultivate a university culture that pushes back on the forces that seek to divide us. A culture that encourages empathy, not personal attacks on individuals or identities. Learning to speak, and listen with respect, that is a cherished Columbia value.
Over the months ahead we will be launching a set of initiatives that will encourage dialogue across difference to foster discussion and activities across Columbia that bring people together. Events like today are an important step in modeling the kind of intellectual debate and humane behavior that we aspire to.