Patrick Horvath, M.A.I.S.-course speaker
"United
in Diversity"
Speech
held at the M.A.I.S.-graduation
ceremony on July 6, 2004
Your Magnificence Dr.Winckler, Rector of the
University of Vienna!
Your Excellency Ambassador Sucharipa, Director of
the Diplomatic Academy!
Dear programme directors, professors, families,
friends and colleagues!
It is an honour for me to say a few words at
the graduation ceremony of the "Master of Advanced International
Studies"-programme on behalf of all its students.
In order to create our challenging programme,
two prestigious institutions have joined forces: my beloved "alma
mater", the University of Vienna, the oldest university of all
German-speaking countries, and the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, the world's
oldest functioning educational centre for diplomats, which has just, as you all
know, celebrated its 250th anniversary.
The high academic quality of our programme was
made possible by the interdisciplinarity of our schedule, which included five
important study disciplines - international politics, international law,
international economy, comparative politics and contemporary history. It was
ensured by the highly qualified staff of the Diplomatic Academy, but also by
prominent guest lecturers in our core courses, intensive seminars and
interdisciplinary seminars. I would like to give just a few examples and just
mention some of those guests: The series of our interdisciplinary seminar for
instance started with a lecture given by Mrs.Thoraya Obaid, head of the United
Nations Population Fund. We all could profit a lot from the presentation of
this highly competent UN-diplomat, who even holds the rank of an Under
Secretary General. Or another example: During our study year we had the
opportunity to participate in an intensive seminar with Sir Adam Roberts from
Oxford University, one of the world's most distinguished expert on the
"Liberal International Order". Many other examples of famous teachers
would be possible; but the mere mentioning of their names would take to long.
The high academic quality was also ensured by a
strict selection process, which admitted only the best applicants to our
programme. Among my colleagues one can find graduates of the world's most
prestigious institutions: Harvard, Cambridge, London School of Economics, John
Hopkins University Bologna. And those who do not come from such infamous
centres have - at least - other extraordinary qualifications: One of my
colleagues from Romania held three
academic degrees before he came here - this one is his fourth. Another of
my colleagues, he is from Poland, is fluent in no less than seven languages! It is not an
exaggeration to say that I have learnt as much from my colleagues as from my
professors. But of course: We also owe much to the guidance of our two
programme directors Prof.Hanspeter Neuhold and Prof.Werner Neudeck, who have
worked hard to maintain this extraordinary and outstanding academic standard.
But this year was not only about the academic
programme, about learning, writing or applying scientific theories and
empirical methods. It was also about mutual understanding and multicultural
friendship. The 27 students of our class represented 17 different nations -
ranging from Western European countries like France, the UK and Italy to Scandinavian
nations, from countries of East and Southeast Europe like Poland or Macedonia
to the U.S. and Latin American nations like Brazil, Colombia and Peru. And I
can tell you: We Austrians were clearly an exotic minority here!
The official motto of the M.A.I.S.-programme
is: "Integrating Europe in a Changing World". After sitting together
in a restaurant in Mostar, where we had a good view on the famous bridge that
was about to be rebuilt, one of our programme directors also suggested another
suitable motto for our programme: "Building Bridges". And indeed,
many bridges between different civilisations have been built. But we also
should take into account that our study programme with its special focus on the
European Union has taken place in this exciting year 2004 - a year that has
witnessed the greatest Enlargement of the Union ever! And at about the same
time there has been an agreement of the 25 governments on a European
Constitution. This Constitution, the very first of its kind, has introduced a new
motto for the European Union: "United in Diversity". I believe that
this motto also applies to our class.
Within our group we have overcome all
differences posed by different nationalities and academic backgrounds. We
started as a strongly diversified group, we ended up with one corporate
identity. Our common social activities during this study year helped a lot in
this respect: For example we students organised our own dancing course at the
Academy. Events like these have brought people together! But also our highly
interesting study trips to Prague and Sarajevo helped us to get to know each
other better.
Therefore, at the end of this study year, it is
a pleasure for me to announce that we, the participants of the "Master of
Advanced International Studies"-programme are meanwhile truly...
"UNITED
IN DIVERSITY"
Thank you very much.