Message from ICLS Director Padideh Ala'i on the COVID-19 Pandemic
I hope that this newsletter finds you safe as we face a once in a century pandemic. The law school went online on March 23 and the campus was closed to all but essential employees shortly thereafter. We are all teaching online and—like many other schools—we have had to cancel graduation ceremonies and other important events and initiatives. We are committed to all of our students and are doing everything in our power to help them in these difficult and unpredictable times.
The current crisis has the potential to change the future trajectory of human history as we become intensely aware of our vulnerabilities as human beings and our global interconnectedness. With borders closing, the short-term trend seems to be towards renewed emphasis on nationalism everywhere. However, history tells us that when countries turn inward and adopt “beggar thy neighbor” policies, the result is economic collapse and war.
We, who have long been committed to promotion of international rule of law and mutual cooperation, must at this time raise our voices and make sure no one forgets that the long term lesson from this pandemic is the need for a strong global framework that can be mobilized to address global challenges. The solution for the current pandemic is global, not national. This is the time for us to work together across borders to address our future and the future of our children. This is not a time to tolerate national or racial hatred, and we stand firm in our rejection of any national or racial profiling as a consequence of some people trying to find scapegoats for the crisis.
Our faculty are actively addressing how this pandemic is affecting human rights of the most vulnerable amongst us and are actively working to counter that. Dean Emeritus Claudio Grossman recently held a live webcast on the effect of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations in Latin America. Some countries, such as Ecuador, have been hit with particular force by the virus’ impact, and the governments need support in addressing the pandemic and in taking the right measures to prevent further propagation.
Our Syrian Initiative Director Deyaa Alwrishdi has been holding webinars to address the issues surrounding COVID-19 for those who live at the margins escaping one of the bloodiest conflicts in modern history. In these webinars he distinguishes between rumors and facts, and explains to the communities with less access to information the best practices to protect themselves and their families. These are but a few examples.
The May issue of the ICLS newsletter will be devoted to COVID-19 and its impact on our faculty and alumni. We look forward to staying in touch with you and continue helping strengthen the global framework to both address future challenges and to minimize the impact of the crisis, instead of increasing the differences between peoples and nations.
Stay Safe!
Padideh Ala’i
Director
International and Comparative Legal Studies (ICLS)
American University Washington College of Law
“We, who have long been committed to promotion of international rule of law and mutual cooperation, must at this time raise our voices and make sure no one forgets that the long term lesson from this pandemic is the need for a strong global framework that can be mobilized to address global challenges.”
Padideh Ala'i