Agadir – The Columbia University Alumni Association in Morocco has officially elected Lamia Bazir as its new president, marking a significant milestone for the organization and signaling renewed momentum in its mission.
Columbia University, an Ivy League institution based in New York, is globally renowned for its academic excellence, research rigor, and the far-reaching influence of its alumni network.
The alumni association in Morocco plays a pivotal role in fostering connections between Columbia alumni and local initiatives, acting as a bridge that channels global knowledge, expertise, and best practices into Morocco’s economic, social, and cultural development priorities.
Bazir’s election represents a new chapter, the association asserted in a press statement, as her expertise brings a clear vision to strengthen its role as a strategic platform for mobilizing talent, knowledge, and global expertise from the Columbia University community to support Morocco’s development goals.
From 2018 to 2023, Bazir served as Executive Director of the National Observatory for Children’s Rights under the presidency of Princess Lalla Meryem, where she championed initiatives to protect and promote the rights of children across the country.
She has also held senior positions within the Office of the Head of Government of Morocco, contributed to the development of the Millennium Challenge Corporation program in collaboration with the US, and served at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs in New York, reinforcing her background in domestic and global policy.
In 2016, Bazir founded “Empowering Women in the Atlas”, an initiative dedicated to promoting women’s leadership and advancing social and economic inclusion in rural communities, particularly in the Middle Atlas region and beyond.
The initiative’s core mission is to break the isolation of rural women and girls, unlock their full human and economic potential, and promote women’s leadership as a catalyst for sustainable development.
The association lauded Bazir’s professional achievements to date, saying that she has demonstrated distinguished expertise in public policy, institutional leadership, and social impact, exemplifying a career defined by strategic vision, public service, and international engagement.
Under her leadership, the Columbia University Alumni Association states that it aims to strengthen professional, academic, and human engagement among its members, while leveraging Columbia’s global network and academic excellence to support Morocco’s innovation, governance, and development ecosystem.