Near East University Faculty of Theology 2018-2019 Academic Year Spring Term Graduation Ceremony was held with great enthusiasm at the Near East University Grand Library Hall 4.

According to the statement made by the Press and Public Relations Directorate of Near East University; Near East University Vice Rector Dr. Şenol Bektaş, Religious Services Counselor of Turkey's Nicosia Embassy Erdogan Eken, Dean of the Faculty of Theology Prof. Dr. Mehmet Mahfuz Söylemez, lecturers, families and alumni attended.

The graduation ceremony started with reading of the national anthem and one minute silence in memory of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Leader of Turkish Cypriots Fazıl Küçük, Founding President Rauf R. Denktaş and all the martyrs. In the ceremony, Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Mahfuz Söylemez, and Fedai Kahveci and Ayşe Yiğit, the top graduates of the faculty, made a speech representing the graduating students. During the ceremony, student Mikail Gürdal's recitation of the Holy Quran and the hymns he sang was greatly appreciated.

Prof. Dr. Söylemez; “I am proud to witness that our graduates represent our University in the best way in all their duties..."
Dean of the Faculty of Theology, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Mahfuz Söylemez in his speech at the ceremony stated that they are proud to witness that their graduates represent the university and the faculty in the best way wherever they go.

Prof. Dr. Söylemez stated that the graduates are employed particularly at the Religious Affairs Directorate, Ministry of Education, and in several institutions, including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in TRNC as well as in Turkey,.

Near East Facuşlty of Theology has established an Arabic preparatory class and thirty percent of the courses are given in Arabic, said Prof. Dr. Söylemez, and students are given accelerated preparatory courses during the summer time. Prof. Dr. Söylemez said: “For this purpose, all students who completed the preparatory class last year were subjected to a one-month accelerated program in Istanbul. This year, we take the preparatory graduates of last year and the preparatory graduates of this year to Mecca. Prof. Söylemez said "We will be implementing a one-month accelerated Arabic program in Mecca for these students. Our students will also visit our sacred sites. Starting this year, all students in groups according to their interests and our graduates have started to attend the courses as a result of the contributions we receive from our stakeholders invarious provinces of Turkey.

Addressing the students, Prof. Dr. Söylemez wanted students to take the human values into the center of their work, act in accordance with the purpose of human creation, represent the honor and personality of the human being, act in accordance with the Ummah consciousness and with the mission imposed on us by the Lord.

Fedai Kahveci; "We are now theologians. This Qualification Will Follow Us Throughout Our Lives… ”
Fedai Kahveci, who made a speech on behalf of the graduating students, said, “We are now qualified as theologians. This qualification will follow us throughout our lives. Even if the theologian goes on his way as a theologian, as a teacher or as a civil servant outside his field or as an artisan, he would never get rid of this qualification. As such, it is necessary to start by understanding what theology is and what is not. Theology is the modern expression and theological life itself ’.

Ayşe Yiğit; “There are places to explore, roads to go, darkness to light…”
The top graduate of the faculty, Ayşe Yiğit, said in her speech; “This is where we end our journey we had started four years ago. We're now graduating. We should not forget that every teacher is also a student. As the teachers of future and the new generation, we must be filled with a lifelong love of learning and a desire to teach. We are making a brand new beginning with an end. There are more places to explore, roads to go, darkness to enlighten."

Medals were presented to the top ranking students…
After the speeches, the medals of the top ranking students of the faculty were presented by Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Şenol Bektaş and Erdoğan Eken, Religious Services Counselor of the Turkish Embassy in Nicosia. Before graduation was held, Mikail Gürdal sang hymns. After the diploma was presented to the students, the program ended with the throwing of the hats into the air.