Statement in solidarity with the people of Ukraine
The Chairperson and Board of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (IAI) are appalled and deeply concerned by the ongoing military incursion by Russian forces on the territory of Ukraine, which is an unprovoked act of aggression towards the people of Ukraine.
As the representative organisation for professional archaeologists working on the island of Ireland, we understand that the most valuable and irreplaceable resource a country has is its people. Whilst we may be geographically removed from what is going on in eastern Europe, we must do everything we can to help and support the people of Ukraine, they are our colleagues, friends and family, and they are in real and immediate danger. This unprovoked attack by President Putin and the forces of the Russian Federation should not be allowed to stand and we call on our government to take a decisive stance with our European partners to bring this conflict to an end and to support the humanitarian effort to help the Ukrainian people.
As a member of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA), the IAI fully endorses the statement issued by the EAA and applauds their list of helpful resources (https://www.e-a-a.org/EAA/Navigation_News/Ukraine_war_detail.aspx).
Furthermore, we wish to echo the voices of our colleagues across Europe in their condemnation of the destruction of Ukraine’s rich cultural heritage by the Russian Federation. This is occurring as a means to demoralise and destroy Ukraine’s cultural identity; shared cultural heritage has the power to unite us all and its destruction, coupled with the environmental atrocities that are being committed, is an affront to us all.
We will be raising a motion at our forthcoming AGM in Belfast this April regarding a donation to the relief effort from the Institute but, in the interim, should anyone wish to donate, please see the links below:
https://www.unicef.org/ukraine/en
https://www.redcross.ie/latest-appeals/ukraine-crisis-appeal/