Professor Farid A Sobhani, Honorable Vice Chancellor of Eastern University, delivered keynote speech as an invited guest speaker at the Graduation Ceremony (Convocation) of the renowned public institution, Sol Plaatje University (SPU), South Africa.
The ceremony was held yesterday on 17 April 2026 at the university’s own auditorium in Kimberley—famously known as the “Diamond City” – in a grand and festive atmosphere.
The event was attended by the Chancellor Thebe Ikalafeng, Vice Chancellor Prof Debra Meyer, distinguished national and international guests, and members of the university’s academic community. As in previous years, approximately fifteen hundred graduates from various faculties were awarded their degrees at this year’s ceremony.
In his speech, Professor Sobhani expressed his sincere gratitude to the university authorities for this rare honor and invitation. Addressing the graduates, he urged them to fulfill their responsibilities toward their families, university, and society, and to establish their competence on the global stage.
He encouraged the graduates to be inspired by the words of Nobel Laureate and former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, and recalled Mandela’s historic visit to Bangladesh in 1997. He further called upon the graduates to pursue truth, take a firm stand against injustice, and remain committed to establishing justice in society.
The participation of a Bangladeshi Vice Chancellor as an invited speaker at the graduation ceremony of a reputed South African university marks a unique achievement, bringing pride not only to Eastern University but to Bangladesh as a whole. Such international recognition is rare in the country’s higher education sector and further strengthens Bangladesh’s image on the global stage.
