NWe, members of the scientific community, researchers, teachers, students and citizens committed to the independence of knowledge, express our deep concern over the cancellation of the conference “Palestine and Europe: the burden of past and contemporary dynamics”, originally planned at the Collège de France.
This decision, taken following controversial articles and direct pressure exerted by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, represents an unprecedented attack on academic freedom in France. Under the pretext of ensuring scientific integrity, the ministry legitimizes political interference in the field of research, which is contrary to its main mission: protecting the independence of academics and the plurality of scientific approaches.
Coming from prestigious universities such as the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (Switzerland), the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, the University of Amsterdam, the School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences (EHESS) and the National Center for Scientific Research, in Paris, or Queen Mary University of London, the speakers were unfairly discredited, based on unfounded conflations and accusations. Their competence, their thoroughness and the international recognition of their work cannot be erased by a smear campaign.
Principles under threat
Research is not intended to please or conform to a “political balance” dictated by power. It is based on methods, criticism, reasoned debate, principles that are now in danger. By disrupting scientific evaluation and ideological control, this ban paved the way for an era of institutional censorship, in which media slander was enough to silence academic reflection.
We refuse to let France follow this path. We refuse to allow the College de France to become a forum for such irregularities. We affirm that the mission of universities and research institutions is not to consolidate power, but to enlighten society.
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