Palau’s United Nation Ambassador Ngedikes Olai Uludong inspired the Palau High School graduates this year not only with her speech but as well as messages from different world leaders and celebrities.

Speaking before the 168 PHS graduates and their parents and relatives yesterday, May 23, at the Asahi Field, Uludong presented a video showing photos of celebrities and world leaders holding a small banner with congratulatory messages to PHS Class of 2019 on their graduation day.

The PHS Class of 2019 during their graduation ceremony held at the Asahi Field on May 23.

Palau’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ngedikes Olai Uludong took a selfie with the gradutaing class before delivering her keynote speech on May 23 at the Asahi Field.

Among celebrities and leaders, respectively, that congratulated the PHS graduates were CNN Money correspondent Cristina Alesci, mother of President Donald Trump’s daughter and American Actress Marla Ann Maples, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, Bogdan Bogdanović of the Sacramento Kings, the United States National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Team, Patty Elkus of the Scripps International Oceanography, Netflix’ Chasing Coral Host Zack Rago, Hawaii State Governor David Ige, Palau Ambassador to Japan Francis Matsutaro, Taiwan Ambassador to Palau Wallace Chow, and President Tommy Remengesau, Jr and the no less than United States President Donald Trump himself.

President Tommy Remengesau, Jr (left) and President Donald Trump holding out a paper with bold prints of congratulatory message to all 2019 Palau graduates. The photo was taken during the historic meeting of the United States president and Freely Associated States leader on May 21 in Washington. (Contributed Photo)

India’s Ambassador to the United Nation Syed Akbaruddin also extended a short message through a video clip, talking about distance, country’s land area, and population number not as hindrances to cultivating friendship among nations. He then went on congratulating the graduates.

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray (Contributed Photo)

Bogdan Bogdanović of the Sacramento Kings (Contributed Photo)

CNN Money correspondent Cristina Alesci

Screenshot of Indian Ambassador to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin’s video congratulating PHS Class of 2019.

Uludong told Island Times that since she agreed to speak before the PHS graduates two weeks ago, she thought about asking leaders and celebrities she and her friends of friends know to pose for a photo with a message of congratulations for the graduates.

Meanwhile, in her speech, Ambassador Uludong encouraged the graduates to learn from others every day and to not be scared of testing their limits.

Uludong also emphasized the value of looking back to where one comes from and be proud of it.

“Graduation marks a huge break from the past. With it comes the opening of new doors and new possibilities. From this point forward, you will all begin to define your own paths. Sometimes those paths will converge, and you will continue to strengthen the bonds you have made with your classmates and community. Sometimes they will diverge, and your choices will take you many places. Perhaps to the other side of the world,” Uludong said in her speech. (Rhealyn C. Pojas)