After finishing the race strong and triumphing over numerous struggles throughout the past unparalleled years, the Class of 2022 felt immense pride for all of the hard work accomplished and the thrill of the eagerly anticipated Commencement ceremony, which was celebrated on July 14, 2022, at Hadat–Baabda campus. The UA community was honored with the presence of H.E. Mgr. Joseph Spiteri, Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon, Most Reverend Abbot Maroun Abou Jaoude, the Chancellor of UA, Fr. Michel Jalakh, the UA Rector, the MPs Mr. Alain Aoun, Mr. Michel Moawad, Mr. Fadi Alama, and Mr. Rami Abu Hamdan, Ms. Rebecca El Hosry, representative of MP Mr. Tony Frangieh, Mr. Salim Khoury, representative of the MP Mr. George Bouchikian, Mr. George Aoun, Hadat Mayor, as well as Mr. Karim Najjar, representative of the Raymond and Aida Najjar Foundation. With blue crystal-clear sky above and lush greenery all around, His Excellency, honorable MPs, distinguished guests, and graduates families and friends were welcomed in a joyful and festive atmosphere. This livestreamed event meant that people who were not able to attend in person were offered the precious opportunity to tune in and share in such moments of glory with their loved ones.

At the beginning of the ceremony, the audience proudly stood up for the national anthem, and then Ms. Zeina Mechleb, the soon-to-be-alumna of the Faculty of the Information and Communication (FIC), who was enrolled in the audiovisual program, represented the UA dynamic and diverse student body, and kicked off her speech by recalling her journey at UA. It all started in 2019 when she was admitted as a student. Her dream blossomed into reality, and the enthusiasm was running through her veins, for in 2021, she was warmly welcomed as an intern, and one year later, as a staff member. Although her path was full of achievements and hope: “Ms. Wafaa Keyrouz offered me the internship again, because she refused to give up on my potential”, it was nevertheless filled with challenges: “I lost a dear family member to the vicious virus, while also trying my best to focus on my exams”. To her fellow graduates whom she described as “the toughest and most resilient generations” and “the Citizens of the World”, she offered her words of wisdom: “Do not be afraid of aiming high and missing. Do not fear failure when shooting for the stars, but please be terrified of regret”.

Right after that, Fr. Jalakh greeted the audience and was delighted to see the graduating students’ radiant faces and hear their enthusiastic and energetic voices. He praised the efforts made by the Lebanese people to always emerge victorious in this shattered country, and to ride the waves of challenges, destruction, pain, uncertainty, and anxiety, with resilience. Their steadfastness was tested and its genuineness was revealed. Although the past years did not turn out the way they envisioned, as their lives were turned upside down, the UA graduates were able to find joy in the middle of mayhem. Addressing them, the Rector added: “You are the ones who have resisted isolation, frustration and absurdity, and clung to educational attainment in order to infuse hope which this country in pain can hold on to in the midst of its suffering”. Indeed, they succeeded in rising from the ashes of adversity and were lifted up “from the bottom of the crisis to the pinnacle of achievement”, thanks to their parents who truly and unconditionally supported them, despite being emotionally exhausted this year.

The crowd was also overjoyed to listen to the message of the pope that was pronounced by Fr. Jalakh. His Holiness Pope Francis urged the young people to keep hope alive in order to make the country stand up and “restore its full dignity and unique essence among the countries of the Middle East”. He also encouraged them to stand firm like a cedar, to trust their strengths, and to live with a conscious awareness of God’s unfailing presence which will lead them to the light. In his turn, Mgr. Joseph Spiteri, congratulated the graduating students for their efforts and accomplishments, and wished them to find success by the grace of God. He also conveyed the expectations of the Holy Father who considers that the young generations willingness is the key to “avoid injustice and corruption, to favor social coexistence, to defend the dignity and the rights of every human person and to protect nature, our common home”. He added that by becoming critical thinkers, they will no longer be passive recipients and will “be capable of generating new ideas, new visions of the world, of the economy, of politics, of social coexistence” (Pope Francis, Message, July 6, 2022). The Rector then handed him the UA silver feather as a token of recognition and a sign of scientific and spiritual communion.

Shortly afterwards, the academic excellence award was conferred to the valedictorian of valedictorians, Ms. Jana Sarkis from the Faculty of Business Administration. As for the Raymond and Aida Najjar prize, it was awarded to Ms. Mariam Al Mawla who obtained the highest GPA in the Faculty of Engineering (FoE). The UA participants, armed with the weapon of invincible hope, were excited to walk across the stage in full graduation regalia to accept their diplomas amid cheers and applause. Side by side, parents, whose wishes have been partially fulfilled, shed tears of happiness, holding their cameras and eager to catch every moment. Before throwing their caps in the air, the graduates remembered the bridges they have crossed, the hearty smiles and laughter they have shared, the memories they have cherished, and the people who have helped them along the way and gave them well-founded words of advice: their families, friends and instructors. The UA graduates are looking forward to what lies ahead and ready to go in search of their dreams!