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Malek Helali
Doha
HER HIGHNESS Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim al Thani patronised Qatar University's (QU) Female Graduation Ceremony of the 40th and largest batch (2017) of students at Qatar National Convention Center in Doha on Wednesday.
HH Sheikha Jawaher also honoured the 245 top performing graduates at the ceremony. Altogether 2,411 students received their degree certificates from QU President Dr Hassan al Derham.
The ceremony was attended by a number of their excellencies sheikhs and ministers, along with members of the university's administration and faculty, parents and guests.
QU President Dr Derham said that the graduation ceremony was an occasion to celebrate not only the graduation of the largest batch of QU students, but also the solidarity of Qatar's people and their unity behind the leadership against the unjust blockade. He added that the crisis has brought together the people of Qatar who should take pride in their ethical victory.
Dr Derham stressed the honourable position of Qatari women in the society and expressed his pride over the university's graduates and their achievements. He noted that a Qatari woman participates actively in the advancement of the university both as a student and a faculty member.
QU President pointed out that the vision of the university has become more comprehensive since its launch and is now aligning with the Qatar National Vision 2030. He added that QU is determined to keep up with the regional and international competition in higher education."We strive to make QU the preferred choice of students and academics," he said.
He also took the opportunity to pay his deepest condolences to the family of the student Amna Sultan al Mohannadi who passed away recently prior to the graduation ceremony.
Valedictorian Mariam Ali Alhajri addressed the guests on behalf of her fellow graduates in a moving speech that got tremendous applause from the audience. She noted that graduation is the starting point of a journey to build Qatar's future as graduates are the leaders of today and the constructors of tomorrow. She further explained that the future they work for should bring freedom and justice while rejecting exclusion that leads to extremism.
"We are renewing our vows of loyalty to our country and its leadership. Qatar will remain free, rising with the souls of its loyal people. You, the people of Qatar, will remain free for you have rejected injustice," Alhajri said.
She added:"On the first presentation I gave at university, I stood with shaking legs. Now, I stand before you still with shaking legs. But standing with shaking legs is better than sitting comfortably."
Alhajri concluded by thanking her parents for their support and urging her fellow graduates and students to strive and seize opportunities without fear in order to serve their country and pay it back for the privileges and great opportunities it provided them.
Speaking to Qatar Tribune, International Affairs graduate Ma'ab Abdullah said,"I am planning to continue my higher education and I already got accepted to do my masters. Qatar University had a great role in shaping my skills and developing my passion for political science."
A proud mother of two of the graduates from the College of Education and the College of Business and Economics expressed her great joy in witnessing the achievement of her daughters. She added,"They call them the batch of the blockade, and they surely deserve our pride in succeeding despite the stressful past few months that our country went through."
