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CLAS Activities

Future Activities

  • CLAS-GRULAC Virtual Dialogue 

  • Virtual Conferences

  • Comparative researches between South America and Malaysia

Past Activities

  • Mexican Celebration : Day of the Dead

KUALA LUMPUR: Commemorating the dead is a sombre occasion in many cultures. In Mexico, however, honouring departed souls is a cause for celebration.

Celebrated on Nov 1-2 annually, the "Day of the Dead" is a ritual of colour for Mexican households as they set up brightly-coloured altars and adorn them with Mexican marigold flowers, skull-shaped confetti and personal belongings of the deceased. The Embassy of Mexico in Malaysia has set up two "Altares de Muertos" (altars for the dead) or "Ofrenda" (offering) to observe the "Day of the Dead" this year.

 

The first altar, displayed at the embassy, is dedicated to the Novo-Hispanic poet Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz – one of the pioneering feminist poets of Latin America who was also born in November. Since the celebration was held virtually, the Mexican ambassador to Malaysia Edmundo Font presented the altar set up at the embassy through a short video that was uploaded on its social media yesterday.

Meanwhile, Centre for Latin-American Studies at Universiti Malaya director Dr. Mario Arturo Ruiz Estrada presented the altar that was showcased in Universiti Malaya today.

The embassy said the video presentation will allow Malaysians to see and understand better about the purpose of setting up altars to celebrate the "Day of the Dead". The altar is the cornerstone of the celebration as it offers materials that represent the four elements - water, wind, earth and fire - to pay obeisance to the deceased. Water is left in a pitcher for the spirits can quench their thirst. The "papel picado", or traditional paper banners used to decorate the altar represents the wind. The food offered at the altar, especially bread, represents earth. Fire is represented by the candles left burning at the altar.

  • The Asia and Latin America Dialogues 4 : BRI in Malaysia Port Sector

Date and time:

29th October 2021, 10.00 a.m to 10.45 a.m

Platform :

Zoom

Theme :

The BRI in Malaysia's Port Sector : Drivers of Success and Failure

Speaker :

Dr. Francis E. Hutchinson

Affiliation :

​​​​​The ISEAS-Yusuf Ishak Institute

  • Courtesy Visit from Embassy of Peru

Representative from Embassy of Peru, Mr. Guillermo David Lauriano Rojas, Second Secretary/Head of Consular Division went to CLAS for a warm courtesy visit. 

Date : 22nd October 2021 (Friday)

Time : 1.00 p.m - 2 p.m

Venue : CLAS Meeting Room, Level 19, Wisma R&D University of Malaya

  • The Asia and Latin America Dialogues 3 : China and Brazil : Role of Transports

Date and time:

22nd October 2021, 10.00 a.m to 10.45 a.m

Platform :

Zoom

Theme :

Relations between China and Latin America, with emphasis on Brazil : The Role of Transports

Speaker :

Dr. Neantro Saavedra-Rivano

Affiliation :

University of Tsukuba, Japan

  • The Asia and Latin America Dialogues 2 : Malaysian and Chilean Social Security Models

Date and time:

15th October 2021, 10.00 a.m to 10.45 a.m

Platform :

Zoom

Theme :

A Comparative Study of the Malaysian and Chilean Social Security Models

Speaker :

Dr. Evangelos Koutronas

Affiliation :

West Virginia University

  • The Asia and Latin America Dialogues 1 : Financing Sustainable Development in Costa Rica

Date and time:

8th October 2021, 10.00 a.m to 10.45 a.m

Platform :

Zoom

Theme :

Financing Sustainable Development in Costa Rica : Context and Case Studies

Speaker :

Dr. Erick Brenes

Affiliation :

Associate Researcher on the Inter-University Research Centre for Sustainable Development (CIRPS) in Rome and the Institute of Corporate Governance of Costa Rica (IGC CRR)

  • CLAS-GRULAC Newsletter Volume 1 Issue 2

CLAS has published the 2nd issue of CLAS-GRULAC Newsletter in August 2021. This issue is about a brief introduction to Latin America where each country shares something unique about the country such as their history, conflicts, sports achievement and its special relation with Malaysia. This issue is an interesting read to increase general knowledge about Latin America. 

CLAS-GRULAC Newsletter - Volume 1 August 2021

   

  • CLAS-GRULAC Newsletter Volume 1 Issue 1

CLAS is pleased to announce that we had collaborated with Latin American Embassies Association (GRULAC) to publish a bimonthly newsletter that will focus on diplomatic relationships between Latin American countries and Malaysia. The first volume of the newsletter was published in June 2021

CLAS-GRULAC Newsletter - Volume 1 June 2021

  • CLAS-GRULAC Virtual Dialogue with Ambassador of Argentina

On 28th April 2021, CLAS had organised a virtual dialogue with the Ambassador of Argentina to Malaysia, His Excellency Manuel Balaguer Salas. The topic of this virtual dialogue was Argentina and Malaysia : Bringing our Bilateral Relation to the Next Level. This session was attended by more than 50 participants from different backgrounds such as lecturers, students as well as representatives from ministries, government agencies and private organisations. 

  • Courtesy Visit from Ambassador of Chile

His Excellency Diego Velasco Von Pilgrimm, Ambassador of the Republic of Chile to Malaysia along with his wife and a representative from the Chilean embassy went to visit CLAS. CLAS received a souvenir from the ambassador's wife, a beautiful book titled "Brushes' Dialogue II" which was painted by herself. The book is currently being displayed in CLAS's library.  

Date : 7 April 2021 (Wednesday)

Time : 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm

Venue : CLAS Meeting Room, Level 19, Wisma R&D University of Malaya

  

  • Courtesy Visit from Embassy of Mexico

Representatioves from Embassy of Mexico, Mr Luis Enrique Vertiz, Deputy Head of Mission and Ms. Amelia Velez, Head of Cultural and Academic Cooperation and Press Affairs went to CLAS for a warm courtesy visit. 

Date : 7 April 2021 (Wednesday)

Time : 11.00 am to 1.00 pm

Venue : CLAS Meeting Room, Level 19, Wisma R&D University of Malaya