Professor Dr. Farid A. Sobhani, Vice-Chancellor of Eastern University, delivered a speech as an invited speaker at the graduation ceremony of Sol Plaatje University, a renowned public university in South Africa. The graduation ceremony was held in a grand atmosphere at the university’s own auditorium in Kimberley, the famous ‘Diamond City’ of South Africa, on 17 April 2026, a press release said.
The event was attended by the Honorable Chancellor of the university, Dr. Thebe Ikalafeng, Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Debra Mear, and local and foreign guests, as well as the faculty and staff of the university. This year, nearly 1,500 students from various faculties were conferred degrees at this convocation, which is held every year.
In his speech, Professor Sobhani expressed his sincere gratitude to the university authorities for this rare honor and invitation. He urged the graduates to fulfill their responsibilities for the welfare of their families, universities and society and to make their mark on the international arena.
He urged the students to be inspired by the ideals of Nobel laureate and former South African President Nelson Mandela and recalled Mandela’s historic visit to Bangladesh in 1997. He also urged the students to remain committed to seeking truth, standing uncompromisingly against injustice and establishing justice.
The participation of a Bangladeshi Vice-Chancellor as an invited speaker at a graduation ceremony of a renowned university in South Africa is a unique achievement and a matter of pride for Eastern University as well as the entire Bangladesh. Such international recognition is extremely rare in the country’s higher education arena and has further enhanced Bangladesh’s image on the global stage.
