Statement from your Officer Team

As your Students' Union, we remain mindful of the events in the Middle East and their impact on our student community. We welcome the news of the ceasefire announced, and we hope this marks a meaningful step toward lasting peace in the region. However we know the humanitarian crisis in the region continues to worsen, and this will continue to cause distress to many students.

As your Students' Union, your safety and wellbeing are our highest priorities. We know that the Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon, along with missile attacks across the region has caused distress to many of our students across campus. This crisis has deeply affected our diverse student community, including those with personal, cultural, or familial ties to the region. Many of you may be experiencing fear, grief, or anxiety for your loved ones, and we understand how this can impact your academic focus, social life, and overall wellbeing.

Reports from UNICEF reveal that, since October 4th, at least one child has been killed and ten injured daily in Lebanon. We urge that all civilians are protected, international law is consistently applied, and that work is done to secure a future where this region is free from occupation and oppression. We continue to call for peace, justice, and safety for all, as we continue to champion unity across the campus and work together to navigate these challenges.

We remain committed to fostering an inclusive campus environment where racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and any form of discrimination will not be tolerated.

We call on our university community to unite in solidarity, demonstrating compassion and understanding to all those affected during these challenging times.

We are actively working with the university to ensure that support is available to all students affected and encourage any student in need to reach out for support through the following services:

• Students affected by financial, immigration and/or practical matters due to the crisis, can access support here.
• For those who require mental health and well-being support can access student wellbeing support can be found here.
• The Students’ Union can provide additional independent support via the Advice Centre.
• If you experience or witness anything of this nature, please use the Report It service. You can also contact the Faith Centre or speak with the Students’ Union if that is more comfortable for you.

The Students’ Union also continues to actively discuss the situation with leaders from our Islamic Society, Friends of Palestine Society, and Jewish students.

We are meeting with all University Chaplains in the coming weeks to ensure that we are doing everything we can to support students. We will also actively support any students who want to set up a Lebanese Society.