Commencement Speech by Under-Secretary-General Miguel Ángel Moratinos
the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
at the University of Balamand
(Balamand, Al Koura, Lebanon)
12 July 2025
Your Excellency, Dr. Elias Warrak,
President of the University of Balamand,
Esteemed Members of the Board of Trustees,
Distinguished Faculty and Staff,
Dear Graduates, Proud Families, and Honored Guests,
I am truly delighted to be back to your spectacular country, Lebanon.
It is a profound privilege to stand before you today — on this day of joy, reflection, and hope— at this distinguished institution that embodies the spirit of Lebanon: resilience, inclusivity, and forward-looking.
To the graduating class of 2025: Congratulations! You have earned this moment, not only through academic diligence, but through your ability to persist, to question, and to dream — even amidst uncertainty. In you, we see not only scholars, but change-makers of a new tomorrow.
As we gather here, I am deeply mindful of the significance of this moment — for you, and for Lebanon.
This country, small in size but huge in spirit, has long been a crossroads of civilizations, a land where mountains meet the sea, and where cultures, faiths, and languages intertwine and interact. Lebanon’s political history is complex—marked by both great tribulations and remarkable triumphs. Yet through every chapter, one truth has endured: the unshakable resilience of its people.
Their story is one for the books.
Over the years, Lebanon has suffered, but it has never surrendered.
It has faced storms, but never lost its soul.
It has carried the weight of conflict, but still dares to hope. That hope is what brings us here today—at the foot of Mount Balamand, under the banner of an institution born from faith, yet devoted to openness; rooted in tradition, yet fiercely committed to progress.
The University of Balamand reflects the very ideals the world so desperately needs today:
Dialogue over division.
Learning over ignorance.
And compassion over fear.
As the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, I have seen these values at work across continents. I invested endless time and effort to deliver these values. But here, in Lebanon, they shine with a special urgency and clarity.
Today, Lebanon stands at the threshold of a new political chapter.
I recall, H.E. President Joseph Aoun said his inaugural address on January 9, 2025:
“My pledge to the Lebanese, wherever they are… is that today, a new phase in Lebanon’s history has begun.”
These are not merely words — they are a challenge and an invitation. A challenge to reinvigorate institutions; an invitation for every citizen, every graduate in this hall, to participate in the renewal of our beloved country.
But political change must be matched by civic courage. That is where you, the graduates, come in.
You are the generation that must break with the notion of “fait accompli” and believe in rebuilding — brick by brick, law by law, idea by idea. You must be the stewards of unity in a world fractured by fear.
And above all, you must carry forward the dream of a Lebanon that thrives and stands tall not despite its diversity, but because of it.
As you step into your future—whether in Lebanon or beyond—never underestimate your power to influence, to inspire, and to ignite change.
Your education is not only a privilege. It is a responsibility—to build bridges where others build walls, to speak up when silence is easier, and to hold fast to hope, even when hope feels fragile.
Let me close with the words of Khalil Gibran, Lebanon’s beloved son of letters:
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.”
So go forth, not unscarred, but unshaken.
Go forth with humility, with courage, and with the conviction that your story—and the story of Lebanon—is still being written.
And it begins today.
Thank you for having me here — This a true honor.
Mabrouk to the Class of 2025!