The University of Damascus held a graduation ceremony on the 17th of March to celebrate the graduation of the first class of 16 students from the Persian Language Department in the College of Arts and Social Sciences.Dr. Wael Mulla, the President of the University, affirmed the importance of establishing a Persian Language Department at the University of Damascus, given development of Syrian-Iranian relations and the responsibility placed on universities in the two countries to build and strengthen their respective cultures.For his part, the Iranian Ambassador in Damascus, Ahmed Musawi, noted the importance of the exchange of knowledge and strengths in nation building.The ceremony was attended by university faculty and the families of the students.Work on the new Persian Language Department building, funded by the University of Tehran, will begin in April and should not take more than a year to complete.