Speech by Shaheen Mithani, Valedictorian, Class of 2000, Aga Khan University

Aga Khan University Convocation
Karachi, Pakistan, October 21, 2000

Your Excellency His Highness the Aga Khan, Chancellor of Aga Khan University,

Your Excellency General Pervaiz Musharraf, the Chief Executive of Pakistan, Your

Excellency Mian Mohammad Soomro, the Governor of Sindh, Your excellencies, Board of trustees, Distinguished guests, Faculty, Parents, Ladies and Gentlemen and dear colleagues,

Assalamo Alaikum

" Many days in a lifetime are unremarkable, some are notable, few are unforgettable. In the truest sense only one can be unique. The longer one’s life the more the relativity of a unique day is measured against time gone by"

These were the words of our Chancellor His Highness The Aga Khan while addressing the gathering on the first convocation of Aga Khan University on 20 March 1989.

We stand proudly on 21^st October 2000 at the beginning of a new millenium, eleven years from that unique day and for the graduating class with our regalia it is an unforgettable if not a unique day.

I am honored that I represent the graduating class before this distinguished August gathering reminiscing our last few years and looking at the future that rolls ahead of us feeling like the journey has just begun.

As a student of education, nursing or medicine, there were times when we questioned the wisdom of what we had committed ourselves to and there were times when we felt sad, dejected and just not good enough. But then there were times, which we will always remember and treasure.

Moments shared, lifetime friendships born and nurtured, new and different ways of looking at and dealing with issues and understanding that life and health are precious gifts to be treasured and Thank God for. These years taught us patience, hard work, a quest for knowledge, meritocracy and a way of life.

Diverse as our classes were we learnt how to treasure our diversity, maintain it and let it be our strength. We learnt how to build bridges and when not to cross them. Working together as students we also learned interdependence and independence.

We realize that these successes are part of an unfinished building process. Let me refer to the statue of David sculpted by the giant of Renaissance Michealangelo in Academia of Florence, which is considered as one of world’s greatest works of art. What many of the photographic studies of David do not show though, is that before you reach the finished David at the end of the Hall, you pass a series of unfinished statues, large stones, half hewn and difficult pieces, just discernable as men in the making. It was through these stages of completion that David went. It is through similar stages that we as class of 2000 underwent and will be going through.

Being David is never easy.

And today we would like to thank the many Michealangelos that made us what we are today; our families and our teachers for their tolerance, their faith in us and their love. Without them we could not have done this. They deserve this honor as much as we do. It was them who kept us going and encouraged us when we couldn’t see the road ahead anymore. Thank you, all of you present here today, our distinguished guests, the board of trustees and above all The Chancellor His Highness The Aga Khan, for it is your presence with us today to which we owe our beginning, our road and our achievements.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.