The Lebanese German University – LGU held its third commencement ceremony, class of 2014, under the patronage and presence of his Beatitude Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi at Eddé Sands in Jbeil on July 17, 2014. Gathered for the occasion were 100 students graduating from the faculties of Business Administration, Public Health, and Arts and Education.
The ceremony was held in sumptuous surroundings in the presence of Mr. Christian Clages, the Ambassador of Germany in Lebanon, as well as a host of political, military, religious, economic and industrial figures in addition to the deans of the various faculties, heads of departments, the administrative staff, and the students’ parents.
Following the Lebanese and German national anthems, LGU President, Dr. Faouzi Adaimi, proceeded with expressing his gratitude to faculty members and staff for their efforts which contributed to the success of all students. He then addressed the young graduates wishing them an active career based on values and full of success reminding them of the obstacles they have to overcome in a very competitive marketplace, he reminded the audience of the different agreements LGU has with renowned universities in Germany, France, and professional societies in England. He also stressed the important role LGU is playing in providing quality education to all students without discrimination. He also reminded the audience that the objective of a university is not limited to providing education but to forming the youths so that they could keep on learning and advancing throughout their career.
In turn, Attorney Alexander Najjar, President of the Board of Trustees, addressed the young graduates wishing for them to build the Lebanon of the future based on forgiveness and brotherhood. He also urged them to remain loyal to their country and be exemplary citizens armed with faith when confronted with the adversities of life.
Mr. Christian Clages, ambassador of Germany in Lebanon, congratulated the graduates and praised their efforts. He reminded them that graduation is a turning point in their life and that university education should empower them to find their way on a personal and professional level. He stressed the obstacles and the challenges they will run into hoping they are well-equipped to face them with the knowledge they have acquired at university and the support of their families. He ended up addressing three wishes to the graduates. The first is to find the job that fulfills their dreams and aspirations, as the only way to succeed is to be doing a job they love. He also wished them to take things easy and never feel down if they fail to do what they want but keep on trying without being overly ambitious. Finally, he advised them to use their qualifications responsibly in their future career or in community life and always remember that every single step they make in life will have an impact on other individuals and even their government in a way they may not expect. He ended up reminding them to be ambitious but also socially sensitive and to use their influence to protect the powerless and their professional engagement to make their country a better place.
In turn, Patriarch Al-Rahi addressed the young graduates saying they are the wealth of Lebanon and should contribute to maintaining its unity and diversity. He reminded that Lebanon is a unique message to its regional environment and to the whole world due to the richness of its varied cultures and religions, insisting that culture is the basis of politics, economy, and social life. He criticized the current situation and the absence of the head of state, who is at the core of the Lebanese institutions. He condemned the constant violation of the Constitution and the National Pact by politicians and asked for the Parliament to hold its sessions permanently until the election of a new president who could face up to the current political, economic, and security challenges. Patriarch Al-Rahi also said he had no personal candidate for the presidency and put no veto on any of the candidates. He also spoke about the two documents published by Bkerke: “The charter of political work according to the teaching of the church and the characteristics of Lebanon” and the “National Memorandum”. He explained that the objective of the “Charter” is to promote political awareness in every respect, be it spiritual, ethical, social, or national so that citizens could choose their representatives based on specific criteria, while the “Memorandum” is a means to reaffirm the three national norms: coexistence, the national charter, and the national pact. He ended up his speech encouraging the young graduates to have faith in their country and contribute to its development.
Following the Patriarch’s speech, Dr. Fawzi Adaimi handed him in a blazon in appreciation of the efforts he is making to maintain the unity and diversity of Lebanon. He also presented a blazon to Mr. Najjar and Mr. Clages for their cultural and social contributions. Then the young graduates filed to receive their diplomas that were handed them by their respective faculty dean. Carole Abi Antoun made a speech in the name of all new graduates, while student Patricia Stephan read out the oath meant for all graduates in the Nursing and Physical Therapy Departments.
The ceremony ended with a gala dinner.