Zeinab Badawi hosts SOAS VIPs to launch week of summer graduation ceremonies

29 July 2022

On Tuesday 26 July, journalist, broadcaster and SOAS President, Zeinab Badawi, hosted special guests from across diplomacy, philanthropy, academia and the arts to mark the start of the 2022 SOAS Graduation Ceremonies.

This annual reception, taking place in person for the first time since 2019, celebrated leading figures who will be honoured at this week’s ceremonies and provided the opportunity for SOAS alumni, donors, friends and staff to celebrate our student’s achievements and all the successful work at SOAS over the past 12 months.

SOAS President, Zeinab Badawi, welcomed all guests to the annual event, valuing the possibility for close friends and supporters of SOAS to all be together in person after the difficulty of the last few years amid the pandemic. She celebrated the ongoing support for SOAS by valued supporters and donors, she also commented on the uniqueness and vibrancy of the SOAS community.

SOAS Director, Professor Adam Habib, also made a speech laying out SOAS’s vision for the future, in addition to introducing this year’s distinguished honorary graduates and fellows, Yoko Tawado, Ann Pettifor, Ilwad Elman, Hassan Musa and Marie Staunton. He commended their achievements and influence to bring about positive change in the world.

This year’s academic luminaries were honoured this week along with hundreds of graduating students.