Seattle, WA – August 2, 2023
ICMA and NAMMA announced an extension of the partnership agreement that sees NAMMA’s team manage the work of ICMA. After three successive two-year appointments, starting in 2017, the two organizations agreed to a four-year extension from 2023 until 2027.
The agreement was formalized during the annual NAMMA Conference which took place in Seattle, WA, USA from August 1-3. The agreement allows the sharing of resources for networking, training, and advocacy. Core in the agreement is the continued appointment of Dr. Jason Zuidema as General Secretary of ICMA, alongside his role of Executive Director of NAMMA.
Dcn. Paul Rosenblum, President of NAMMA, remarked, “NAMMA is very pleased to renew our partnership with ICMA, as it has allowed our organization to have a greater presence in the international maritime world. Extending the partnership for four years rather than the previous two-year agreements is a sure sign that NAMMA is confident that we will continue to benefit from our partnership with ICMA for many years. None of this would be possible without the Jason’s vision and all of his hard work, and we are blessed to have him as our colleague.”
Speaking at the NAMMA Conference, ICMA’s chair of trustees, Sara Baade, CEO of Sailors’ Society, remarked, “We are often challenged about how well do we work in partnership. The relationship that we have been ICMA and NAMMA is a wonderful example of how well it can work. ICMA and NAMMA in their own rights are wonderful, but when we can come together as well and share resources, platforms, voices and the work of a General Secretary, that is even better.”
Dr. Jason Zuidema shared, “It is an honour to continue to serve ICMA alongside NAMMA for another four-year period. Seafarers’ ministry has worked best in partnerships for more than 200 years and will continue to flourish when we work together.”
The International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA) is a worldwide association of 27 Christian charities dedicated to the service of seafarers, fishers and their families. ICMA’s members collectively represent 725 seafarers’ and fishers’ missions in 80 countries.
NAMMA is an ecumenical, Christian association of individuals and affiliated
organizations involved in maritime ministry in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. NAMMA was a founding member of ICMA in 1969.
Contact: For ICMA: gensec@icma.as For NAMMA: executivedirector@namma.org