A day of coming and going at UniTrento, as students complete their studies and look forward to new personal and professional opportunities. You can feel the excitement in the air as, after cancellations due to the pandemic, the graduation ceremony finally returned to Piazza Duomo. The 218 graduates received their degrees from the hands of Rector Flavio Deflorian and Deputy Rector Paola Iamiceli, with relatives and friends in attendance, in a beautiful square full of people.
The Rector invited the new alumni to keep alive the sense of belonging to the University that welcomed them, trained them and that still wants to be a part of their future. "The memories of your university life and of the path of personal growth that shaped you in these years will be with you forever", Deflorian said in his first speech on the stage in Piazza Duomo. "Let me tell you this as rector and as teacher: we have tried to accompany you on this path to the best of our ability. Your personal growth is so important to us that we put it at the heart of our education programme, written it in the first article of our Charter, an article that sanctions that research, teaching and learning are not only ends, but means for human development, for democratic affirmation and social dignity. At this point, you have learned the lesson. It will help you and guide your steps in the choices you will have to make from now on. The University of Trento will always be your home and we will always be there to give you a piece of advice, a tip, a view we can discuss together".
He then briefly touched on the pandemic: "This past year and a half has complicated our lives, and has changed us. But today we are all here together again. And just by being here, in this beautiful square, we are filled with pride because it means that we have made it despite the difficulties. We did our part, with our study, our work, our patience, our commitment. We have been able to look ahead and take advantage of the opportunities we were offered to gradually get out of an emergency situation. We, together with your families, are proud of you". The rector then invited everyone to congratulate with an applause the graduates who could not attend in person.
The mayor of Trento and the provincial councilor for education, university and culture also gave speeches at the ceremony, as a sign of closeness of the community of Trentino to the new graduates. As usual, a representative of the best graduates - this year, Eleonora Zomer, who graduated in Comparative, European and International Legal Studies - and a former student of the University, also took the floor. The latter was Omar Bellicini, a journalist, author and spokesperson for the mayor of Pavia, who graduated in law in 2013.
The academic procession and the polyphonic choir and orchestra of the University of Trento made the atmosphere even more memorable, with students waving their caps. The ceremony ended with the university hymn "Gaudeamus Igitur", and the national and European anthems.