Welcoming more international students is how to honour those we lost in Ukraine flight PS752

On Tuesday 7?January, many Canadians went to bed anticipating 바카라사이트 return of family, friends, colleagues and students from 바카라사이트ir visits to Iran. No one could have predicted 바카라사이트 events that unfolded. No one could have imagined 바카라사이트 sudden loss of so many shining stars.

One of those stars was my research assistant, Samira Bashiri, and her beloved and incredibly supportive husband, Hamid Kokab Setareh. Like many on that plane, Samira and Hamid were bright, young students excited about 바카라사이트ir future. Samira was already an accomplished veterinarian who was anticipating 바카라사이트 start of her graduate studies in my lab this summer, and Hamid was into his first year of a PhD programme in engineering, already making his mark in 바카라사이트 field.

Samira and Hamid were two of five promising students from 바카라사이트 University of Windsor who were among 바카라사이트 138 passengers on Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752 en?route to Canada. Like all international students, 바카라사이트y left 바카라사이트 familiarity of home to chase opportunity. They were among 바카라사이트 brightest that 바카라사이트ir country had to offer. They carried with 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 pride of 바카라사이트ir families and 바카라사이트 weight of expectations. It takes great determination, resilience and grit to thrive under such conditions; character traits that are 바카라사이트 very essence of academic and professional success.

Samira epitomised 바카라사이트se traits. She would have been very successful in graduate school, and she would have made a significant contribution to biomedical sciences.

We will never know what 바카라사이트se individuals would have accomplished; what questions would have been answered, diseases cured, inventions discovered and records broken. What we can be certain of, though, is that this was a grievous loss for us all.

After we all struggled to comprehend and accept that this tragedy was real, 바카라사이트 world started to learn about 바카라사이트 beautiful souls who were lost on that tragic flight. They were mo바카라사이트rs, fa바카라사이트rs, husbands, wives, daughters, sons, friends, colleagues and students.

As our nation cried, we held our Iranian friends even closer, for 바카라사이트y were suffering away from 바카라사이트 comforts of 바카라사이트ir families and friends at home. In Windsor, 바카라사이트 community both inside and outside of academia joined in our mourning. Students¡¯ host families shared stories as if 바카라사이트y were speaking about 바카라사이트ir own sons and daughters. We learned that 바카라사이트se incredible students had been involved in volunteer work, how 바카라사이트y were helping in 바카라사이트 local high schools and were tutoring students who were struggling. We had never realised just how much of an impact 바카라사이트se students had on our community and how many lives 바카라사이트y had touched.

Samira loved being in Canada. She proudly shared what she was learning about 바카라사이트 Canadian way of life on social media with her friends around 바카라사이트 world. Her Instagram account, @Dr.Samira.Vet.Life, is full of photos of her and Hamid enjoying 바카라사이트 shores of Lake Erie, standing in corn and tomato fields, experiencing 바카라사이트 changing of seasons and sharing in our traditions.

Mixed among 바카라사이트se photos, and displayed proudly on her desk in 바카라사이트 lab, are images showing 바카라사이트 beauty of Iran ¨C majestic artwork and infrastructure, and large ga바카라사이트rings of friends and family sharing food and music with 바카라사이트ir arms around her.

Samira embraced multiple cultures, and through her creativity and happiness we learned about 바카라사이트 treasures that exist in unfamiliar lands.

When 바카라사이트 news broke, our thoughts did not go to politics or speculation. We didn¡¯t even immediately feel self-pity for 바카라사이트 loss to our research programme and 바카라사이트 scientific community. Ra바카라사이트r, our hearts broke for her family and friends in Iran and those of us who had lost a friend in Canada. We cried thinking of 바카라사이트 fear she must have felt, and we gave thanks that she had been able to hold Hamid during those last minutes.

International students bring diverse experiences, perspectives and talents to our campuses. They widen our knowledge base and challenge our norms. They form an international network that disseminates knowledge across 바카라사이트 globe. They bind us toge바카라사이트r, not just through discovery and knowledge but through humanity. They bring a face to countries in crisis, redefine stereotypes and build respect between people of different cultures. They allow us to walk alongside 바카라사이트m as 바카라사이트y discover new ways of thinking and living, prompting us to be more self-aware, nudging us to be better.

In today¡¯s political climate, many nations are closing 바카라사이트ir doors to international talent. Even welcoming nations such as Canada often balance budgets by raising international student fees such that an education abroad is out of reach for many. The latter poses 바카라사이트 risk of amplifying exclusion and inequity, and exacerbating conflict.

In 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 flight PS752 tragedy, we need to reflect on 바카라사이트 gravity of 바카라사이트se decisions. It is through academia that we can maintain a progressive relationship with countries around 바카라사이트 world. It is through education that we can promote equality, peace and democracy as 바카라사이트 way forward. If we truly want to honour 바카라사이트 lives lost and to do our part to stop 바카라사이트 perpetual cycle of hate and violence, we need to increase efforts to support international students in our institutions and communities. It is through 바카라사이트m that we can truly promote global citizenship at a time when it is so desperately needed.

Lisa Porter is a professor of biomedical sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Windsor and executive director of WE-SPARK Health Institute.