Testimonials

I cannot thank you enough for your extra-ordinary services at UPEACE. You can keep your head high for the noble job you have done at UPEACE !!! I’m excited the fact that you will continue your contribution for global peace through SALAM Institute !!

Ah! What a wonderful look back at these years and your missions professor Abdalla! Remembering you fondly and still thinking about you and all the great things you did for us at UPEACE. I wish you all the best with your new adventures and hope one of these days our paths will cross again! In peace,

I was very especially fond of you, even if we did not have many opportunities to interact while I was at Upeace (2007-8). But whenever I got a chance to do so, those were special moments. Thank you for those special moments. I am sure many others felt the same as I did at Upeace. Thanks for everything you contributed to my life. If you come to India, we will be extremely happy to receive you, and benefit from your wisdom and knowledge.

I read your message and it makes me a bit sad, because such people as you should be a part of UPEACE forever. I mean the people like you bring some much bright and positive energy to everyone. You are bring the peace to people. It comes from my experience in UPEACE. I still remember your visit to Kyrgyzstan. At that time, your visit gave me the confidence and desire to move forward and achieve the goals. As a result of it, I have got the diploma. I appreciate all that you did for UPEACE and UPEACErs and especially for me. If you will need my help or assistance, just let me know...

I did enjoy every encounter with you, both inside and outside class. Your openness, sense of humor and care will always linger in my mind and heart. Last March, before coming back to Manila, I did not have a chance to say my thanks and goodbye directly to you, as you were in official trip. I left a bookmark with Charles Skinner to be given to you. It is a figure of one heroes from Five Pandavas in Mahabharata epic which is very well-known and deeply rooted in Indonesia. Coming in the form of wayang - a traditional Javanese puppet, the figure itself is Bhima (Werkudara in Javanese). He is characterized as an honest, straightforward, trustful, committed, strong and tender heart person. And, I guess there is no one at UPeace, that is best described with those traits. I just want to say, thank you for your presence and help during my UPeace study. Also, good luck for your new chapter. I pray for you and your family. May you and they always stay in God's arms of love.

Hope you are doing well. It has been difficult to accept your decision and I cannot image UPEACE without you. We all know your academic and professional expertise and for sure that loss in the Academic and Administrative side of UPEACE will be greatly felt. However, to me the biggest loss will be in the human aspect. Words cannot express my gratitude for all your support, encouragement, kind words and above all the respect you showed to me in every situation or issue I had to discuss with you. It did not matter how simple or complicated the issue was, you always listened and made feel an important human being. And even though at times the answer may not had been positive for me, I never felt disrespected or less important. I have learned a lot from you and I truly considered you an example to follow.

Dear Amr, I am greatly touched by your message. I am sure UPEACE will not be the same without your regular engagements in its affairs. But I am certain that the spirit and passion that you brought to the academic programmes will always remain. While it is still sad to know that you are leaving UPEACE, I am sure there are so many people out there in the world whose lives you will touch in many ways and motivate them to continue in this noble profession. I always take pride in the fact that I was your student and also to have had the opportunity to work with you. I was always inspired by your positive energy, passion and commitment to the cause of UPEACE. I wish you all success in your new endeavor. Please do let me know when you make a trip to India and also if you need my assistance any time when you explore areas of professional cooperation here. Best to the family. With all best wishes,

Thank you for your tireless work at UPeace, for the wonderful energy you bring you everything you do, and for making my UPeace experience all the more memorable. You are such a unique human being, and I am sorry to see you go. However, I am sure wherever you end up will benefit greatly from your presence. I wish you all the best always, and I hope our paths cross again in the near future. Please let me know if there will be some kind of going-away celebration, I will be there! Un fuerte abrazo,

Thank you for this e-mail! What a great loss for UPEACE generations to come that you will not be there to accompany them through the amazing journey that is UPEACE, but then again I'm sure your efforts to strengthen and consolidate the University will continue to be strong for many years to come. It only saddens me that they will not be able to meet you personally! You are such an inspiration, at least for me, to continue educating myself and gaining experience in the complicated field that is Peace & Conflict Resolution and I thank you for this and all your help and support throughout this time. Thank you for everything. And my best wishes on this new adventure. Sincerely,

Dear Amr, Thanks so much for sharing your parting sentiments with us. You truly touched my life and helped to shape my experience at UPeace, an experience I will carry near and dear to me throughout my life. I wish you all the best in your new endeavors, you are an inspiration and someone I am proud to know. Elliot and I live in Oakland, California now and I work for a food justice non-profit organization, City Slicker Farms. Elliot is a video producer for an online food magazine, CHOW.com. My parents still live in Maryland so we should connect next time we are there! All the best,