NYUAD’S ceremony honours ‘Class of 2023’
ABU DHABI: NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) hosted its tenth Commencement ceremony to honour the Class of 2023, the largest to date. A total of 455 undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students representing over 80 countries who collectively speak 65 languages participated in the largest graduating class that NYUAD has held since its inception in 2011.
In atendance were Sheikh Al Murr Bin Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum; Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development; Jassem Mohammed Buatabh Al Zaabi, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Finance Department; William R. Berkley, Chairman of the New York University Board of Trustees; and Rima Al Mokarrab, NYU Trustee, among other guests. NYUAD Vice Chancellor Mariët Westermann officiated the ceremony at the University’s campus, along with NYU President Andrew Hamilton.
Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, president of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and UN Climate Change High-level Champion for the leadership team of the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in the UAE, delivered the keynote speech.
“As you transition from this esteemed university to your next adventure, carry this vision with you. Use your talents, passion, and creativity to make a real impact,” said Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak. “Advocate for and support environmentally conscious policies. Empower and inspire others to adopt sustainable practices. Lead in your respective fields with sustainability and equity at the forefront. Dear graduates, as you embark on this exciting new journey, remember that you are not just the inheritors of our world as it stands, but also the architects of the world as it could be. Through your actions, you have the power to transform the narrative of climate change and the loss of nature from one of despair into one of hope, resilience, and restoration.”
The Commencement ceremony included the presentation of awards and accolades, including the Alfred H. Bloom Scholarship for Global Liberal Arts, NYUAD’S Piano Prize, the Global Leadership Award, and the Distinguished Alumni Award, and the Ceremony of the Torch.
Hamilton said: “As NYU Abu Dhabi students, you are united by your sense of adventure, your willingness to say ‘yes’ to a college education unlike any other. You are united by your strong foundation in the liberal arts, which will serve you in whatever field you choose. You are united in your global outlook, a way of approaching the world that many people aspire to but that you have fully lived.