Call for Lebanese Students in France: "Do Not Participate in Protests"

Lebanese Students Committee in France President Omar Al-Khoully called on students not to participate in protests and to respect French laws and regulations. In a statement, he said: "In light of the rapid developments witnessed by the educational and university scene in France, and the expansion of student and union movements to include a number of universities, the Lebanese Students Committee in France confirms its close monitoring of these developments and its keenness to keep pace with the situation of Lebanese students and the impact of these events on their academic and daily lives. While the committee fully respects the right of French students, unions, and relevant bodies to express their demands and positions through means guaranteed by French law, it calls on Lebanese students in various French universities not to participate or engage in any protest movement, demonstration, sit-in, or strike related to the current student and union mobilization, and to fully comply with the applicable regulations and laws in the French Republic."

The committee stressed that "the presence of Lebanese students in France is within the framework of study and scientific attainment, and that respecting the laws of the host country and its university systems constitutes a fundamental responsibility incumbent upon every Lebanese student, preserving his image as a scholar and his relationships with university institutions and French society."

The committee called on Lebanese people to distance themselves from any tensions or movements that do not directly concern them, and not to engage in any activity that may expose their university career, residency, safety, or academic interests to any problem or legal consequences.

It affirmed that "its position does not constitute, in any way, interference in the demands raised by French students or the relevant unions, nor a diminishment of their right to peaceful and democratic expression thereof, which is a right the committee respects and acknowledges. Rather, it comes from its position of responsibility towards Lebanese students and its keenness that their presence in France remains confined to their academic framework, far from any participation in the ongoing internal mobilization."

It also called for verifying information regarding university closures, suspension of classes, adoption of remote learning, or changes in exam schedules from official sources of their universities and academic administrations, and not relying on rumors or unreliable information circulating via social media.

Within the scope of its responsibility, the committee announced the allocation of a special page via its official website: https://cnelfrance.online/ to monitor developments related to student and university mobilization, and track their repercussions on Lebanese students in various French universities, particularly regarding classes, exams, transportation, and access to campus, with information to be continuously updated according to what is issued by official authorities and relevant universities.

Al-Khoully confirmed that the priority for the Lebanese Students Committee in France is protecting the academic path of students, facilitating their follow-up of studies, accompanying them in exceptional circumstances, and enhancing their commitment to French laws and regulations.

He concluded by affirming that "the Lebanese student in France represents his country through his knowledge, conduct, and respect for laws and institutions, and the best thing he can offer at this stage is maintaining his calm, continuing his studies, and staying away from any participation in internal movements, with full respect for the right of French society, its students, and its unions to express their demands in ways recognized by law."