On Saturday, September 12, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) hosted a meaningful graduate recognition ceremony at the Rabat Marriott Hotel in Morocco, to honor hundreds of OECS students who successfully completed their academic programs in the North African nation. Aligning with this year’s theme “Through Perseverance Comes Triumph”, the event welcomed in-person attendees including graduates, diplomatic representatives and senior education officials, while also allowing graduates unable to travel to the venue to participate virtually via a public YouTube livestream.
Beyond simply marking the end of each graduate’s academic journey, the ceremony centered on celebrating the extraordinary resilience of these young scholars, who left their small home islands in the Eastern Caribbean to pursue higher education thousands of kilometers from their families and communities. Navigating a new cultural landscape, unfamiliar social norms, and a vastly different higher education system, these students overcame significant geographic and personal hurdles to reach this milestone. The ceremony opened with remarks from OECS Ambassador Ian Queeley, who framed graduates’ academic success as both an achievement and a calling. He urged the newly minted degree holders to translate their hard-won knowledge, specialized skills and cross-cultural experiences into tangible positive action for their home communities. Echoing the event’s core theme, Queeley reminded attendees that every triumph traces back to a deliberate choice to persist, highlighting the relentless determination that carried each student through their studies.
The keynote address was delivered by OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules, who offered graduates a thoughtful perspective on what their accomplishment truly means. Dr. Jules emphasized that the most meaningful outcome of their time in Morocco is the personal transformation they underwent, rather than the diplomas they received. He issued a clear and heartfelt call to action: “Come home and build,” urging graduates to return to their Eastern Caribbean nations and contribute their expertise across high-impact sectors, including medicine, engineering, scientific research, architecture, and agronomy. Dr. Jules also framed the cohort of graduates as a permanent, people-to-people connection between the Eastern Caribbean and Morocco, calling them a lasting “bridge between two peoples of the Atlantic.” He acknowledged the quiet hardships of studying far from home, noting that every graduate achieved this milestone thousands of kilometers away, while loved ones on their small home islands offered constant prayers and support along the way.
Badr Alaoui, representing Morocco’s Department of Bilateral Co-operation (AMCI), reaffirmed the North African nation’s longstanding commitment to investing in global human capital. He noted that Morocco has opened its doors to generation after generation of Caribbean students, offering access to world-class academic, technical, and professional training programs. Alaoui added that through their years of study and lived experience in Morocco, the OECS graduates have already become informal ambassadors of friendship, strengthening people-to-people ties between Morocco and Caribbean nations.
During the ceremony, three exceptional graduates from Saint Lucia received special recognition for their standout achievements. Bryonnie Mathurin earned the Ambassador’s Award for the highest overall academic achievement, following her completion of a Bachelor of Science in Radiology. Kendlee Enrique Charlemagne was honored with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean Students in Morocco President’s Award for his outstanding contributions to the student community outside of formal executive leadership roles. Janique Raymond received the Spirit of OECSM Award for her consistent energy and encouragement that lifted up her fellow classmates throughout their studies.
Closing out the celebratory event, Dr. Jules extended formal gratitude to the students’ family back home for their unwavering support, and to the government and people of Morocco for hosting the cohort and supporting their academic journeys. He welcomed the graduates back to the OECS community with a fitting final message that echoed the event’s theme: “Tonight, you triumph.”