MIREES Graduation Ceremony A.Y. 2016

Written by Sanja Kajinić
MIREES’ Academic Tutor, University of Bologna, Forlì-Campus



The final graduation ceremony of the MIREES program was held at the Salone Communale of the Municipality of Forli on the 23 of September 2016. The students of the 2014-2016 generation of the LM MIREES (Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Research and Studies on Eastern Europe), awarding a joint diploma of the Universities of Bologna, St. Petersbourg State U., Vytautas Magnus at Kaunas and Corvinus U. of Budapest, celebrated the accomplishment of their two-years' degree. This occassion saw thirty one student out of ten countries graduate from the Program.
The Opening address was given by the representative of the Forli Municipality, the counsellor Raoul Mosconi, who welcomed the professors, the students and the audience. Afterwards, the Ceremony started with short addresses by professor Paolo Zurla, Dean of the School of Political Sciences of the University of Bologna; professor Fabio Giusberti, Head of the Department of Political and Social Sciences, and professor Stefano Cavazza, Vice-rector's Delegate for International Teaching and Education. They were followed by the representatives of the partner universities: professor Jay D. Mininger of the Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania; professor Stanislav L. Tkachenko of the St. Petersburg State University, and professor Akos Kengyel of the Corvinus University of Budapest. Professor Mininger dedicated his speech to the memory of the beloved colleague and MIREES professor Leonidas Donskis, who unexpectedly passed away few days before the ceremony. Literary scholar and philosopher, professor Donskis, had influenced many generations of MIREES students as well as colleagues, and following the minute of silence, and in rememberance of his love of music, the musicians of the Music Institute „A. Masini“ of Forli performed one of his favourite songs „Hey Jude“.
Professor Francesco Privitera of the University of Bologna, as the director of the MIREES program, also talked about prof. Donskis's influence on everybody in the Programe, and especially directed his words of encouragement and appreciation to the new MIREES graduates, while also summarising the two last academic years (20014/2015 and 2015/2016). Then two student representatives, Faris Mahmutović and Alessia Laface, shared their reminiscences of humorous as well as challenging moments of their MIREES experience. They were followed by Mr. Adriano Remiddi, President of the MIREES Alumni International Association (MAiA) who presented the scopes of the association and reminded them about their responsibility in spreading openess, cosmopolitanism and cross-cultural empathy. Mr. Remiddi also introduced two MAiA's guests: Mirjana Kosić and Andrej Aleksiev, both MIREES alumni of the first MIREES generation, whom gave engaging speeches on their post-graduation life trajectories and the profound influence on their lives of the 2 years of studying at MIREES. Mr. Laszlo Galantai, Diplomatic Official of the Hungarian Embassy in Rome, gave the keynote speech on the „European Integraton and Visegrad 4“. His analysis of the current challenges to the EU integration process as seen from the point of view of V4 countries, and his sincere congratulations to the graduates, was followed by the awarding of the Master of Arts diplomas to the students, the much awaited moment of the day. The entire event was musically accompanied by the musicians of the Institute „Angelo Masini“ from Forli.
While the morning saw the celebration of the accomplishments of the 2014/2016 generation, in the afternoon, there was the first meeting with the new generation of MIREES students, organized by MAIA. In a relaxed atmosphere, at the Unibo Campus Canteen, the LM MIREES was presented to the new students by the director of the program, and in presence of a group of alumni of the first MIREES generation, which all contributed to lively conversations that opened the new academic year.