The 2021-2022 academic year graduates of the Near East University Faculty of Architecture received their diplomas at a ceremony. In the ceremony, which started with a moment of silence and the singing of the National Anthem, Near East University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture Prof. Dr. Zeynep Onur made a speech. Abdullah Saleem Khalel, who graduated from the Department of Architecture top graduate student on behalf of international graduate students, and Sinan Laçin on behalf of Turkish graduate students expressed their feelings, too.

At the ceremony, Near East University Faculty of Architecture graduate İrem Sena also gave a violin concert for all guests. After the speeches, the graduates who received their diplomas threw their caps off with great enthusiasm.

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt: “Architecture should reflect the time and space in which it was built, and at the same time aim for timelessness.”
Near East University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt, at the beginning of his speech, referred to the saying of American architect and thinker Richard Buckminster Fuller’s regarding architectural design: “When I work on a problem, I never think about its beauty, I just focus on how to solve it. However, when I finish, if the solution is not good, I know it is wrong”.

Stating that the architectural design process should have three basic qualities, namely usability, durability and beauty, Prof. Dr. Kurt said, “Architects trained by architecture schools should focus on the functionality, durability, permanence, satisfaction and aesthetic pleasure of their designs. First of all, designers need to be equipped with very good knowledge. They need to read a lot, do a lot of research, get a lot of practice experience and work hard.”

Concluding his speech with the words of Frank Gehry, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt said, “Architecture should reflect the time and space in which it was built, and at the same time aim for timelessness.”

Prof. Dr. Zeynep Onur: “We are proud to have graduates from 12 different countries.”
Near East University Faculty of Architecture Dean Prof. Dr. Zeynep Onur, on the other hand, touched on the COVID-19 pandemic in her speech and said that they were happy to hold a face-to-face graduation ceremony for the first time since the spring term of 2020.

Stating that they graduated from twelve different countries, Prof. Dr. Zeynep Onur said, “Today, we bid farewell to future architects and interior architects from many different countries, including Syria, Sudan, Jordan, Lebanon, Nigeria, Palestine, Iraq, Netherlands, Cyprus, Turkey, Zambia and Libya.”

Pointing out that there are difficulties in the profession of architecture, as in every profession, Prof. Dr. Zeynep Onur said, “Not everyone does their job lovingly. Most people do it for the sake of doing it, but do your job lovingly and willingly. As a designer, your responsibility on earth is to add your own differences, sensitivities and thoughts to this world. Wishing you all to be space artists; May your path be clear”.

Abdullah Saleem Khalel: “I am happy to keep the promise I made to myself and my family to graduate as the top student.”
Abdullah Saleem Khalel, who said that he had a great interest in architecture since his high school years, said that he promised himself and his family that he would graduate as the top student when he started his education at the Faculty of Architecture at Near East University. “Today, I am happy to have kept this promise,” said Khalel, and congratulated all of his friends who succeeded in graduating after four years of hard study and effort. Saying that today is not the end but the beginning for them, Abdullah Saleem Khalel said that they are now ready to leave their mark on the world with the buildings they will design. Khalel ended his speech by thanking all his teachers who made great contributions to them.

Sinan Laçin: “We will continue to progress successfully and steadily on the path of science, which our great leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk calls my spiritual heritage.”
Near East University Faculty of Architecture graduate Sinan Laçin started his speech on behalf of all graduates by expressing his excitement and pride. Sinan Laçin said, “I would like to thank all of our teachers, who did their best in every way, loved us, made us love architecture much more than usual, and provided us with a lot of information about life, not just academic knowledge.”

Sinan Laçin said, “After four years of hard and long training, including face-to-face and online education, we are proud of the point we have reached today. As Near East University Faculty of Architecture, we have gained a lot of knowledge and experience during our undergraduate education. We will continue to progress successfully and steadily on the path of science, which our great leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk calls my spiritual heritage.”