WMU Latin American Alumni Association Established

On 7 October, the launch of the newly formed Latin American Alumni Association (LATAMA) took place in the Sasakawa Auditorium at the World Maritime University (WMU). Supported by graduates in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Venezuela, and welcoming graduates from all countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, LATAMA takes a regional instead of a national approach to support effective implementation of IMO instruments. 

LATAMA’s mission is to develop, maintain, and strengthen student and alumni academic, professional, and cultural bonds. The Association looks forward to enhancing mutual academic/technical cooperation with a regional focus and spreading Latin American cultural common values in the WMU community and future maritime leaders' fields. LATAMA’s vision is to be a platform of collaboration and a leading organization in the regional/global maritime field, based on the WMU mindset and promoting the development of initiatives that contribute to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Core values include leadership, integrity, inclusivity, collaboration, innovation, efficiency, and sustainability.

WMU students, faculty and staff joined in the launch celebration as well as several alumni who joined virtually. Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of WMU, addressed the gathering saying, “The formation of LATAMA is an excellent tool to meet the realities and needs of your home region. It will give a voice to all the countries represented, and offer strength through numbers, while protecting and fostering international and regional cooperation.” 

LATAMA has 19 registered members and expects to attract additional members from countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Associate membership is also available to relevant countries outside the region. For more information about membership, contact wmulatama@gmail.com.

LATAMA joins a number of other WMU Alumni Associations around the world including the newly established regional WMU Alumni Association of Africa, which is also open to all national Associations in the region. In the 35 years since the establishment of WMU, 5,634 alumni from 171 countries and territories have graduated from WMU. Many of these alumni have gone on to occupy critical positions across sectors particularly the maritime sector. WMU has a dedicated Alumni Office and the University encourages its graduates to register as WMU Alumni, so the University can extend invitations to events such as the regular alumni webinars, meetings with faculty visiting the region, and to the Alumni Homecoming Conference that is tentatively scheduled for May 2023 following the postponement in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Alumni are also encouraged to join the official WMU Alumni Facebook group, and to send news and information to the WMU Alumni Office at alumni@wmu.se for inclusion in the news listing.

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