This year’s graduates may not have imagined their start on Facebook Watch, but they probably never expected Oprah Winfrey to deliver the keynote.
Winfrey and other celebrities like Mindy Kaling, Awkwafina, Matthew McConaughey and Miley Cyrus joined Facebook # Graduation2020 event on Friday to share some wisdom with this year’s graduates. Cyrus also played her song “The Climb”.
“Even if there is no pomp due to our circumstances, a senior class has never been called to step into the future with more determination, vision, passion, energy and hope,” said Winfrey. “They have the power to stand up for, fight for, and vote for healthier conditions that create a healthier society.”
Facebook says the event is part of its effort to celebrate graduates who will not have traditional ceremonies due to that Covid-19 pandemic. The social networking giant that has 2.5 billion active users per month was Shift focus to features like live video and news during the virus outbreak.
Winfrey encouraged graduates to “create more justice, more justice, and more joy in the world in the face of the pandemic.”
“As all traditions confirm, the deepest self-care takes care of the human family immediately, and we see it so clearly with important workers,” she said. “We are all here because they are still doing their essential service with great and profound risk. What will your essential service be? What is really important for you?”
The ceremony honored high schools and colleges from every U.S. state and featured photos and videos of the 2020 class as well as messages from students, deans, and principals.
As blocking and social distance orders continue to exist worldwide, chat and communication services are used more and more as people search for ways to stay in touch. The The number of Facebook live viewers in the USA rose to 50% from February to March according to the company.
Facebook has also launched a new one worldwide Group video chat function in Messenger This week and last month, the number of people who can participate has increased WhatsApp video or voice call from four to eight (Facebook is the parent company of WhatsApp).