Two University of Haifa marine biologists, Prof. Tali Mass and Dr. Tal Luzzatto Knaan, combined their scheduled Antarctic expedition with the “Homeward Bound” program for women leaders with a powerful act of solidarity. While raising the Israeli flag on the frozen continent, they also used the opportunity to raise awareness about the Israeli hostages and the broader Israel-Hamas war with members of the expedition from around the world. This act of advocacy, undertaken amidst the breathtaking beauty of Antarctica, underscores the global reach and impact of the current events impacting Israel.

“After overcoming initial resistance to discussing politics, we were able to provide our foreign colleagues with first-hand accounts of what is going on here in Israel. We shared photos and videos of the hostages, and believe that many of them, encountering these realities for the first time, gained a deeper understanding of the situation,” they concluded.

The “Homeward Bound” program is an international initiative focused on empowering women with backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) with the aim to cultivate a global network of women leaders who are equipped to tackle critical challenges facing our planet and society. Prof. Mass heads the Coral Biomineralization and Physiology, and Dr. Luzzatto Knaan leads the Functional Metabolomics and Marine Natural Products at the Charney School of Marine Sciences.

READ MORE in JPost and Ynetnews