IMLI Class of 2006-2007 recently had the honour of being introduced to Professor Juanito Camilleri, rector of the University of Malta.

At the reception held in honour of the rector, Professor Attard thanked the rector for the facilities the university was offering to IMLI students. In his response, the rector expressed his appreciation of the invitation extended to him by the institute and said he was pleased to see the diversity of cultures that were represented there. He was happy about the cooperation between the institute and the university and looked forward to continued support and cooperation.

In response, Professor Frank Wiswall, a member of the IMLI board of governors who has been lecturing at IMLI virtually since its inception, said that he has seen the growth of IMLI in the years that he has been coming to teach at the institute. He said that IMLI is a unique institution that was conceptualised in 1988 by Mr C.P. Srivastava, who was then IMO secretary-general, principally to address the need for the training of lawyers, particularly from developing countries, in the adoption and interpretation of international maritime conventions.

The challenge to create this unique institution was given to the Government of Malta, particularly to Dr Joseph Fenech, who was then Parliamentary Secretary for Maritime Affairs, to establish an institute that could provide the necessary training of lawyers for the benefit of all member states. In less than a year from when the challenge was made, the Government of Malta had taken action and IMLI had been established on the campus of the University of Malta.

The IMO continues to rely on IMLI for the training of lawyers. IMLI has been given support not only by IMO, but by the governments of the different member states of IMO, and by private organisations and foundations. Professor Wiswall particularly mentioned the American Maritime Law Association, which has made a significant contribution to the IMLI library. The IMLI library, he noted, has one of the very finest collections of books on international maritime law.