U.S. Naval War College (NWC) kicked off its 14th Regional Alumni Symposium at the Peruvian Naval Academy, March 21.

The three-day event, hosted in partnership with the Peruvian Naval War College, brings together 65 NWC alumni from 21 North American, Latin American and Caribbean nations to discuss common challenges in the regions.

Established in 2005, the goal of the symposia is to leverage the professional linkages among alumni and further the exchange of ideas about how regional nations can overcome challenges together.

The theme of this event is "Strengthening Global Maritime Partnerships."

"We recognize the need to be active around the world, and to seek out the knowledge and expertise of our allies where they live," said Rear Adm. Jeffrey A. Harley, president, NWC. "The aim of these events is to take advantage of our alumni's 'Newport connection' to further enhance trust and confidence and to facilitate ongoing cooperation."

A number of U.S. and international flag officers and diplomats are participating in the event, to include chiefs of the Ecuadorian, El Salvadoran, Honduran and Peruvian navies; commandants of the Belize, Guyana, Haitian and Jamaican coast guards; presidents of the Argentinian, Brazilian, Peruvian and U.S. naval war colleges; the U.S. ambassador to Peru; and the commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet (USNAVSO/FOURTHFLT).

"I am tremendously proud to be representing 4th Fleet in this year's Regional Alumni Symposium," said Rear Adm. Sean S. Buck, commander, USNAVSO/FOURTHFLT. "This setting, which annually brings together some of the greatest military minds in the Western Hemisphere, is the best forum we have to connect as partner nations in developing innovative solutions to our most pressing mutual concern of ensuring the security and prosperity in the region."

Since creating a program for international officers in 1956, NWC now has more than 4,500 international alumni from 137 countries worldwide. More than 450 of these alumni are from 29 Latin American and Caribbean nations.

A total of 455, or roughly 10 percent of all international alumni, have become their country's chief of navy -- 40 of whom are from Latin America or the Caribbean.

Nations with alumni attending the event include Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and the United States.

Over the course of the event, keynote addresses by prominent military leaders and panel discussions moderated by NWC faculty will examine a variety of topics, such as cyber, defense economics, narco-terror, fighting international crime, hostage crisis, naval operations in complex environments, China's maritime strategy in the Asia-Pacific region, the Pentagon's "third offset strategy," and maritime regional threats and challenges for international cooperation.

"World events continue to confirm the value of working with partners and friends," said Julia A. Gage, NWC professor and director of alumni programs. "These symposia are real opportunities for naval leaders to come together and collectively ensure that the issues are being addressed and the relationships are being established and maintained."

Photos of the event can be viewed and downloaded at http://flic.kr/s/aHskSNnSm9.

Video will be posted at the conclusion of the event to http://www.facebook.com/navalwarcollege.

To receive real-time updates, follow us on twitter at @navalwarcollege or by using the hashtag, #NWCinPeru.

For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Naval War College, visit http://www.navy.mil/.