Hasbani to students: Your roots are firmly established in Lebanon
Under the auspices and in the presence of Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Public Health H. E. Mr. Ghassan Hasbani, the Lebanese German University – LGU celebrated its sixth commencement exercises, class 2017, at Eddé Sands in Jbeil on July 5th 2017.
The ceremony was held in the presence of Mr. Carsten Meyer-Wiefhausen, Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy, Mrs. Julia de Biolley, Vice President of the Head of Mission of the European Union, a host of current and former deputes, representatives of military, political, religious figures, ministers, deputes, political parties, German institutions such as DAAD; AGYA…, unions and NGOs, as well as members of LGU Board of Trustees, Vice Presidents, deans and heads of the various faculties as well as administrative personnel and the students’ parents and friends.
Following the Lebanese and German national anthems, the audience observed a minute of silence in memory of LGU founder and former President, late Dr. Faouzi Adaimi. Dr. Pierre Khoury, Vice President for Development, took the stage to remind the audience of LGU’s prime interest that involves helping students break into a very competitive labor market by providing them with high quality education centered on theoretical and practical learning.
In turn, Dr. Alexander Najjar, President of LGU Board of Trustees, praised the efforts of former President, Dr. Faouzi Adaimi, which helped LGU gain recognition among well-established academic institutions due to its good reputation and the ease with which its students land jobs as soon as they graduate. LGU would then be a link between academic and professional life at a time when unemployment rate is rather high. It would also be a cultural bridge between Lebanon and Germany that was confirmed with the launching of a BA program for teaching German as a foreign language in collaboration with Goethe Institute. Finally, Dr. Najjar addressed the students praising LGU for being “an educational lighthouse that nourishes and develops the spirit while refining talents”.
In turn, Mr. Carsten Meyer-Wiefhausen addressed the graduates who are about to enter a world where challenges are numerous. Yet he affirmed that they would overcome obstacles and succeed in their careers due to the outstanding skills they have acquired at university.
In turn, Minister Hasbani spoke about the opacity and the lack of visibility of the world the graduates are about to enter. He called on them to turn to their university every time they face an obstacle as it has allowed them to acquire the necessary skills and flexibility to adapt to a labor market with unprecedented job offers. He added that the world is changing continuously and today’s jobs are likely to vanish tomorrow, while others will most probably emerge. Nonetheless, certain jobs are everlasting, mostly those requiring knowledge and that are concerned with Man, humanity, and human relations.
Hasbani also appealed to students to remain confident, humble, and righteous and to abide by the law and be just and fair when faced with ambiguous situations that have no legal provisions. He reminded them that intellectual inquisitiveness along with good acts and words would surely lead to success. He added that LGU will be their home when faced with hardships and it is where they can find comfort and support. It has surely left indelible marks on their personality and offered them exemplarity of acts and words. He also insisted that when faced with success they must not forget that their roots are well established in Lebanon.
At the end of the speeches, Dr. Alexander Najjar, President of the Board of Trustees, and Mr. Christian Adaimi, President of the Lebanese German Association for the Promotion of Culture, handed Minister Hasbani a blazon in appreciation of his efforts on the national level. The graduates were then handed their diplomas by their respective deans. The event ended with a festive gala dinner.