15 Jun 2017
Doha, 15 June, 2017. Aspire Academy celebrated its 10th graduation for the student athletes since opening its doors in 2004. Thirty-eight (38) student athletes graduated at a ceremony to mark the end of the 2016-17 academic year held on Wednesday 14Th June 2017 in the Aspire Dome. The ceremony was graced by Guest of Honor Dr. Hassan Rashid Al-Derham, President of Qatar University, Mohammad Khalifa Al-Suwaidi, CEO of Aspire Zone Foundation; Ivan Bravo, Director General of Aspire Academy; Badr Al-Hay, Director of Education and Student Affairs, Aspire Academy; Jassim Al-Jaber, School Principal, Aspire Academy; and members of the Academy’s senior management, teachers and parents of the student-athletes.
In his address, Aspire Academy Director General, Ivan Bravo implored the students to embrace and aspire to virtues of upholding family and country amongst others. “ You have learnt a lot and been exposed to a number of values and examples of how to be a citizen who is credit to his country and l urge you to emulate the culture and have regard to humanity that is exhibited and so well exemplified by Qataris. I have been privileged to know of one such Qatari who in his own quiet manner and without balking to the difficulties and challenges along the way was able to put together an arrangement that brought a team of Syrian refugee teenage boys from Jordan to play in the Al Kass International Cup here in Qatar in January 2017. It’s a story l would like you all to think about and be encouraged to be doers and make your contribution to humanity as best as you can in your own way and Aspire Academy has helped set you on that path,” said Ivan Bravo.
Mr. Badr Jassim Al Hay, Director of Education and Student Affairs, encouraged to make the most of the platform Aspire has created for them, “You set of on the next phase of your life’s journey, equipped with many good tools you have acquired during your time at Aspire. Go and make us and yourselves proud as you continue working hard to be citizens Qatar will be proud of. Of course you are always welcome back and Aspire Academy is your home. Congratulations on the culmination of your hard work with this graduation today, you are true champions in life, go on and live out this mantra.”
The thirty-eight (38) student athletes graduated in the following sports football, athletics, refereeing, table tennis, and gymnastics, will form the next generation of Qatar’s sports teams and clubs. They will join some of Qatar’s top and fast rising sportsmen and former scholars who graduated from Aspire Academy such as the likes of Mutaz Essa Barshim, Ashraf El-Seify, Abdulla Al-Tamimi, Abdelkarim Hassan, Akram Afif, Ashraf Elseify and Abubaker Haydar who have excelled and are competing at the very top of their respective sports.
The graduation marks yet another milestone for Aspire Academy an institution well on its way in full filling its mission to be recognized as the world’s leading sport Academy in the development of young athletes by 2020. Aspire Academy runs a comprehensive curriculum focused on both academic and athletic achievement. Several of the young Academy leavers are now set to pursue their sporting careers and further studies at prestigious universities in Qatar around the world.