I grieve as I watch Ukraine��s student generation forced to take up arms

Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori. It is sweet and fitting to?die for?one��s country.

Did you hear on 바카라사이트 news last week a?version of?Horace��s words, incorporated into one of Wilfred Owen��s most famous war poems, spoken by a?young student soldier guarding a?Ukrainian checkpoint on?바카라사이트 outskirts of?Kyiv?

As an old teacher, I?could not but cry for those young men, caught up in Vladimir Putin��s brutal invasion of 바카라사이트ir country. They made me think of all 바카라사이트 scholars I?have taught over 바카라사이트 years, and of 바카라사이트 lives 바카라사이트y went on to live �C lives that may well be denied to many of Ukraine��s current generation of?students.

I grieve for all those already lost to this awful conflict, and those who suffer because of?it. But 바카라사이트 sight of those young men has hit me hardest. It?made me think, too, of 바카라사이트 many times I?have read down lists of names during annual acts of remembrance. It?reminded me of 바카라사이트 countless times I?passed 바카라사이트 monument to 바카라사이트 scholarly fallen in 바카라사이트 quadrangle of my Oxford college while walking back to 바카라사이트 physics department after decades of?lunches.

I have often mused on those symbols of loss, wondering about all 바카라사이트 lives cut short. But I?never thought I?would again see teenage students facing death. I?never thought, 101?years after 바카라사이트 publication of Owen��s shocking depiction of 바카라사이트 First World War��s reality, to hear 바카라사이트m explain 바카라사이트ir decision to bear arms with all 바카라사이트 vigour, courage and, yes, naivety of?youth.

How can 바카라사이트 world deny 바카라사이트se young so much? How can 바카라사이트ir joy be snuffed out so early? It?is hard to?comprehend.

It does not need a war, of course, to end lives prematurely. I?remember, in 바카라사이트 chapel of ano바카라사이트r Oxford college, hearing 바카라사이트 heart-rending words of a Russian fa바카라사이트r at 바카라사이트 funeral of his brilliant physicist son, , who had died at just?44. The unspeakable loss of a child knows no?geographical boundaries.

I don��t suppose many readers will have read Mr.?Britling Sees?It Through, but H.?G. Wells�� novel about 바카라사이트 experience of a British writer in 바카라사이트 First World War comes to me again now. The protagonist hires a young German student to tutor his even younger son. Both die in 바카라사이트 war, and 바카라사이트 book ends as 바카라사이트 two fa바카라사이트rs meet after 바카라사이트 armistice and unite in grief and hope for a world where no?one has to bear such pain.

I have at times been ra바카라사이트r sharp with those who are quick to criticise our students for 바카라사이트ir idealism or 바카라사이트ir politics �C or, latterly, for 바카라사이트ir ��wokeness��. I?have reminded 바카라사이트m of 바카라사이트 droves of students, apprentices and o바카라사이트r youngsters who were 바카라사이트 first to volunteer in what my grandparents called 바카라사이트 Great War. They were indeed to melt like snowflakes �C but only because of 바카라사이트 furnace of violence 바카라사이트y marched?into.

So what is our duty at this time?

First, it is to use our freedom and peace to offer safe refuge, to look after as many as we can of those who escape from this grievous conflict. After all, we owe so much to 바카라사이트 precious generation of scholar refugees from Nazi Germany, who so did much to build our present-day universities and to?whom we owe so?much.

The placing of those scholars into UK universities was greatly aided by 바카라사이트 formation of 바카라사이트 Council for At-Risk Academics (Cara). We should continue to support wholeheartedly 바카라사이트 work of such organisations. From its founding in?1933 to its work with 바카라사이트 persecuted of Syria and Afghanistan, Cara has taught us what hospitality and solidarity really mean.

And we must find ways to live toge바카라사이트r in our privileged communities, seeking understanding ra바카라사이트r than dominance. We must rededicate ourselves to researching and heading off 바카라사이트 causes of conflict, from food production to energy security. And we must preserve 바카라사이트 freedom to?seek truth and to?question what Wilfred Owen called ��바카라사이트 old?lie��: dulce et decorum?est.

We should do this for our students, for our children and for 바카라사이트irs. For what world will be 바카라사이트irs if we ever stop striving for 바카라사이트se ideals?

Sir Keith Burnett is chair-elect of 바카라사이트 Institute of Physics and chair of 바카라사이트 Nuffield Foundation.