Class of 2019 graduation ceremony
Bahir Dar University honors class of 2019 in a decorated graduation ceremony
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Bahir Dar University graduated 9750 students from different programs and specializations on July 20, 2019.
Master of the Ceremony of the graduation Dr Zewdu Emiru, V/President for Information and Strategic Communication of BDU, after congratulating the graduates and their families called the audience for a minute of silence in paying tribute to the recent passing of top officials of the region/country.
Dr Zewdu later officially announced three individuals as awardees of the 2019 Honorary Doctorate Degree. He said all the three awardees contributed a great deal to the academia in Ethiopia and beyond. He said Bahir Dar University would like to congratulate 1. Dr Segenet Kelemu 2. Prof. Hans Mattsson and 3. Mr. Mark Gelfand for their exemplary engagements.
The University also honored Special medal to Somali Regional state acting president his Excellency Mr. Mustafa Omer for his important role to push forward the change in Ethiopia and for securing peace in Somali region. Mr. Mustafa on the occasion primarily congratulated the graduates. He claimed that higher institutions should not have place for conflict. They are meant to produce knowledge to solve prevalent societal problems. He asserted that the decline in the development of Ethiopians over the centuries is the direct result of a decline in proper education, so he said bringing back Ethiopia on track of development is possible only through an education set high. He urged all stakeholders to work hard towards this end.
Dr Firew Tegegne, President of BDU, on his part congratulated class of 2019 for the successful completion of their degrees. The president also welcomed the guest of honors of the day his Excellency Mr. Mustafa Omer and Mr. Lake Ayalew, V/President for Amhara Regional State. In the occasion, Dr Firew claimed that BDU is a hub of great academic deliberations with outstanding graduates. He mentioned the case of law graduates excelling in national Law exit examination. The president also raised BDU graduates good reputation in Ethiopian Maritime Academy as a piece of justification for the quality of the graduates.
Professor Fikre Tolossa, the guest speaker of the event, centered his talk on two things: Ethiopian nationalism and graduates awaiting future. With regard to the current fluid situation in the country, the professor told the graduates that what should unify Ethiopians is not language but he said the same shared ancestor. He said Ethiopians have the same ancestor who lived 4000 years ago in one of the islands of Lake Tana. This, according to him, marks the place (Bahir Dar University) historical. Speaking of graduation, the professor remarked that having a degree is only getting a license for researching. He advised graduates to use this license for knowledge production through research.
It has been learned that the graduates were from four modalities: Regular, Extension, Summer and Distance. 6520 of the graduates received their first degree; 1388 of them obtained their Masters Degree and 26 of them graduated with Ph.D. Also, 37 professionals finished specialty programs in Medical Sciences.
The graduation was attended by thousands of people, and it was electrified by an excellent performance by Mulualem Cultural Center team of artists, the Amhara Regional State Police Marching Band music, the Maritime Students parade and African Circus group amazing performance.
