University of Arts Student Union (TaiYo) supports the academic and cultural boycott led by two Palestinian-led movements – the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) – to pressure Israel into complying with international law. TaiYo has already given its support in 2021 to the Finland Against Apartheid movement of artists and art institutions, which follows the BDS movement's demands for an academic and cultural boycott. You can find out more about the PACBI and BDS movements here.
In accordance with the values in TaiYo's strategy we are defender of art, science and education (bildung). We think critically, work for equity and sense of community, strive to be a positive force for change and boldly start discussions. By joining the movement to boycott Israel, we want to promote the rule of international law and demand an immediate end to genocide and other human rights violations.
TaiYo condemns illegal occupation and all acts of violence against civilians. We hope for solutions that respect UN resolutions and the rulings of the International Criminal Court in order to bring lasting peace to the region. TaiYo commits to the academic and cultural boycott of Israel, as we feel it is our social duty based on the values of our community and the wishes and demands of our members. The commitment is also the democratic decision made by our membership.
Equally, based on our values, it is important to note that a commitment to boycott Israeli institutions does not oblige or encourage cutting off communication or cooperation between individual Israeli researchers, artists or students and members of the Uniarts Helsinki community. TaiYo does not accept harassment or discrimination against individual students or student communities, and the current boycott demand does not justify a violation of the peace of study. In questions and situations related to harassment and discrimination, you can always contact, for example, TaiYo's harassment contact persons, whose contact information can be found here.
TaiYo also calls on Uniarts Helsinki to commit to an academic and cultural boycott of Israel. Uniarts Helsinki has defined the appreciation of skill, openness and courage as its values. Uniarts Helsinki's ethical principles state, among other things:
“I act in a way that is ethically sustainable and responsible."
“I do not harm myself or other people or condone the harming of anyone."
“I intervene if I observe unethical conduct."
“I try to update my understanding of ethical issues regularly and examine my own actions and way of thinking in relation to them.”
Based on these values and ethical principles, we believe that Uniarts Helsinki has a duty to work more actively to promote human rights and international law and to listen to its student community on the matter.
With the mandate of its members, TaiYo demands that Uniarts Helsinki joins it in committing to an academic and cultural boycott of Israel and terminating its relations with Israeli educational institutions that are involved in maintaining Israel's apartheid system.
Above all, we demand that Uniarts Helsinki acts on the basis of its values and ethical principles: to be a courageous actor that does not stand by and watch others harm, to update its understanding of ethical issues and actively review its own activities.
What would committing to the boycott mean for Uniarts Helsinki in practice?
- Uniarts Helsinki officially dissolves its exchange contract with the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem.
- In the future, Uniarts Helsinki will not cooperate with Israeli universities until Israel complies with international law or the situation changes substantially.
- Uniarts Helsinki makes public its financial investments in companies that profit from the Palestinian genocide and begins the process of withdrawing its investments from these companies.
Background for the statement:
In August 2024, a membership initiative was submitted to the Student Union of Uniarts Helsinki (TaiYo) calling for an academic and cultural boycott of Israel. TaiYo's Board of Directors decided to propose the approval of the membership initiative to the Representative Council, which decided to support the membership initiative unanimously. The Representative Council is the highest decision-making body of the Student Union, consisting of elected Uniarts Helsinki students.
After approving the members' initiative, TaiYo's Board has met with both the Rector of Uniarts Helsinki and the management team and informed the management of the content and requirements of the membership initiative.
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