1st June 2022
70 years ago tomorrow, Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom, became Queen. She made this commitment on her coronation day:
‘I have in sincerity pledged myself to your service, as so many of you are pledged to mine. Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust.’
At age 96, she continues in this work.
Today, as we mark this graduation, the mediaeval latin for next step, we are invited to be reflective, to be appreciative and to celebrate success.
As students you have grown, some a lot, developed and striven for personal and academic excellence; and so did all of those around you.
As an education profession, our role is to serve you, our students. We strive for improvement and always look to develop our practice, our pedagogy and our learning environment.
On this day, there is one person who has given so much, which has enabled you to stand here today.
Mr Steve Bavaro led the authorisation of the Diploma programme and has led it through authorisation in 2005 to its first students entering the programme in 2007.
Fifteen years later, he leads this ceremony today, his last as IB Diploma Coordinator. Mrs Vicki Haywood will take the baton and will coordinate the Diploma programme going forward, as Mr Bavaro steps into Head of Operations at ISR. We honour him and thank him for his service.
Like Mr Bavaro, there have been so many in your corner. In this room today you are surrounded by love, by support, By your parents who ‘sincerely pledged’ themselves to your future, to you. Your family, your friends. We honour you all.
Just as Queen Elizabeth II was crowned, she aspired to realise a bright future and to honour the service of others. As you step into the next phase of your lives, you have your ISR cheerleaders with you, and as global citizens, now is your time to show duty and service to others.
As 2022 graduates you have witnessed, and graduated, during an unprecedented period of time
- A global pandemic
- and , most recently, a sight never expected in my lifetime and yet remembered by many of our grandparents and great grandparents, war in Europe.
Never has there been a more important time than now to realise the vision that an International Baccalaureate education supplies.
This is your moment to strive for a more peaceful world, where service matters, where kindness matters, and where you will serve others as those that have served you.
Liz Free
We celebrate you, we honour you and we trust you.
“Great leaders inspire greatness in others” 