At Northwestern University in Qatar’s 2026 graduation ceremony, Dean and CEO Marwan M. Kraidy centered his address on the concept of muruna, an Arabic term that extends beyond resilience to encompass grounded adaptability and principled action.
Addressing the Class of 2026, Kraidy described muruna as the ability to remain steady and intentional in the face of uncertainty. “It is to hold your ground without becoming rigid. To change, while staying true to yourself,” he said.
He noted that graduates are entering a world shaped by rapid geopolitical, technological, and social change, and emphasized that their education has prepared them not only to navigate complexity, but to engage with it meaningfully.
“Our mission has never been simply to train professionals,” Kraidy said. “It has been to cultivate evidence-based storytellers who can understand complexity and contribute to making the world a better place.”
“Our mission has never been simply to train professionals, it has been to cultivate evidence-based storytellers who can understand complexity and contribute to making the world a better place.”
Throughout his remarks, Kraidy returned to the relationship between storytelling and responsibility, reminding graduates that communication carries influence and accountability. He encouraged them to remain ambitious yet grounded, innovative yet principled.
“Words and images shape perception, memory, and possibility” he said.
Closing his address, Kraidy urged graduates to practice muruna as an ongoing discipline. “It is not about standing still. It is about moving forward without losing your center,” he said, encouraging the class to approach their future with both conviction and purpose.
