Doctor of Philosophy graduate Nikola Soukmadiev yesterday said that over the years, the faculty’s graduates have played a leading role in national and international affairs.
“Let us continue this tradition of being the movers and shakers of our country’s future and, why not, the world’s. It is now, more than ever, that the future leaders of their countries would need to transcend individual nationality, and affirm that they are citizens of Europe and citizens of the world,” she said.
Speaking during another graduation ceremony held at the Foundation for International Studies, Nikola said: “The University of Malta also has a distinguished and colourful history as one of the oldest universities in Europe, with traditions in scholarship and learning dating back more than four centuries, to the times of the Knights of the Sovereign Order of St. John and the founding of Collegium Melitense.”
She said that the fusion of the unique characteristics of the Maltese nation, its strong faith, integrity, solidarity and humanity, with the ability to develop these qualities in a multicultural and multifaceted society was reflected in today’s accomplishments of the graduates of the university in various and diverse walks of life: lawyers, judges, magistrates, diplomats, civil servants, financial consultants, businessmen and politicians; to mention but a few.
“Students make the University of Malta what it is. I believe it is us that give the place its vitality, its spark, its energy, its edge and its driving sense of purpose and mission. Our curiosity and passion, our ambition and talents, we hope, have changed this university and through our modest contributions to this centuries-old institution, the University of Malta has become a richer place.
Simone Borg, LL.D. M.Jur (Int Law) (Hons) said law and diplomacy remained indispensable tools in a world commonly referred to as the global society of risk, due to the innumerable threats that still burdened daily life. “We do not need to search far and wide for examples that currently afflict both individuals and the community as a whole: the devastation brought about by famine and poverty, as well as geopolitical conflicts, both being the root cause of illegal migration, together with war and terrorism, are examples of problems that have persisted through the centuries. Others, like the environmental crisis, have surfaced during our own times.”
She said we could not ignore the fact that humankind had come a long way from the early days of civilisation that sought to impose rudimentary rules of custom to regulate relationships in a just and equitable manner. Due to the importance given to stakeholders dialogue, the role of the diplomat and negotiator was becoming ubiquitous, whether on an international, regional or a national scale.
“The importance attached to reaching agreements via consensus rather than confrontation, is a tremendous achievement for the human race and offers new challenges for the art of diplomacy in the form of mediation and negotiation. So much so, negotiations now precede the conclusion of any form of legal instrument; ranging from the humble by-law to the multilateral treaty,” she said.
Master Of Arts In Diplomatic Studies
Sponsor: Prof. S. Calleya
Josette Bajada
Ryan Borg
Roberta Buhagiar
Marissa Angela Busuttil
Stephen Camilleri
Fabian Galea
George Galea
Mathea Karla Gauci
Dana Kotasova
Rachel Mamo
Nadia Petroni
Emanuel Pulis
Marie Claire Testa
Victoria Vella
Kurt Vella Fonde’
Edward Vernon
Spyridoula-Ioan Zochiou
Master in Diplomacy
Sponsor: Prof. S. Calleya
Ian Paul Bajada
Ferdaous Bejaoui
Xufeng Chen*
Huseyin Dogan
Omar Fanous
Mehdi Gharbi
Marwa Mahmoud
Marija Pavicevic
Albana Prifti
Rezan Salih*
Anas Shadi
Ana Siashvili
Master Of Arts In Financial Services
Sponsor: Prof. I. Refalo
Mark Jason Abela*
Caroline Bencini
Michael Borg
Robert Borg
Josette Caruana
Charmaine Cutajar Kinsella
Katherine Hili
Yuliya Lotonenko
Solange Mifsud
Yiqian Ran
Kurt Risiott
Vanessa Vella
Audrey Vella Friggieri
Gabriella V Zammit
Magister Juris In European And Comparative Law
Sponsor: Prof. I. Refalo
Jonathan Abela Fiorentino
Josianne Azzopardi
Polina Bonello*
Lara Borg Bugeja
Christine Cassar*
Joseph Ellis
Stephanie Anne Fenech
Alexianne Galea*
Dominic Micallef*
Nadia Maria Mifsud
Robert Radmilli
Adrian Vella*
Claudio Zammit
Magister Juris In International Law
Sponsor: Prof. I. Refalo
Damian Schembri
Neville Young
Doctor Of Laws
Sponsor: Prof. I. Refalo
Sam Abela
Andrew Arrigo
Christopher Attard
Kathleen Attard
Matthew Attard
Maria Azzopardi
Margot Ann Bajada
Christine Marie Bezzina
Phyllis Bezzina
Christian Paul Bonett
Andre Borg
Daniela Borg
Patricia Borg
Roberta Borg
Letizia Maria Borg Cristiano
Roberta Maria Buhagiar
Giannella Busuttil
Lorna Krista Buttigieg
Vanessa Buttigieg
Gianluca Caruana Curran
Maxilene Cassar
Ramona Marie Cassar
Louella Cilia
Marouska Cilia Barbara
David Ciliberti
Danielle Cordina
Anne-Marie Cuschieri
Edward Dalmas*
Melanie Darmanin
Marie Antoinette Deguara
Sylvana Marie Demicoli
Rachel Desira
John Ellul Sullivan
Oriella Fabri Ciarlo’
Astrid May Falzon
Jean-Paul Farrugia
Josephine Farrugia Muscat
Ines Francesca Fenech
Mark Fenech Vella
Krystle Galea
Elizabeth Ganado
David Gatt
Maria Sarah Gatt
Anthony Ghirlando*
Daniela Grech
Graziella Grech
Marina Grech
Vanessa Grech
Anthony Grima
Danielle Grima
Rachel Ann Mamo
Paula Marie Meilak
Roderick Vincent Mifsud
Alexandra Mizzi
Antonella Navarro
Christine Pace
Trudy Pisani
Amanda Poole
Lorraine Poole
Sarah Porsella Flores
Frank Psaila
Kristina Pullicino
Elizabeth Mary Quintano
Roberta Rapa
Elaine Rizzo
Lara May Saguna
Josephine Salomone
Christopher Sammut
Victoria Claire Scerri
Gabrielle Sciberras
Maria Sciberras
Mark Simiana
Andre Spiteri
Robert Sultana
Amanda Vella
Christine Vella
Luca Vella
Louisa Vella Bardon
Allison Zammit
Robert Zammit
Alessia Zammit Mckeon
Doctor Of Philosophy
Sponsor: Prof. I. Refalo
Nikola Soukmandjiev
* in absentia