Alumni of Lasallian ministries worldwide gathered for the 7th Congress of World Union of Lasallian Alumni (UMAEL), which was held November 21-23, 2019, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, with the theme “Beyond the Borders: One Heart. One Commitment. One Life.” The 7th World Congress marked the first time that the international gathering was held in the United States and with participants from all five Regions in the Congress and General Assembly. It also celebrated the 25th anniversary of UMAEL.
Keynote speakers were Brother Superior General Robert Schieler, FSC, Brother William Mann, FSC, president emeritus of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and former Vicar General, and Dr. Mary Catherine Fox, AFSC, professor emerita at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Eleonora “Nora” Munaretto and Laura Ballerini with De La Salle Solidarietà Internazionale – ONLUS and Keane Palatino with Young Lasallians presented at the gathering.
The UMAEL General Assembly elected new executive committee members for the 2019-2023 period: Alejandro Galván Illanes, president (Mexico), Courtney Carmignani Lohmann, vice president (Saint Mary’s College of California, Moraga), Olivier Collett, treasurer (France), Oswaldo Aguilar Rivera, general secretary (Mexico), Keane Palatino, PARC representative and Young Lasallians liaison (Philippines), and Fred Ne Tiabu, RELAF representative and Rumbek Solidarity Project liaison (Democratic Republic of Congo). Carmignani Lohmann is the first woman to be elected to the executive committee.
The General Assembly gave the new executive committee specific goals for the next four years: communication (website, branding, social networks, emails), involvement in solidarity projects, collaboration with other networks of the Institute (ONLUS, Young Lasallians, International Association of Lasallian Universities), and structural and administrative organization (directory of associations, membership fees, efficiency). The General Assembly also approved new associations from the United States, Costa Rica, Argentina and Colombia, approved the activities and financial report for the 2015-2019 period, and approved the membership fees for the next period.
The new executive committee will launch a campaign at the beginning of 2020 to invite new members to join and will meet with Brother Robert in Rome to present the goals and objectives for the next four years.
UMAEL is an international organization that consists of alumni groups from Lasallian schools throughout the world. UMAEL is made up more than 50 alumni associations and federations and unites Lasallian alumni on an international level to foster a sense of belonging and association while promoting the Lasallian mission. The next World Congress will be held in four years, with the location being determined in two years.
