There are some journeys that are measured not only in kilometres travelled, but in courage, sacrifice, and the growth a person has within themselves. For the graduates gathered at the Rabat Marriott Hotel in Morocco and joined virtually via livestream on YouTube, on Saturday, September 12, that journey was celebrated at the OECS Graduate Recognition Ceremony, held under the theme “Through Perseverance Comes Triumph.”
The ceremony was more than a recognition of academic achievement. It was a celebration of young people from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) who left the familiarity of their homes and communities to pursue opportunities thousands of kilometres away, navigating a new country, a new culture, new classrooms and, in many cases, the challenge of finding their footing far from the people and places that had shaped them.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Ian Queeley reflected on the significance of the graduates’ journey and the resilience required to see it through.
“Perseverance is not just finishing your degree. Perseverance is how the world gets built, one deliberate decision at a time, by the people who refuse to quit on their purpose in life. Yes, your degree is a major achievement, but it's also a responsibility. The knowledge, skills, competencies, and experiences you have gained should now be translated into action.
“Use them to contribute. Use them to create. Use them to lead. And wherever your journey takes you, remember where you started.
“You are not just talented. Talent is a gift you were given. Triumph is a decision you made, and every graduate throughout this journey made it again and again until it became who you are.”
The ceremony also featured a keynote address by Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General of the OECS, who challenged the graduates to see their experience as something much greater than the degrees and qualifications they had earned.
“When we say tonight that through perseverance comes triumph, understand what we are actually saying: the triumph is not the certificate. The triumph is the person, the professional now holding it - who is not the person who originally arrived.
“You are returning to islands that need you with an urgency you may not yet appreciate. We need you as our doctors, our engineers, our scientists, our architects, our agronomists. Come home. Come home and build.
“Carry Morocco with you. Carry the language, the discipline, the friendships, the patience you learned in a place that ran on a different clock. And carry this too: you are now, permanently, a bridge between two peoples of the Atlantic. Very few of your generation will ever be that.”
Behind every graduation photograph is a story that rarely makes it onto a certificate. There were also the difficult days. Dr. Jules reminded the graduates, “And you did all of it thousands of kilometres from a small island where somebody was praying for you every single night.”
Representing Morocco’s Department of Bilateral Co-operation (AMCI), Mr. Badr Alaoui also addressed the gathering, highlighting the importance of the partnership that has enabled OECS students to study in Morocco and the enduring connections forged between Morocco and the OECS.
“We firmly believe that human capital is the most valuable investment in the future. Over the years, Morocco has welcomed successive generations of students from the Caribbean, providing them with access to academic, technical and professional training while also fostering human connection that has become one of the strongest foundations of our cooperation.
“Dear graduates, your time in Morocco represents so much more than the completion of an academic journey; it’s also a human and cultural experience that now connects you to the Kingdom of Morocco. You are now today an ambassador of the friendship between you and the Caribbean.”
Three graduates received special recognition for their accomplishments and the qualities they demonstrated throughout their journey.
The Ambassador’s Award for the highest level of academic achievement within the 2026 graduating cohort was presented to Ms. Bryonnie Mathurin from Saint Lucia, who completed her Bachelor of Science in Radiology.
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean Students in Morocco President’s Award, which is given to a student who is not on the organisation’s executive but has made significant contributions, \u200b was presented to Mr. Kendlee Enrique Charlemagne, also from Saint Lucia.
The final prize was the Spirit of OECSM Award, which is presented to the student who brought liveliness and encouragement to the group with their charisma, and was given to Mr. Janique Raymond also a Saint Lucian.
These awards added the dimension of recognising that success is not defined solely by academic performance, but also by leadership, character, resilience, service and the ability to embody the values of the OECS community.
As the ceremony drew to a close, the graduates stood not simply as students who had completed a programme of study, but as ambassadors of their families, their countries and the OECS.
In the final moments of the keynote address, Dr. Jules had a message for all the parties involved in the accomplishment:
“To the parents and families watching this livestream tonight - thank you for your sacrifice, and congratulations. The child you sent has come back a professional. And to the Kingdom of Morocco shukran Bzf. Thank you for keeping our children safe, for teaching them well, and for sending them home to us. To the graduating class: you persevered. Tonight, you triumph. Congratulations. And bon retour - welcome home.”