The setting
While waiting for Her Royal Highness to speak, the atmosphere of the university auditorium was astonishing, Both flags of Turkey and the Republic of Iraq were displayed in the background. Being guests of Her Royal Highness, we were seated alongside the executive director of Gedik Holding, Ms. Hulia Gedik, and the university chancellor as well as the board of directors of Gedik University. University Academics, dignitaries, students and Her Royal Highness’ guests gathered to witness this special occasion, hence the significance of this event.
Commencement of the Ceremony
The Ceremony began with a procession of faculty members, all donned in their academic regalia. The university chancellor delivered the opening remarks, highlighting the importance of science, followed up with a warm welcome from Ms Gedik, as well as an introduction of the presenter who stated the numerous achievements of Her Royal Highness Princess Dr. Nisreen El Hashemite. This set the tone for a day of celebration, acknowledging not only academic prowess but also significant contributions to global health and human rights.
Celebrating the Science Princess
The highlight of the ceremony was the conferring of the honorary doctorate upon HRH Princess Dr. Nisreen El Hashemite. Known for her groundbreaking work in genetics and health sciences, as well as her tireless advocacy for women's and children's rights, Princess Nisreen has made a lasting impact on the world. As her achievements were detailed in the citation, the audience listened with rapt attention, appreciating the profound influence of her work.
The Acceptance Speech
Following the introduction, the science princess took the podium to deliver her acceptance speech. This was unlike any acceptance speech I have ever heard. Her words in Arabic, translated to Turkish, were filled with humility, gratitude, and a call to action. Wearing the famous keffiyeh, Her Royal Highness approached the podium with the utmost pride. In the speech, Her Highness spoke about her first years of activism, specifically how Jeans for Genes began. The science princess showed us how she integrated into the world of medicine, balancing between her education, her royal duties, and her activism. What is interesting is that the science princess answered the frequently asked questions through a Q&A she asked herself and answered.
Moreover, Her Royal Highness mentioned how her grandfather, King Faisal Bin Al Sharif Hussein was raised in Istanbul, where he received his education from both Arab and Turkish professors, and how Mustafa Kamal Ataturk and King Faisal the First had been close friends ever since they attended the military school together. Additionally, the science princess mentioned the relationship between the past, present and future, alongside a powerful message about the atrocities we are facing today. Her Royal Highness mentioned how our lack of knowledge of each person’s culture stems from neglect, which directly contributes to our disorientation in the present.
Key Takeaway
Besides the crowd being focused on the science princess’s words of gold for 40 minutes long, what stuck with me the most during that honorary doctorate ceremony, was the amount of humility, coupled with the sheer dedication towards her royal highness’s humanitarian call to action, which kept her dedicated to pursuing her mission of promoting peace. At the end of the speech, she urged Gedik University that after she shows the honorary doctorate to her late father in Ankara, and her mother in the United States, this doctorate stay within the University’s campus, alongside some pictures, and the list of doctors, researchers, journalists, professors and scientists that were martyred in Iraq and Gaza, who said deserved this doctorate more than herself. This specific moment served as a testimony to her dedication towards peace, and as a reminder to us all that one must never forget why we went into the field of humanitarian affairs. It is for a better world, a decent world, where everyone may have the chance to have a decent life where humans work collectively to achieve societal progression, and not judge one another based on their race, gender, or religion.
