Address by Mawlana Hazar Imam at the Global AKU Convocation, Class of 2020

our chief guest melinda french gates chairman ali debass and the members of the board of trustees president firoz asur provost deans faculty and staff of the university generous donors and well-wishers of the university from around the world distinguished guests parents family members and graduates it is a great privilege to join you today in recognizing and celebrating the class of 2020 i do so in circumstances unlike any the world has faced in my lifetime reminding us all how vital how essential nurses doctors researchers and teachers uh to our collective health and well-being and so to our graduates i begin by thanking as well as congratulating you each of you has chosen a path of service to humanity that is admirable and necessary we are honored on this occasion by the participation of miss melinda french gates through her leadership the gates foundation has helped improve human health advance economic development and empower women and girls across the globe the long-standing partnership between the agencies of the arkham development network and the gates foundation has featured collaboration in each of these areas working together in afghanistan pakistan india and east africa in the light of this special relationship we are particularly pleased to welcome her to this convocation for decades both the icon development network and the gates foundation have devoted significant effort to improving health and health systems indeed this university was founded upon the conviction that the quality of health care professionals is fundamental to any progress in these domains it therefore gives me great pride to see the response of aku and its hospitals during this pandemic undertaken with the generous support from the gates foundation and others i salute the courage of aku's healthcare staff and administration who have worked tirelessly through months of crisis braving these difficult times with fortitude and resolve the university has made a critical difference advising national governments training public sector medical staff working with teachers and schools raising awareness through media and journalism and doing everything possible to treat patients and to save lives i would also like to recognize the resilience and agility of our university faculty and students in these challenging times all of you have shown impressive adaptability dedication and perseverance thank you aku's contributions represent another chapter in the long story of great universities that have helped to guide the world through the turbulence of history the global pandemic response has been built on decades of earnest research often conducted in relative obscurity but making possible the development of new tests chasing strategies therapies and vaccines while we should regret the unequal distribution of these achievements we must also appreciate the intellectual triumph that their development represents melinda french gates and the gates foundation have played a crucial and catalytic role as you know aku researchers have also been part of this progress identifying and tracking new code mutations assessing vaccines and evaluating therapies aku aims to be as relevant for the next global health crisis as it has been for this one today aku is building its capacity for cutting-edge research applicable to the distinctive health risks for populations in asia and africa it will seek to harness the enormous potential of advances in artificial intelligence genomic medicine and stem cell science to address tomorrow's challenges as well as today's translating this potential requires more than innovation it requires professionals capable of complex judgments in balance with the cultures and traditions of these regions this is why aku is evolving into a comprehensive university active in the humanities and the social sciences as our thoughts turn to the future and the bright potential of aku and its graduates i am supposed to reflect on this moment of significant transition today's convocation makes a meaningful juncture in our university's history for only the third time since our founding in 1983 aku will have a new president as you all know president rasul has asked to retire and i have reluctantly agreed understanding how important it will be for firoza and zeida to spend the coming years with their children and grandchildren in canada under the rose's leadership our university has known remarkable growth in the past 15 years new facilities new campuses new faculties and impressive new technologies the university is also grown as a leading academic and intellectual force aku graduates are reaching the highest levels of qualification and accomplishment it is most gratifying to see that some of them are now returning to aku as faculty and leaders these achievements are a source of great happiness for our trustees and me president russell's impressive accomplishments have given us the confidence to broaden our horizons and expand our aspirations of excellence with these aspirations in full view i have appointed suleiman shah badin as president of aku suleiman who began his career at aku 35 years ago is coming home along with his wife zinat who is a graduate of the university and holds a phd in nursing i have known suleiman for many years he has been the regional ceo of the arkhan health services in east africa for a decade and previously ceo of the icon hospitals in kenya and tanzania i have been continually impressed by his commitment his capacities as a leader and his continuing dedication to learning please join me in welcoming them back both to aku i spoke earlier of transitions you came to this convocation of students at the end of today's ceremonies you will be graduates of the arkhan university stepping into new roles and new responsibilities i am confident that the class of 2020 will walk in the footsteps of your fellow alumni as leaders in the pursuit of excellence wherever your path may lead you as you start that journey this is a day for all of us to renew our commitment to an ever more hopeful future one that will be richer in the products of human ingenuity more just in their distribution and more abundant in respect and compassion for one another i offer you my sincerest congratulations thank you [Applause]

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Length: 9min 31sec (571 seconds)

Published: Sat May 22 2021

Reddit Comments

[u/GullehShah]

...it's nice seeing their faces on screen. ...Aly Muhammad has grown, lol.