Commencement Address for the Class of 2008, Kochi University
I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of you who have earned your bachelor’s degrees and are graduating today.
We would also like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the family members in attendance on this special day for your children as they graduate from Kochi University; we are sure this occasion is particularly meaningful for you.
On behalf of Kochi University, I would like to express my gratitude to all the distinguished guests and attendees here today.
As you graduate, if you take a moment to reflect on your early days as a freshman at Kochi University, you will surely realize just how much knowledge and skill you have acquired. You will also realize that you have reached a level of achievement that would have been impossible without the excellent guidance of our faculty, staff, and senior students.
We, the faculty and staff, would like to once again express our sincere appreciation for the hard work you have put in during your time here.
As we bid farewell to you, our graduating class, we, the faculty and staff, expect that you will use the knowledge and skills you have acquired at Kochi University—nestled in a rich natural environment—to identify and analyze challenges, and to continue planning and proposing solutions aimed at realizing a true civil society in the 21st century, a century in which you will play a leading role. We also hope that you will continue to seek feedback and maintain a spirit of striving for further progress.
When I look at the state of the world at large and our local community here, I am deeply concerned that, rather than embracing diversity, we are simply drifting through each passing moment amid widespread chaos.
As you set out on your journey, the society you are entering is currently in a state where it is difficult to discern the fundamental ideals necessary for creating the kind of civil society that embodies the true peace humanity has long yearned for. In such a chaotic environment, you will likely encounter values and ways of thinking that differ from your own on numerous occasions.At such times, I hope you will pause for a moment, listen with an open mind, and reflect on the differences between yourself and others. I hope you will have the emotional resilience to do so, and that you will become people capable of dealing with such situations with the humility to acknowledge others and with deep thoughtfulness.
I believe that if you draw on your knowledge and skills—grounded in a spirit of understanding others and reflecting on yourselves—you will not only be able to overcome many challenges, but also create your own ideal 21st century with your own hands.
With that in mind, as a parting gift to all of you who are graduating, I would like to offer you these words: “Fear not the dark night; hold aloft a single lamp and walk through it.”
Please take good care of your health, and wherever you may be in the world, I earnestly hope that you will play an active role in shaping your own 21st century with your own hands. With these words, I conclude my address as president.
Congratulations on your graduation.
March 23, 2009
Kochi University, a National University Corporation, President Yusuke Sagara