The AUR community has been horrified by the violence and destruction taking place in Israel and Gaza over the past few days. Yesterday, October 12th, the university hosted an open Town Hall discussion around the current crisis. The fact that this quickly became a 'standing room only' event demonstrates the intense levels of student concern about the ongoing crisis and its longer-term implications. The event was a model of passionate but humane and respectful discussion as students from across the globe engaged with differences of opinion while uniformly denouncing all acts of violence and hate. The focus of the discussion was the search for a path to peace during these challenging times and an examination of the role of the media in moments of crisis.
The American University of Rome understands the pressures and concerns of our students, faculty, and staff, who may have family and friends directly threatened or in harm's way. The university stands ready with counseling and support services available to help anyone impacted by this crisis.