Events

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COLP49 in Athens, Greece

The World Maritime University-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute (WMU-GOI) will co-host the 49^th Annual Center Oceans Law and Policy Conference (COLP49) together with the U.S. Naval War College – Stockton Center for International Law, the Athens Public International Law Center, and other partners, on 21-22 September, in Athens, Greece. The conference continues a longstanding partnership between WMU-GOI and the annual COLP conference series, which dates back to the inauguration of the Institute in 2018. 

This year’s conference will be held at the premises of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, under the theme “Maritime Security in the Mediterranean Sea & Beyond”. The event brings together leading international experts and stakeholders to address the pressing security issues the Mediterranean Sea is facing by exploring aspects ranging from shipping to biodiversity, environmental change, migration, value chains, infrastructure, technology and law.

WMU experts will contribute to the conference programme through a range of presentations and panel discussions addressing maritime security and ocean governance. The WMU delegation will bring expertise from across the University and WMU-GOI, with contributions covering issues including the law of the sea, ocean resources and biodiversity, marine scientific research and technology, artificial intelligence and big data, as well as environmental change and its implications for maritime security. 

For more information on the programme and registration, please visit the conference website.

About the World Maritime University

The World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö, Sweden is established within the framework of the International Maritime Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations. The mission of WMU is to be the world centre of excellence in postgraduate maritime and oceans education, professional training and research, while building global capacity and promoting sustainable development. WMU is an organization by and for the international maritime community and is committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Agenda.

About the WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute
The World Maritime University’s WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute (WMU-GOI) is an independent focal point for the ocean science-policy-law-industry-society interface where policymakers, the scientific community, regulators, industry actors, academics, and representatives of civil society meet to discuss how best to manage and use ocean spaces and their resources in accordance with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Institute was inaugurated in May 2018 and made possible through generous support from The Nippon Foundation of Japan, the Governments of Sweden, Canada, and Germany, as well as the City of Malmö

About Conference on Oceans Law and Policy
The Conference on Oceans Law & Policy (COLP), established and formerly administered by the Center for Oceans Law & Policy, University of Virginia School of Law, is an annual academic conference coordinated by the Stockton Center for International Law of the US Naval War College. The Conference aims to promote interdisciplinary interaction with ocean-related legal and public policy issues at all levels, addressing international, national, regional, and state concerns. Each year the conference is hosted by a local country and in partnership with key actors in the maritime and ocean realm. WMU has partnered with and co-hosted the COLP since 2018, and hosted the COLP43 at WMU Malmö in May 2019, co-hosted the COLP47 in Lima, Peru in September 2024 and the 48th Annual Conference (COLP48) in New Delhi, India, in September 2025.

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World Maritime Day 2026

"From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence" has been selected as the IMO’s World Maritime Day theme for 2026 and 2027, culminating in the annual celebration on the final Thursday of September.

For the first time, the theme will run for two years, highlighting IMO’s clear commitment to put policies into practice, by providing technical assistance, training and other essential services.

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About World Maritime Day

World Maritime Day was first held in 1978 to mark the 20th anniversary of the IMO Convention’s entry into force. Celebrations are held throughout the world to focus attention on the importance of shipping safety, maritime security and the marine environment, and to emphasize a particular aspect of IMO's work. World Maritime Day celebrations are usually held during the last week in September.

Since 2005, in addition to the official IMO celebrations held at IMO Headquarters in London, there has been a Parallel Event hosted by a Member State.
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To read more about World Maritime Day 2026, click here.

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On 24 October, United Nations Day is celebrated around the world. It is an opportunity to reflect on the organization’s work on behalf of humanity, including on urgent challenges such as alleviating poverty and hunger, defending human rights and addressing the need for bold climate action.

UN Day marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, the United Nations officially came into being.

October 24 has been celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948. In 1971, the United Nations General Assembly recommended that the day be observed by Member States as a public holiday.

To learn more about United Nations Day, click here.

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