OPINION: Having been hounded by Russia, I’m determined to find a route to end the violence

Global crises continue to be rife; from war to water scarcity. We must not only take it upon ourselves to raise awareness of the issues that pervade our society, but also look to develop solutions to address them head-on.

This is why the Boris Mints Institute, a research centre at Tel Aviv University and in conjunction with Tel Aviv University’s International Graduate School of Social Sciences, has launched its newest initiative, The International Club. Made up of 20 academics of a variety of disciplines and from across the globe, it is dedicated to delving into the major crises facing our world today and sharing their findings with the public.

The Club ran its first seminar last month. Professors from Israel, Germany, and the USA presented research papers on conflict resolution – within the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the impact democracies could have on defeating Russia, the state of the European Union today, and the current energy crisis.

All are timely topics, and the papers revealed some remarkable breakthroughs, helping to shed clarity on the real-world issues of our planet. They included highlighting the need to understand the drivers and key motivations behind Putin’s war to come to a resolution, exposing the complexities of the EU and member states’ varied relationships with Eastern Europe,  all compounded by the pressing need for energy.

I too have personally experienced Putin’s aggression, hounded by the Russian state for my political opposition and I have protested against the war. From my own observations, I would note we are now in the midst of a conflict with global geopolitical implications, and that an understanding of the cultural values at play is crucial to any efforts towards putting an end to Putin’s violence.

Conflict resolution is just one of the “labs” within the Boris Mints Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions to Global Challenges, which I founded seven years ago and brings together a plethora of academics and researchers from across many disciplines and from several universities. It has six labs dedicated to several areas of research but one ultimate aim: to improve the world.

This brash mission statement may seem like we have overshot ourselves, that to change the world is an unrealistic fantasy. However, I believe through research and ideas, technology and innovation, global problems can be solved and our planet, no less, can be made a far better and brighter place. The International Club is another such initiative for the Institute towards this aim, and I am proud to support it.

I would like to express my gratitude to all the participants of the Club’s first seminar. What came out of the speakers’ mouths is extremely important for an objective understanding of the current situation that has developed since the beginning of Russian aggression on the territory of Ukraine. We will continue our research in all areas related to the growing crisis.