TED Ankara High School Umut Önal 10th Year Graduation Ceremony
7 June 2003
Bilkent Hotel / Ankara
Nazire Dedeman
Founder President of Umut Foundation
Speech Text
Dear Ankara High School members,
Dear Ankara High School members who are celebrating their 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 30th, 35th, 40th, 45th, 50th, and 55the anniversary graduation, dear seniors, friends and children,
I am here to celebrate my 35. Anniversary of graduation.
Those who celebrate their 10. anniversary of graduation!
I am actually here for you.
This is your first High School ceremony tonight after cap ceremony. You feel proud to be succesful and graduate. I have felt this for 35 years. I wish you feel the same way for long years like those who celebrate their 50. and 55. graduation anniversary.
I thank you all my children, my Umuts who celebrate their 10. Year anniversary of graduation and remind me my pride.
You perpetuate my son Umut Önal, your friend, your sibling, who is always in my heart, but cannot be with us now and celebrates his 10. Year anniversary of graduation from high school...You accept him among you.
I found you with me tonight as an original form of live interaction between individual and a group. I once again remember the pleasure to be a part of big family and social responsibility that derives from this belonging.
We established Umut Foundation to fulfill this responsibility 10 years ago and we have carried the mission with belief until today. Umut Foundation was established, when you graduated, in memory of our lost children and siblings.
We all have to undertake personal responsibilities to develop and solve the problems of the society we live in. Unfortunately, my share happened to be fighting agaisnt a fatal social problem of individual armament. The root of this problem is depper than what is seen and unfortunately as meaningless as it depth. İt is meaningless because no interest, no yearning, no desire can be above human life.
We carried out works in law and education fields to solve individual armament problem. We continue our way with belief and determination we had in the beginning in 10th anniversary of its establishment. İt is because every year 3000 people lose their lives due to individual armament.
Armed violence costs too much to families, to the society and most importantly to the youth. Despite this individuals are pretty much insensitive to armed violence and others suffering. We are doing our best to make them sensitive. One should not give up on fight in spite of various difficulties. We derive our energy to fight from human love, belief in our society and our desire to leave a nice and peaceful environment to future generations despite what has been through.
I hope that you can find this energy in you and do everything not to lose it.
Umut Honoured Leaders Training Foundation will continue to raise youth who believe in rule of law, have consious to be a responsible citizen, prefer peaceful means for solving conflicts, give life a chance and make it happen, are respectful of environment and human rights. We promised this.
Dear Ankara High School members,
You have to give your life meaning, you should hope that carries one into future. never lose your sparkling hopes and never give up on hoping.
Dear my Umuts
I hug you one by one in this happy day of your life and wish you to spend many healthy and happy ten years.
For a hopeful future...