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My Dream is Peace

July 28, 2010

By request, the Edmonds Beacon is reprinting a speech delivered by exchange student Tinus Tuozie, of Ghana, West Africa, at the Meadowdale High School graduation ceremony on June 19.

By Tinus Tuozie

There are moments in our lives when we need to put the past aside and focus on our achievements, and today is one such moment I am so delighted to be part of. It was a dream come true when I was accepted into the “land of the free and home of the brave.”

I came here not to demand respect from you or to take anything away from you; I came here to give my heart out, just to see light and to be considered one of you. But you have taken me in as more than a student, which I don’t even deserve. I have nothing of my own to give back, and therefore the only thing to give back is to make you proud for taking time to make me who I am.

Words cannot express my gratitude at this moment of my life. I feel uplifted about being part of this great day where courage, determination, hard work and hope have been our only choices since the beginning of this academic journey.

My ever grateful and heartfelt thanks go to the United States of America, state of Washington and the Edmonds School District for taking me as one of you in your beautiful land. May you live long to produce great people such as those before me.

Thank you to the staff of Meadowdale High School who have been such wonderful support in making this year a success and to AFS/AYA [American Field Service/Academic Year in America, an intercultural-exchange program] for this excellent opportunity to come to the United States.

I cannot take my seat without saying a very big thank you to my brother, my friend and my partner, Brenden Howell, and his wonderful family and friends who have been so tremendous in my life.

You have been so outstanding and amazing and words cannot describe how I wish to express my profound gratitude today. Thank you for accepting me into your home. I appreciate every minute I spend in your hands.

To my colleagues, the Class of 2010, it has been a short stay here, and how I wish I had gotten to know you all better and treat you with more respect. I wish you the best in life, and I promise to be with you as a brother, as a friend and as a partner.

I am so very proud to call myself a Maverick of Ghana and a Maverick of Africa. I hope you have a goal in life, because I do, and it is for my country Ghana, my continent Africa and the world.

Peace is my dream, peace is my goal, peace I want for you and peace we shall achieve.

This is the time.

I ask today that this graduation will forever be part of your life, as it is for me.

May God bless you and may God bless the United States of America. Thank you.

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