AdU welcomes its international students
Date Posted: September 27, 2018 at 12:23 PM
Adamson University, through the Office for University Relations headed by its director Sr. Maruja S. Padre Juan, MSCS, held a Welcome Celebration for International Students at the Mayuree 1 Ballroom, Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati last September 22, 2018. The theme of the gathering was Religion and Peacebuilding.
Adamson’s top administrators were present, including Fr. Marcelo V. Manimtim, CM, university president; Fr. Rafael K. Eloriaga, CM, VP Finance; Fr. Andrew S. Bayal, CM, VP Student Affairs; Fr. Rock Joseph Enriquez, CM, director of Institute for Religious Education; Bro. Henry Escurel, CM, Treasurer; office directors and alumni.
Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, was the guest-of-honor. The different embassies sent their respective representatives, namely, Mr. Ishaya A. Lazarus, Counsellor, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Mr. Jerry Chuang, Director, Press Division, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office; Ms. Sewwandi De Silva, Second Secretary/Head of Chancery, Embassy of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka; Mr. Mohammed Issam El-Debs, Consul ad Honorem, Consulate of the Syrian Arab Republic; Mr. Toshiyuki Taguchi, Researcher/Adviser, Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan; Mr. Min Si Thu Zaw, Chief of Chancery, Embassy of the Republic Union of Myanmar; Mr. Ricardo Sanchez Mendez, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the United Mexican States; Mr. Michael Alexander M. Ang, Consul ad Honorem, Consulate of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Dean, Consular Corps of the Philippines.
The AdU Chamber Orchestra started the program with an Interlude. This was followed by a medley of dances performed by the AdU Dance Troupe and the singing of the National Anthem led by Ms. Giselle Malmis with the accompaniment of the orchestra.
After Sr. Padre Juan’s introduction of the guests and attendees, Fr. Manimtim gave his greetings. Welcoming everyone to the occasion and thanking them for coming, he mentioned that there are 261 international students currently enrolled in the university. To connect to the theme, he pointed out the phenomenon of depression in contemporary society especially among the young and that the lack of religious moorings or a strong spiritual foundation could account for its prevalence. He said that having a religion or a spiritual life can help young people face depression.
Archbishop Caccia opted to deliver his Keynote Speech extemporaneously, setting aside his prepared speech. Using football as a springboard for his talk, he related that Milan, in Italy, his birthplace, has two football teams whose diehard followers are rabidly loyal to their teams yet become united when players of the opposing teams are drafted to play for the country. “How do we overcome division?,” he asked. “When the competing teams play for the nation, there comes a higher interest. It is the same with religion. We have to go to a higher level. Religion means going a little bit higher or deeper. When we are in contact with the Source, who is God, we understand that we belong to one humanity,” he explained. At the end of his speech, he said “it’s a blessing to be in this university. So many countries, so many religions yet we belong to one human family. Our duty is to become a human person.” Football as analogy for religion and peacebuilding was actually apt for the occasion because part of the program was the introduction of the international students’ football teams that will compete in the university’s Presidential Football Cup 2018.
Archbishop Caccia was handed a Plaque of Appreciation by Fr. Manimtim and a bouquet of flowers by Sr. Padre Juan. Fr. Andrew S. Bayal, CM then inducted the officers of the International Students Association of Adamson (ISAAD) into office.
Selected international students rendered a special song number. They sang Michael Jackson’s We are the World. After dinner was over, the Modern Dance and Stars of the Night competition and awarding followed.
Adamson’s international students come from Bangladesh, Benin, Cameroon, China, Congo, Djibouti, East Timor, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Italy, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, USA, Vietnam and Yemen.
