Academic year begins at UCAD: Olympic values in the face of hate speech

Cheikh Anta Diop University held its opening ceremony for the 2026-2027 academic year this afternoon. The ceremony was attended by Professor Mary Teuw Niane, Chief of Staff to the President of the Republic, and the Minister of Higher Education, Dr. Boubacar Camara. The inaugural lecture was delivered by Professor Djibril Seck on the theme: "Olympism, a Vector of Peace."

The speaker reminded the audience that peace is not natural; it is built. And it is reflected in a willingness to resolve conflicts through dialogue, mutual respect—in short, ancestral values that must be preserved.

The Rector of UCAD, Professor Alioune Badara Kandji, welcomed the relevance of this theme. He noted that Senegal and Africa are hosting the Youth Olympic Games for the first time, with the opening ceremony scheduled for October 31st. Furthermore, he added, the world is currently facing a rise in dangers such as identity-based isolationism and vulgar nationalism.

“A world completely in disarray, with a violent discourse of racism and xenophobia. Even our country, known for its tradition of hospitality, is not immune. It is good to sound the alarm; this is what the professor did in the lesson he delivered, to show that, in order to stop this rise of dangers, we must promote the values of Olympism, that is to say peace, harmony, sharing, solidarity,” stressed Professor Alioune Badara Kandji.

In his speech, Minister Boubacar Camara addressed the youth, particularly the students. He advised them never to doubt their role. "The true sovereignty of a people does not reside solely in its material resources or its defense apparatus; it rests on the power of its critical thinking, the vigor of its research, and the sovereignty of its intellect."

This leads him to assert that UCAD, a temple of multidisciplinary knowledge, demonstrates that Senegal is not a mere spectator of global dynamics, but a builder of thought and innovation. Hence his appeal to the entire academic community to fully engage in this dynamic: "Be the first ambassadors of a confident, studious, and united Africa."

With this conviction, he invited teachers and students to commit to intergenerational transmission, a guarantee of a nation's sustainable progress. "No renaissance is born from amnesia. The mature wisdom of our elders must guide the innovative energy of the younger generation. Let us make this common home a place of moral elevation, where we cultivate both freedom of thought and a sense of republican and pan-African duty," he concluded.

A prominent feature of university tradition, the opening lecture provides an opportunity for the university community to outline the direction to be taken throughout the academic year, according to the rector. For him, it is also a time when the various components of the University remind society that UCAD is there for it and seeks to provide answers to its questions.