A decade after delivering her own class speech as a graduating student, Her Excellency Sheikha Najwa bint Abdulrahman Al-Thani, undersecretary at the Ministry of Labour in Qatar, returned to Northwestern Qatar as the 2025 Graduation Speaker. Addressing the Class of 2025 at the university’s 14th graduation ceremony, she urged them to center integrity in all they do and to value the process as much as the outcome.
Al-Thani began her speech by congratulating the graduates on their achievements and perseverance in their journey to graduation. “I know from a personal account that it couldn’t have been easy,” she said. “Getting here took late nights in the editing suites, early mornings trying to catch the perfect light… and a caffeine budget that could rival the GDP of a small country.”
Drawing on her own journey as part of the early graduating classes, she reflected on how her time at the University prepared her professional and personal successes. “The road was not linear… I’ve been underutilized, deemed redundant, demoted, and redirected,” she said. “But those twists taught me to trust the process, play the long game, and know that in life, you won’t always get what you want—you get what you get, but make sure you can be proud of what you make of it.”
As they enter a new chapter of their lives, Al-Thani told the new graduates to view success as a reflection of their lived values. “Since infancy, we have been programmed to focus on end goals and accomplishments rather than the means, the journey, and the process,” she added. She encouraged them to embrace the “wasilah” (Arabic for the means and methods) of how they pursue their goals. “Your real work lies in the concrete, everyday ways you live and relate. Celebrate not only what you achieve but how you achieve it,” she said.
Reflecting on the uncertain global environment, Al-Thani called on them to lead with integrity, engage critically, and contribute meaningfully to society. “Don’t be products of your circumstance. Find your truth. Take initiative. Speak, especially when it’s hard,” she said. “Educate yourself, protect your conscience, and stay alert to propaganda. The Overton window is shifting—be a part of that movement.” She added, “The least anyone can do is to raise the ceiling of what is permissible.”
“Welcoming Sheikha Najwa back to campus a decade after her own graduation was a special moment for our community,” said Marwan M. Kraidy, dean and CEO of Northwestern Qatar. “Her reflections resonated deeply with the Class of 2025 and with all of us who believe in the lasting impact of a Northwestern education. We are proud of all that she has achieved since graduation and of her meaningful contributions to Qatar’s development.”
“Her reflections resonated deeply with the Class of 2025 and with all of us who believe in the lasting impact of a Northwestern education. We are proud of all that she has achieved since graduation and of her meaningful contributions to Qatar’s development.”
