Your Eminence Cardinal Edwin Fredric O’Brien – Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem

• Your Excellency Dr. Marouf Al-Bakhit – Chairman of the Board of Trustees
• Your Eminence Pierbattista Pizzaballa – Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
• Honorable Senator Nancy Stiles
• Members of the board of trustees and faculty members
• Excellencies and honorable guests
• Families and graduates

Good evening

It gives me a great pleasure to welcome you all and acknowledge your participation in the commencement ceremony of AUM’s second batch of graduates, class of 2016.

Ladies and gentlemen

Here in the middle of a flaming areas in the middle east, with more than one and a half million refugees in a small country with limited resources, and by inspiration and judgement of His Majesty King Abdullah the Second, we made this university a story of success, we raised the flag of love and peace.

In this university we have a diversity of students from 29 nationalities. In other words, we have a small community of intercultural communication. They all feel like a family in a healthy environment.

The American University of Madaba is and will be a community of idealists with all its components: students, faculty members and administratives. I assure you that we have extraordinary components.

Graduates are leaving the campus armed with knowledge, creativity, wisdom, great personality and social intellectuality. Nevertheless, they will be spiritually and emotionally attached to it. Moreover, they will be practically connected through the alumni office.

Parents and families

You should be proud of these graduates. You should be especially proud of their academic achievements and great improvements in their personality as we are. Congratulations to all of you.

Graduates

Let us frankly say that without the continuous support of your families, you would not have been able to accomplish your goal. I am confident that they were there when you needed them, providing you with financial support, advice, encouragement and much more. Let us all thank them.

Today, you are ready to best serve your country through the institutions you are going to work for. Be faithful and dedicated; be honest and transparent; think positive; never retreat; be good to yourself, your families and your community.

I urge you from now on to ask yourself what you are offering to your country, not what your country is offering you. If we all do that, all the country will be healthy and in return we will be living in a healthy environment and have a prosperous life.

Each one of you will be a leader in the primary level, most of you will be a leader in the intermediate level, and some of you will be a leader in the higher level. Remember that in order to be successful in all levels; shed fresh light on the power of emotionally intelligent leadership to inspire; arouse passion and enthusiasm; be just and transparent, avoid being prejudice; keep people motivated and committed; avoid toxic leadership that poison the emotional climate at work.

Finally, allow me to thank with appreciation and gratitude those people who made valuable contribution in establishing this beautiful institution (AUM):

• Great appreciation and thanks to His Majesty King Abdullah the Second for inaugurating the university in 2013

• Special thanks for their holiness the popes,
  • Pope Saint John Paul the Second
  • Pope Benedict the 16^th
  • Pope Francis

For their blessing and financial support, and for the special blessing of Pope Benedict the 16^th for laying the foundation stone of the university

• The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
  • His eminence Pierbattista Pizzaballa
  • His Beatitude Fuad Twal
  • His Beatitude Michel Sabbah
  • His eminence Maroun Laham
  • His Eminence Salim Sayegh

For their continuous support

• His excellency the Chairman of the Board of Trustees Dr. Marouf Al-Bakhit for his patience and continuous advice. Gratitude to him and all members of the board for using their expertise to draw the roadmap of the university.

• The Vatican Foundation of Saint John the Baptist, the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, Makawer Castle for Education for their continuous financial support

• New Hampshire higher education commission

• New England association of schools and colleges

• Senators Nancy Stiles and Lou D’Allesandro and the entire staff, partners and friends in New Hampshire

• Former chairmen of the Board of Trustees, His Royal Highness Prince Mir’ed Bin Ra’ad and His Excellency Sami Gammoh and all the former members of the board of trustees.

• Former presidents of the university: Professors Victor Billeh, George Hazboun and Karim Numayr

• Former and present faculty members and administrative staff for their dedication towards building a successful university.

 

Thank you all and God bless you