On April 29, ADA University’s graduation party took place and an event entitled “Citizenship and social responsibility: heroes are never forgotten” was held at Gulustan Palace.

Azerbaijan’s First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva attended the event.

ADA University’s graduation party coincided with another important tradition – an event entitled “Citizenship and social responsibility: heroes are never forgotten”. This year, ADA University is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its service to our national education.

The event started with bringing the State Flag of Azerbaijan into the hall. Then the State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan was played.

This year, first graduation of bachelors took place. 20 students on the specialty of “International education” and 38 students on “Business management” graduated the university. There were also 29 holders of a master’s degree on 2 specialties. They are from Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Japan, Kenia, Montenegro, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Serbia, Syria, and Zambia.

Diplomas were presented to the graduates. Rector Hafiz Pashayev congratulated them.

This year’s graduation at ADA University was accompanied by playing of a fragment from the ballet “A Thousand And One Night” by Fikret Amirov.

Then Mehriban Aliyeva addressed the ceremony. Welcoming graduates, their parents, teachers and ceremony participants, Mehriban Aliyeva said:

- With just ten years left behind, ADA University’s first bachelor’s class now graduates. I am very happy to be with you on such a significant day, and would like to welcome every graduate from the bottom of my heart.

A new phase starts in your life. I wish you every success and achievements in your choice and quests. Without a doubt, the diploma you are going to receive today is the result of complex lessons, sleepless nights, difficult exams, and endeavours and labour you have invested for years. Students making speeches today also noted these. However, I am sure the student years will remain in your hearts not with difficulties you had to face, but the pleasant moments you have lived here, achievements you have reached, and the feelings of friendship, solidarity, sound competition, and unity. You are at the beginning of a long path, and I wish you happiness and successes on this path, both in the activity you have chosen and in the personal life. Today, your joy is shared by your family members and parents. Of course, it is every parent’s dream to see his/ her child educated, knowledgeable, skilled, and as a valuable citizen. I too, as a parent, very well understand these feelings. Today, dear parents, I would like to congratulate you from the bottom of my heart and wish you sound health and happiness.

Esteemed guests, notwithstanding the fact that ADA University is young among many higher schools operating in our country, it has gained much influence and respect for a short period of time. The level of education that ADA University is providing for its students conforms to the highest international standards. Every young person studying here faces serious requirements and responsibility. At the same time, a very easy and democratic environment has been created at the university. Close relationship exists between teachers and students. New ideas and quests are supported and welcomed.

Not only young students and teachers from Azerbaijan are studying and working at ADA University. Our students study here along with representatives of various nations and cultures. Students representing over 40 countries are studying and professors and teachers working at the university. You have also ensured that talented Azerbaijani young people and scholars studying and working at leading universities and higher schools of the world return to our country. The environment dominating at the university is a continuation of the traditions of tolerance, friendship, mutual respect preserved for centuries. Of course, young people studying in such an environment will approach the world’s cultural diversity with respect, and in their future activity, will build their relations both with humans and peoples on the basis of mutual respect.

Dear friends, I very well remember my first coming to your university. In 2012, together with the Head of our State, we attended the inauguration of a new tutorial building of the university. I am very glad the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy has rapidly developed in a short time. A number of new faculties - business management, international relations, education management, engineering, information technologies - are functioning here, and finally, the Academy became the ADA University.

Today, I would like to express my gratitude to every human who has made contribution to the formation of this university, it’s becoming such a modern education institution meeting the highest standards – all teachers, scholars, professors, and docents working here. Being a teacher means having dignity and quality, nobility and purity. Teachers have big share in all our achievements. You are the moral and intellectual potential of our country. You have been playing major role in bringing up the young generation healthy in spiritual terms, and as well-educated, knowledgeable and skilled citizens. I would like to once more express my best wishes for you.

I would like to express my deep gratitude and infinite respect for rector of ADA University, professor Hafiz Pashayev. In every phase of his life, at every position he has held, Hafiz Pashayev took Azerbaijan’s interests over everything. Both his political, public and scientific activity have served just one purpose – strengthening Azerbaijan, and its development. His role in establishing ADA University and its today’s activity is matchless.

Dear Hafiz muallim, I would like to congratulate you on my own behalf, on behalf of all the teaching staff and students of the university and wish you sound health and long life.

Dear friends, every nation’s strength depends on its intellectual potential, rather than its natural resources. A nation with rich moral values and intellectual potential is almost a winning nation. Casting a glance at the contemporary world, we can see that the countries where science, education and technology are a focus of attention, and these spheres have well developed, such states, in a true sense of the word, are developed countries. Just for this reason, after Azerbaijan had regained its independence, attention towards this area and development of science and education was one of the priority directions in our state’s policy. You know that a number of steps have been made in this sphere, reforms are carried out, and state programmes implemented. The activity of ADA University is the result of these reforms.

Investments into the education system are the most efficient and justified ones. Exactly for this reason, there are also projects related to education among the projects being financed by the State Oil Fund and considered strategically importance for the country. As you know, the money collected in the Fund are spent for energy, transport and infrastructure projects that are of great significance both for Azerbaijan and the region at large. By the Fund’s financial support, modern residential complexes are built for refugees and IDPs in our country. At the same time, the State Oil Fund has been funding the “State Programme for Azerbaijani Youth’s Education in Foreign Countries”. Thousands of talented Azerbaijani youth have studied at the leading universities of the world and mastered high professionalism. They will serve Azerbaijan and its development.

Achievements reached by Azerbaijan recent years is well known to the whole world. We are a very open country, and we can take pride in the achievements we have reached during these years - not a long period in terms of history. Today we see and enjoy the results of the sustainable economic growth – you know that for the last decade, Azerbaijan has been a number one country in terms of the economic growth, - successful social policy, regional development programmes and reforms carried out in other areas.

Our country’s worldwide influence has been growing year-by-year. You know that our capital has hosted a number of forums and meetings of world importance. In this respect, Azerbaijan made its presence felt. Today, Azerbaijan is known as a country having a say and protecting its interests on an international scale. As a fact testifying to our country’s international influence may be cited Azerbaijan’s election a non-permanent member to the UN Security Council and chairing the Council, enjoying the support of 155 countries.

We are a peace-loving, hospitable and merciful nation. We have been approaching our culture, history and traditions with great respect. We could manage to preserve our traditions and culture despite all hardships. We, at the same time, show great respect for the world’s cultural diversity. You know that for centuries, representatives of various religious and ethnic groups have lived in Azerbaijan as a family and in the environment of friendship and respect. Today, we are a multinational and multi-faith country, and this is one of our greatest treasures.

We have no desire to appropriate other state’s land, or cultural heritage. We want to defend our own land, our independence. To restore Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, we all have to do our best where we study or work.

As you know, early in April, our brave sons perished as martyrs defending our Homeland. Successes we have gained thanks to their heroism fills every Azerbaijani’s heart with the feeling of pride. The whole nation sensed the high spirit. All our sons that have perished as martyrs will eternally live in the Azerbaijani people’s heart, and in the history of Azerbaijan. To help their families is the primary duty of the state of Azerbaijan, and all necessary actions are taken to this end. However, everyone of us, the whole society have to support and help their families, mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers.

We bow our heads before the dear memory of our heroes who have sacrificed their lives for defending Azerbaijan’s independence and its territorial integrity. They will never be forgotten. From this standpoint, the scholarship program “For the Homeland” of ADA University is a very significant initiative and a noble step. I believe that your initiative will win the support of the our society.

Dear friends, in conclusion, I would like to once more congratulate each of you from the bottom of my heart. I call on you to take pride in your country and your citizenship. Azerbaijan’s future is in your hands. Our struggle for our Homeland continues. Justice is on our side, victory will be ours. Long Live Azerbaijan! Thank you.

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First vice-rector of the university Galib Mammadov, rector Hafiz Pashayev and academician Roald Sagdiyev delivered a speech at the event.

It should be mentioned that this education establishment has founded a scholarship fund. More than 1 million Manats were collected into this fund over the course of two weeks. It is expected that this amount will reach 3 million Manats by the end of the year. Children of those who have perished defending the Homeland will be educated for the account of this fund.