On Friday, October 9, 2026, the American University of Madaba  (AUM) marked the graduation of its 12th cohort of students at a ceremony held under the patronage of Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Jordan Bishop Iyad Twal. In attendance were Chief of the Royal Hashemite Court Yousef Al-Issawi, Chairman of the AUM’s Board of Trustees Engineer Azzam Shweihat, AUM President Prof. Dr. Adi Arida, as well as members of the Board of Trustees, in addition to academic and administrative members of staff.

In his address, Bishop Twal conveyed the greetings of His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, on behalf of the Latin Patriarchate, the AUM’s owner. He expressed pride in the graduates, stressing that this day is not merely an occasion for receiving certificates, but rather a day to extend thanks and gratitude to everyone who contributed to their academic journey, in  addition to the efforts they made and the challenges they overcame to reach this long-awaited moment.

He also addressed the graduates, noting that the AUM has not given them merely knowledge, but has equipped them with the tools needed to face life, which will place them with challenges whose dates are not announced in advance. He added that the AUM, based on a distinguished educational heritage, believes that knowledge is a mission, that the human being is the most valuable asset to invest in, and that its mission is not limited to preparing graduates for the job market, but extends to building the human person, as well as establishing a culture of respect, dialogue, and human dignity.

He concluded his address by urging the graduates to make their success a mission of service, by saying, “I hope the most important question will not be ‘what will I achieve for myself?’ but rather, “what will I offer to others?”