Valedictorian of the 2026 graduating class of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Ms Elsie Adwoa Adutwumwaa Boateng has encouraged her fellow graduates to use their knowledge, experiences and personal journeys to create positive change in the world.

Delivering the valedictory address at the KAIPTC 15th Graduation Ceremony for the Joint Master’s Course 2026 at Schroder Hall in Accra on Friday, Ms Boateng described the achievement as a reflection of perseverance, sacrifice and determination.

She said the honour of standing before her colleagues was one she accepted with humility, noting that the success of the graduating class represented the collective efforts of every student who endured challenges throughout the programme.

“It is both a privilege and a profound honour to stand before you today,” she said.

Drawing inspiration from the words of former South African President Nelson Mandela — “It always seems impossible until it is done” — Ms Boateng said the moment marked the completion of a journey that once appeared difficult but had now become reality.

“Today it is done. Standing before you as the valedictorian of this graduating class is an honour I receive with immense gratitude and humility,” she stated.

Ms Boateng said the graduation ceremony was not only about academic achievement but also about recognising the personal sacrifices behind each graduate’s success.

She spoke about the long nights, early mornings, demanding assignments and the pressure of balancing careers, family responsibilities, financial challenges and personal struggles while remaining committed to completing the programme.

Sharing her own experience, she revealed that she once spent two consecutive nights working on her dissertation.

“I do not recommend it, but I also do not regret it. Because here we are,” she told the audience.

She said the graduates had done more than simply complete academic requirements.

“This is what makes today so meaningful. We did not just study for our degrees, we fought for it,” she said.

During her address, Ms Boateng paid tribute to two members of the graduating class who had passed away before the ceremony.

She said although they were not physically present to celebrate the achievement, they remained an important part of the Class of 2026.

“Though they are passed on and no longer with us, they will always remain part of the Class of 2026. We honour their memory with gratitude and pray that they continue to rest in perfect peace,” she said.

Reflecting on the field of gender, conflict, peace and security, Ms Boateng said the graduates had learnt that peace involved much more than the end of violence.

“As students of gender, conflict, peace and security, we have learnt that peace is not simply the absence of conflict,” she said.

“It is the presence of justice. It is the protection of human dignity. It is the deliberate, courageous work of creating a world where every person, regardless of gender, background or circumstance, has the opportunity to thrive.”

She said the world the graduates were entering required leadership capable of addressing persistent challenges including conflict, inequality and exclusion.

“The true measure of this degree will not be the certificate we hold in our hands today. It will be the lives we choose to touch with what we now know,” she added.

Ms Boateng expressed gratitude to the Commandant of KAIPTC, Air Vice Marshal David A. Akrong, for creating an environment that promoted learning, excellence and critical thinking.

She also thanked faculty members, lecturers and supervisors for pushing students beyond their perceived limits.

“You did not just teach us knowledge. You taught us how to think, how to question and how to lead,” she said.

She extended appreciation to the administrative and non-teaching staff, recognising their contribution to the smooth running of the institution.

The valedictorian also offered special recognition to KAIPTC security personnel, praising their professionalism and friendliness.

She thanked them for making students feel welcomed each day through their support and positive attitude.

Ms Boateng also acknowledged families and loved ones, describing them as a major source of strength throughout the academic journey.

“Thank you for your prayers, your patience and your sacrifices. This achievement belongs to you as much as it belongs to us,” she said.

In one of the most personal moments of her speech, Ms Boateng shared her decision to leave a 19-year career in banking to pursue a new direction.

She said the decision was difficult because her banking career had provided stability and a sense of identity.

“A year ago, I made one of the most difficult decisions of my life. After 19 years in banking, 19 years of building a career of stability, of identity, I walked away,” she said.

She explained that she did not have a guaranteed path ahead but trusted that she still had more to offer.

“I did not have a map. I did not have guarantees. I only had a quiet but stubborn conviction that there was still more in me,” she said.

Ms Boateng said that standing before the graduating class as a middle-aged woman and valedictorian had confirmed that taking the risk was one of the best decisions she had ever made.

She dedicated her achievement to women who had questioned whether they could begin new chapters in their lives.

“I dedicate this honour to every woman who has ever had to start over, to every woman who has lain awake wondering if she has missed her moment,” she said.

She encouraged women facing uncertainty to believe in their abilities.

“I stand here as living proof that you do. Your age is not your limitation. Your past is not your prison. Your story is not over,” she stated.

According to Ms Boateng, some of life’s most meaningful achievements come from the courage to begin again.

Ms Boateng urged her colleagues not to keep their knowledge and transformation to themselves.

She encouraged them to become agents of peace, justice and hope wherever they found themselves.

“Let us be known not only for the degrees we have earned, but for the peace we will build, the justice we will pursue, and the hope we will carry into every space we enter,” she said.

She reminded the graduates that their contribution was needed in a world facing complex challenges.

The ceremony also celebrated outstanding academic achievements among the graduating students.

Mr Desmond OfosuHene was adjudged the Best Graduating Student in the Master of Arts in Conflict, Peace and Security (MCPS) programme.

Mrs Yvonne Ofosua Yirenkyi received the award for Best Graduating Student in the Executive Master of Arts in Conflict, Peace and Security (EMCPS) programme.