Graduation Ceremony Class 2022 - Closing remarks of Mr. Jayantilal M. Karia

Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Transnational Crime and Justice 2021/2022

Graduation Ceremony Class 2022

8 July 2022

Closing remarks of Mr. Jayantilal M. Karia, President of the Board of Trustees of UNICRI

Distinguished guests, colleagues, friends, and most of all, graduates of the Class of 2022. It is an honour to be here with you today as you embark on a new chapter in your life.

UNICRI's management and staff have always talked to me about the master’s Programme, its evolution over the years, and the participation of students who represent many countries across the world. It is an honour to be here with you today to commemorate such an important milestone in your lives, and I can see how much it means to you from your smiles.

You should feel proud about what you have achieved as you have demonstrated dedication, commitment, and resilience.

As we celebrate this important event, I urge you to pause briefly, look around, and remember this moment with your classmates. Remember what you have learned from each other and the time you spent studying together. Remember your favourite professors and how they helped you discover and develop your passions. Remember the sense of purpose that brought you here, how it enriched your studies and how it will accompany you in your future careers. From now on, life will confront you with its many challenges, and as you complete your graduate studies, it is time to write your own story.

Each of you will continue on different and unique paths. However, you are all graduates of our institutions and will make the best of the skills and knowledge you have acquired to promote justice and human rights and to advocate for a world free from violence and inequality.

After the specifics of what you have learned here have faded, I hope each of you will remember the importance of critical thinking. I am confident that the passion, aspirations, and strength that each of you possesses will be a force for positive change in the world. I hope that with the knowledge, support, and network you have gained, you will have the courage and ability to overcome every obstacle you shall face during your career.

This is why I am so proud to be with you today. I want to thank UNICRI Director for her invitation, as well as all UNICRI Staff and UPEACE Representatives for the precious contribution to the successful implementation of the LL.M.

Now, let me conclude with some additional thoughts. As you venture into the world, I urge you not to hesitate, to not be afraid to take risks, maintain persistence in your search for the perfect job, and remember, in the words of Dag Hammarskjöld, a former UN Secretary-General who sacrificed his life for peace: "Never measure the height of a mountain until you have reached the top. Then you will see how low it was."

Congratulations to all of you for your achievement, and I wish you all the best with your future endeavours.