Message from the President: On respect and compassion

A message from Benoit-Antoine Bacon; President and Vice-Chancellor

Dear members of the UBC community,

This is still very early days for me and I wish there had been more time to get to know everyone before writing this message.

As the war continues to unfold in Israel and Gaza, the violence, tension and uncertainty is understandably putting significant strain on our community. The human suffering is heartbreaking and my thoughts and prayers are with everyone who is grieving and hurting, both overseas and here in Canada.

The university is striving to support our students, faculty and staff who are affected by this tragedy. These measures have included, but are not limited to, accommodations, increased security on our campuses, emergency funds, and professional support services. We will continue to offer this essential support – contact information is provided below – and we encourage anyone who is in need to reach out.

As a global community, we may feel many different and difficult emotions about the situation that is unfolding. Now more than ever, we must take great care to remain respectful and compassionate towards each other and to uphold our shared commitment to fostering inclusion, dignity, and human rights at UBC.

Read the full message