The inspiring, emotional, and festive IMPH 2016-2017 Graduation Ceremony was held on September 11, 2017, in the Hadassah Auditorium. Greetings were presented by Professor Menachem Ben Sasson - Chancellor, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Prof. David Lichtstein - Dean of the Faculty of Medicine; and Prof. Yoram Weiss - Director of the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital. H.E. Ambassador Gil Haskel - Head of MASHAV, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, and H.E. Alexander De La Rosa Garabito, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, also presented greetings.
IMPH class representatives, Dr. Smita Todkar (India) & Dr. Fonedwin Aunji (Cameroon), summed up the year from the students' perspective.
The Graduation Keynote Speaker was IMPH alumna Dr. Josephine Ojiambo, (IMPH ‘88-‘89, Kenya) who serves as Deputy Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations Secretariat, and formerly as Chief of Executive Board of the United Nations Population Fund, as well as Deputy Permanent Representative of the Kenyan Mission to the United Nations. Through her motivational speech, Josephine imparted lessons she had learned during her career.
We were fortunate to have representatives of our sponsors and donors present at the Graduation Ceremony, including Sir Trevor and Daniella Pears, and Ms. Dina Gidron of Pears Foundation.
Prior to the ceremony, we hosted an Ambassadors' Reception on "Diplomacy and Public Health," which was attended by ambassadors and other diplomats from some 25 countries. The event co-hosts were H.E. Ambassador Gil Haskel, Head, MASHAV, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, and H.E. Ambassador Yossi Gal, Vice-President, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Sir Trevor and Daniella Pears were also in attendance, along with Lord Jonathan Mendelsohn. Dr. Ojiambo and graduating student Bindu Panthi of Nepal spoke at the reception.
