JAPOLAC Hosts New Year Gathering to Celebrate 2024 Achievements and Implement an Ambitious Agenda for 2025
The Japanese Association for the Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (JAPOLAC) warmly welcomed its directors and members to its annual New Year gathering. The event, presided over by Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of JAPOLAC, served as an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of 2024 and share a roadmap for 2025. Dr. Diaz expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all directors and members for their support and dedication to JAPOLAC’s mission of fostering connections and collaboration between Japan and Latin America and the Caribbean.
Dr. Diaz highlighted several important initiatives from 2024, including the successful launch of an online academic program between Chiba University and the University of Santiago, Chile. He also underscored JAPOLAC’s collaboration with Kura Sushi to introduce Latin American and Caribbean culinary delights at Expo Osaka 2025—a testament to the vibrant cultural exchange JAPOLAC champions. Furthermore, he announced the incorporation of the Embassy of Honduras as a new honorary member of JAPOLAC, marking another milestone in strengthening ties with the region’s diplomatic missions.
Building on the successes of the past year, Dr. Diaz explain the activities for 2025. In this regard, he announced the preparation for the First Ecuador Cultural Festival, set to take place in June, which will celebrate Ecuador’s rich gastronomy, music, dance, tourism, and products. He also shared plans for a series of diplomatic lectures at Chiba University, featuring presentations by the embassies of Ecuador, Cuba, and Guatemala in April and May, further enriching academic and cultural dialogues.