Education City celebrates Inaugural Senior Convocation

The setting of the ceremonial court in Education City
and the presence of world-class musicians made for
an evening as brilliant as it was romantic.

The decorative screens all around were lit from within, the audience seated beneath the stars, musicians of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on a dais surrounded by water; the evening began with Handel and ended on a high note with Puccini and Verdi from one of the world's foremost tenors, Andrea Boccelli.

Such was the scene one warm spring evening as hundreds gathered in the open air in Education City's ceremonial court for the Inaugural Senior Convocation, a sparkling occasion celebrating the achievements of 122 students graduating from four institutions on the campus.

Present for the occasion were His Highness the Emir, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned, wife of the Emir and Chairperson of Qatar Foundation.

Vildana Omerovic, one of fifteen WCMC-Q
graduating students who took part in the
Inaugural Education City Convocation.

Among the senior students were the fifteen members of WCMC-Q's Class of 2008, as well as the first graduates of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar and Texas A&M University at Qatar, and the seventh class to graduate from Virginia Commonwealth School of the Arts in Qatar.

The evening had its ceremonial aspect, with a formal procession by deans and faculty, speeches and the presentation of diamond rings to the graduates by president of Qatar Foundation, Dr. Mohammed Fathy Saoud.

But there were also moments of personal reflection, as representatives of each class placed mementos on behalf of their colleagues inside a time capsule. Stepping forward for WCMC-Q, Khalid Al Khelaifi deposited a class photograph; a DVD of happy memories; and a white coat signed by all the class members as a token of their dedication to Education City and to its future.

Addressing the gathering, His Highness the Emir emphasized Qatar's commitment to sustainable human development. He underlined the importance of education and the acquisition of skills by citizens who yet respect the culture and values of their society.

"These citizens strive in total devotion and commitment to build a modern and developed society," he said. "They are not mere consumers, but are productive and interactive participants in society, who aspire to live in a world of security and peace of mind."

His Highness the Emir emphasized Qatar's
commitment to sustainable human development.

The Emir went on to endorse the principles of equality of opportunity - "the right to education is guaranteed for all" - and of rewarding ability and effort. "This has widened the student base of Education City and allowed it to become a meeting place for different civilizations to converge," he noted.

The same principles extend to the workplace, His Highness said. Congratulating the graduating classes, he also urged them to earn their professional positions in a competitive environment, and to take up opportunities for self-employment and work in the private sector. "We are resolved to better utilize the entire human and natural resources of our country to achieve a competitive and knowledge based economy," he told them.

After stepping through a symbolic door into the future, the senior students gathered with faculty and guests for a celebratory dinner. The evening ended with a concert under the night sky featuring Iraqi star Kathem Al Saher followed by Italian divo Andrea Bocelli: A finale as brilliant as it was romantic.

Report by Sylvia M. Ismail