Boston Recognizes UNAM's Presence in the City.
Contributions to the promotion of Mexican and Latin American culture through education acknowledged.
Boston, Massachusetts. – In the context of the commemorative ceremony marking the anniversary of Mexico's Independence Day, the Mayor of Boston, Michelle Wu, presented an award to the UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico) campus in Boston for its contributions to the promotion of Mexican and Latin American culture through education.
As is tradition, a civic ceremony was held on the City Hall plaza, where the start of Mexico's War of Independence was remembered, and the national flag was raised. City officials and local council members addressed the gathering of Mexican nationals, and the national anthems of the United States and Mexico were played. Subsequently, awards were presented to four outstanding Mexicans living in Massachusetts, as well as to the National Autonomous University of Mexico through its Boston campus.
UNAM-Boston, under the leadership of Javier Laguna, was invited as a co-organizer of the ceremony, along with the Mexican Consulate in the city. Among the notable figures from the Mexican community who attended the event was the Consul General of Mexico, Alberto Fierro. UNAM-Boston maintains an excellent collaborative relationship with him, and they frequently work together on joint activities benefiting the Mexican community in New England, which has been pivotal to the success of UNAM's presence in the region.
Community leaders were also in attendance. Verónica Robles, the director of the Verónica Robles Cultural Center – one of the organizations in Boston that most actively promotes Mexican and Latin American culture and a strategic partner of UNAM's US campus in social projects for the migrant community in the region – was present. Also attending was Adriana Zubieta, president of the Global Network of Mexicans in Boston, who earned her undergraduate and doctoral degrees from UNAM and has been a close collaborator of the Boston campus since its founding in 2018.
An important number of UNAM alumni who have pursued their professional careers in Boston were present as well. They had the opportunity to learn about the activities of their alma mater in the city to which they emigrated and expressed interest in participating in future initiatives organized by the campus.
Six UNAM students who are currently engaged in academic and professional internships at various institutions in Boston played an active role in organizing the commemoration. They also served as ambassadors for their university, their country, and their culture.
Commitment and Leadership
On behalf of Mayor Wu, Luz Johanna Pérez Borbón, Boston City Councilor Julia Mejía's office manager and representative of the Latino employees of the city government, read the recognition, which emphasized UNAM-Boston's "unwavering commitment and leadership as educators in fostering a deeper appreciation of Mexican history and culture.
Pérez expressed gratitude for UNAM's institutional support to the city and the council on multiple occasions and expressed a commitment to maintain and strengthen the cooperative relationship with the National University.
Following the protocol, an artistic program was presented, featuring various regional music performances, a folkloric ballet presentation by the Verónica Robles Cultural Center, and a tasting of typical Mexican cuisine by a Mexican chef who has run her own restaurant for over 15 years.