Graduation Ceremony 4
Graduand’s Address
Thursday 22 November 2012 at 1630hrs
JESUITS’ CHURCH – VALLETTA
Dr Theresa Comodini Cachia
Ph.D. graduand and representative of the students
It is an honour for me tonight to be delivering the graduand’s speech. For each and every
one of us present, graduation represents an achievement and besides happiness tonight we
all share pride. Although graduation is literally a certificate awarding ceremony which
represents an academic achievement, that certificate also identifies another stage of
growth in our personal life as well as in our society. The years we spend at University
are not meant to be years striving only for academic achievement but also years during
which we strive to find ourselves and, I hope, in order to be better members of society.
In this community of thousands of individuals we develop ties and friendships which
leave a mark on our life and which we will find hard to forget. It is easy to judge one’s
achievements through academic certificates but I believe that what makes us members of
society of whom society too may be proud of, is our achievements of personality. To
what extent can each and every one of us this evening say that we know who we really
are, what are our best abilities, and most important of all how are we going to use our
abilities to ensure a better life for our society?
I joined University as a student in 1991 and I consider myself to have remained a student
ever since. I joined at a time when the student population was much less than what it is
today and I have experienced the challenges that the boom in student numbers has
brought about. The University has had to respond to this increase of students through
investment in structures, human resources, technology, equipment and tools for research
and study. I have seen buildings sprouting on the University campus to accommodate the
students but most important of all I have witnessed a strong investment in student’s
academic wellbeing with standards being raised across the board. When I walk into the
University library today, physically or virtually, its collection is fascinating, fresh and up
to date. When I look at the number of lecturers that contribute towards the students’
academic achievements, I find an endless list of persons who are able to provide not only
focused academic teaching but also professional guidance. All this is necessary to ensure
that standards are reached and kept.
An increase in student population also provides us all, graduands, students, lecturers, and
administrative staff, with the opportunity of experiencing diversity in life. Our students
do not reflect one category of society, but come from all walks of life each bringing along
his or her own background. I have found this to be the most enriching experience at
University and I feel that those students who do not grab this opportunity and move out
from their circle to communicate with others miss out on a very important experience.
May I suggest that all efforts are done by the administration to continue to make the
student population even more diverse by enticing foreign students not only from within
the European Union to study at our University.
Page 1 of 3
I was lucky to have had the courage and foresight to choose a profession about which I
am very passionate. I chose to study law because I thought it was the best profession
through which I could serve society and that it would empower me to empower others. It
was consequently only natural for me to progress within the field of human rights. I have
been graciously warned that tonight I am expected not only to take you through memory
lane but I must also speak of my research activities. I am not quite sure the graduates
would appreciate another lecture on their graduation day; I can tell you, my friends and I
did not appreciate the wise words of academia that were said on my first graduation way
back in 1997. When I asked them what they remember, we remembered that it was
boring and we could not wait for it to be done with. I do not want to share that fate and
so I will only take two minutes to try to make you passionate about human rights rather
than be overly academic.
Human rights reflect the basic and most fundamental needs that you and I as individuals
and as members of society must enjoy to lead a dignified life. A passion for human rights
is nothing more than a passion to protect the dignity of every human being in every facet
of his or her life; a dignity that allows each one of us the possibility to strive towards
being ourselves and towards reaching our goals. Human rights are nothing more than the
basic ingredients in the recipe of life. Human rights are not what spice life up, but are
really and truly its most basic ingredients. Without human rights we would be robots or
clones made up of human flesh in which we loose our individuality and most important
of all we would stop being at the driving wheel of our lives. I can almost hear a few of
you saying that I am making propaganda for a society without rules or limits.
Let me dispel your fears in the most clear of words: no. I am not speaking of a society in
which everything is acceptable, in which there are no limits, and in which the individual’s
way of life ends up leading to his or her own destruction or that of others. But yes I am
against arbitrary interference by authorities when that interference brings our basic rights
to nothing. I want powers of authorities to be checked against arbitrariness because I
believe that when authorities act arbitrarily towards any one member of our society then
the system of administration of our society which we all hold so dear would have scored
a failure. It is for this reason, albeit within the sphere of protection of the right to enjoy
one’s possessions, that in the research work that has led me to this graduation ceremony I
argue for firstly the discretion allowed to authorities to be limited by the concepts of
reasonableness, necessity and proportionality and secondly for the courts to distance
themselves from the authorities, to take full stock of the jurisdiction and competence
entrusted to them rather than to limit their own discretion, to retain the right as the rule
and its limitations as exceptions and where the authorities fail, to provide redress that is
truly effective and meaningful to the victim.
Maybe I am a rebel at heart and that is why I enjoy my work in the field of human rights,
but if that be so then I invite you all to develop a little rebel within yourselves. It is those
little devious rebels that wisely question rather than naively accept all that is said and
done to them that bring change in our society.
Now please do allow me to conclude by making a few personal remarks. I cannot but
thank the University administration, including the Rector, Senate and Registrar, for
continuously endeavouring to provide us with a positive learning experience. Let me tell
you that the strongest force within our faculty comes from someone who seems reserved,
quiet and very calm, but who manages to keep us lecturers, students and administration
Page 2 of 3
staff on our toes. He is of course our Dean, Professor Kevin Aquilina, who is always
there to advise, find solutions and give direction. In finalising my research and during
moments of despair a few of my colleagues within the Faculty of Laws have also
distinguished themselves as true friends and when towards the end I received a phone call
from a colleague to ask if he could take on some of my administrative tasks to ensure that
I finish my research in time for tonight’s graduation, I truly understood what the value of
being colleagues really is. Sincere thanks are due also to Nathalie, our Faculty Officer,
and everyone within her office. Few of us take time to appreciate their work, but they are
truly deserving of appreciation. My husband and daughter have been an immeasurable
source of support providing me with courage to strive to be better.
I address my final words to the graduands, and most specifically to my own students who
are tonight graduating in the Master of Arts in Human Rights and Democratization. Do
not stop dreaming but dream with your feet to the ground.
Page 3 of 3