Upon being selected by the Hon Attorney General of Sri Lanka to apply to IMLI in the year 2008, I was hopeful that I could obtain some funding to sponsor my studies since my employment as a Public Servant did not enable me to bear such an expense. Nippon Foundation was the kind sponsor who stepped in and I shall never cease to be grateful to them for their sponsorship. My nine months at IMLI is indescribable! The course was packed from beginning to end and we were required as a result to maintain a certain pace in our work. This in turn, required good health and equanimity which was facilitated by the accommodation and facilities provided by IMLI. The curriculum at IMLI was challenging since we had to attend lectures, submit assignments, face two exams, draft a law and write a dissertation. The work that I do on a daily basis at the Attorney General’s Department in Sri Lanka facilitated my ability to do this work but mostly it was the dedication of the lecturers at IMLI which helped me successfully complete these milestones. Professor Attard with his exacting standards, Dr. Norman Martinez who was thoroughly conversant with the subjects he taught, Mr. Ruben Maceda who was very approachable and Ms. Elda Belja, who had only joined the year I was at IMLI, and who displayed an incredible commitment to her work. In addition were the numerous visiting lecturers who contributed to our IMLI experience. The results of the LL.M. course I did at IMLI were immediately apparent when I returned to Sri Lanka and got about my work at the Attorney General’s Department. I could see that I had achieved a level of maturity and skill which enhanced my enjoyment in my work. This continues to date and I attribute this to the experience I had at IMLI. My Grateful Thanks to Nippon Foundation and IMLI.

Studying at IMLI has been a unique, wonderful and enriching experience of a lifetime. The environment of learning was conducive and inspiring. We were taught by dedicated lecturers who passionately shared their love for international maritime law. Every day was a new learning experience and our mind was sailing on this beautiful journey despite stormy seas. Furthermore, IMLI has given us the opportunity to meet professionals from around the world contributing further to our growth, connect and build a diverse professional network. However, I believe IMLI is more than just academic and professional development; IMLI had brought us together as a family and irrespective of where we came from we shared common values among each other. Long Live IMLI within us! Personally, in addition to the vast knowledge imparted in us, skills in legal writing and drafting, I have gained a deeper appreciation for the maritime sector, its contribution to the global economy and the need for member States to meet their international obligations under IMO conventions. For this reason, I look forward to serving my country, Seychelles, in the development of its maritime sector and continue to serve the rule of international maritime law. I am proud to have studied at IMLI and the contribution it has made to my life. Undoubtedly, this was made possible by the generous scholarship of The Nippon Foundation. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to The Nippon Foundation for this unique opportunity. Thank you!

Studying at IMLI has been an absolutely incredible experience so far. Every lecture has not only been engaging and intellectually stimulating but exhilarating as well. Mingling with and learning alongside a diverse group of the most passionate and brilliant international maritime lawyers of my generation is a priceless opportunity for which I am eternally grateful. Beyond this, the country itself is picturesque and full of historical sites. I am truly grateful to The Nippon Foundation for this opportunity. I get very emotional when I think of the true value of the opportunity The Nippon Foundation has afforded me. Who would’ve thought a 21 year old from the small Caribbean island of Barbados would end up in Malta being taught by the most eminent professors and practitioners in international maritime law. Thanks to The Nippon Foundation’s generosity, I have the tools necessary to advance the vision I have for my country as a leader in regional maritime affairs and a key player in the international arena. I undertake to carry the flag of The Nippon Foundation and make my Donor proud!

It is an honour to express my gratitude to The Nippon Foundation for pledging its trust to me, the first Albanian lawyer to apply to IMLI, and consider me as a deserving candidate to be awarded a scholarship. Training at IMLI was beyond expectations and it opened a new world to me who knew little about the depth of maritime affairs and the real impact such affairs have on a country. I had at the time been more involved in policy issues and had worked on very few international conventions. It proved, at the time, a challenge to fully understand the nature and objective of an international convention which the country was prepared to ratify or accede to and to prepare a national draft law that would fully implement the obligations arising from the convention. Training at IMLI therefore was a wonderful opportunity which was unique not only to one of the few Albanian female lawyers involved in the maritime industry but also to a country which very few knew where was on the map and which was trying its best to improve the maritime sector. My lecturers were my guide and my mentors. They helped me understand international maritime law, think outside the box and carry out research in areas completely unknown to me. The international environment of my class mates introduced me to new cultures and backgrounds and some of them remain, until today, very close friends. But above all, I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to join IMLI in a different capacity. I am blessed to know that, as a lecturer, I have in a very small way contributed to the launching of excellent international maritime lawyers who have taught me as I have taught them and who will remain with me forever. Indeed, words are not sufficient to express my gratitude. May this support continue and may it affect the lives of many other generations.