MILKA DUNO COMPLETÓ SEMINARIO EN QATAR

La corredora de autos venezolana Milka Duno participó la semana pasada en el I Seminario de las Mujeres en los Deportes a Motor, evento realizado en Doha, la capital de Qatar, organizado por la Federación del Motor y Motociclismo de Qatar (QMMF), conjuntamente con la Comisión Femenina de la Federación Internacional de Automovilismo (FIA).

Milka Duno, durante más de una década la principal representante femenina de Venezuela en las competencias de automovilismo en Europa y Norteamérica, se estrenó como miembro de este organismo y junto a las demás integrantes de la comisión femenina, durante dos días trabajaron en diferentes aspectos vinculados al desarrollo de las mujeres en las competencias.

El evento estuvo presidido por el anfitrión Nasser Khalifa Al Atya, máximo responsable de la QMMF y vicepresidente para el deporte a motor en el Medio Oriente, además de contar con la presencia del miembro presidente adjunto de la FIA, el británico Graham Stoker, así como la presidente de la Comisión Femenina de los Deportes a Motor de la FIA, la francesa Michele Mouton.

“Hemos podido ver que de cualquier parte de donde provengamos, todas tenemos el mismo propósito y deseo de progresar – aseguró Michele Mouton – El de Doha ha sido un enorme y satisfactorio foro para intercambiar ideas, soluciones y contactos que nos permitirán unirnos a todas y trabajar en conjunto para el futuro”.

Cerca de medio centenar de personas provenientes de la región del Medio Oriente y Norte de África (MENA), participaron en el seminario junto a un grupo de invitadas y ponentes, las que compartieron la oportunidad de discutir los distintos asuntos que involucran y afectan a las mujeres en los deportes a motor, intercambio que les permitió compartir conocimientos e ideas, así como precisar y proponer nuevas oportunidades.

Entre las conclusiones de este encuentro, quedaron identificadas y establecidas cuatro áreas en las cuales se hará mayor énfasis: investigación, entrenamiento, educación para todas, así como comunicación y promoción. Estos puntos incluyen evaluar la verdadera posición de las mujeres en el deporte a motor actual, motivar su desarrollo desde temprana edad y mejorar la percepción de la participación de las mujeres en el deporte a motor.

Desde su creación en 2009, la Comisión de Mujeres en los Deportes a Motor de la FIA, ha contado con el respaldo de representantes de 52 naciones de todo el planeta, las cuales han sido designadas por las respectivas autoridades deportivas vinculadas a la FIA (ASN), las que deben ayudar a implementar y desarrollar estas acciones y programas en sus respectivas naciones.

WOMEN IN MOTORSPORT REGIONAL SEMINAR

The first regional Women in Motorsport seminar, organised by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) in partnership with the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission, took place in Doha this week.

Almost 50 people from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region attended the seminar along with invited guests and speakers, providing the opportunity to discuss issues that affect women in motorsport, share knowledge and ideas, as well as identify new opportunities.

Hosted by Nasser Khalifa Al Atya, QMMF President and FIA Vice President for Sport in the Middle East, and in the presence of FIA Deputy President for Sport Graham Stoker, and Women in Motorsport Commission President Michèle Mouton, the seminar was aimed at encouraging women to get involved in the sport both regionally and internationally.

Conclusions from the seminar identified the need to focus on four primary areas; research, training, education for all, communication and promotion. This includes assessing the true position of women in the sport today, encouraging their involvement from an early age, and improving the perception of women’s participation in motorsport.

Since its creation in 2009, the Women in Motorsport Commission has enlisted the support of national representatives from 52 countries around the world, all of whom have been designated by their National Sporting Authority (ASN) to liaise with the Commission and help implement actions and programmes at a national level.

“To activate a taskforce in the MENA region, in all aspects and including women specifically, is my first challenge as Vice President for Sport in the region,” commented Nasser Khalifa Al Atya. “From this week’s seminar it is clear that the women present have a strong motivation to build a clear vision and they are passionate about achieving their goals. This is a big achievement for us and the Middle East and it’s important we move this forward in a proper way.”

“For over 100 years the FIA is proud that women have been a central part of motorsport,” commented Graham Stoker. “This heritage was recognised in 2009 with the establishment of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission. Now as a member of the IOC, the FIA continues to be determined to encourage and support the promotion of women in the sport in all areas in accordance with the IOC Charter.”

Summing up the success of the first regional Women in Motorsport seminar in Qatar, Michèle Mouton said: “We can see that wherever we come from, we all have the same will and desire to progress. This has been a hugely satisfying forum for the exchange of ideas, solutions and contacts to enable us all to work closely together in the future.”
DOHA: QMMF President Nasser bin Khalifa Al Attiyah and retired French rally star Michele Mouton will join a host of top officials to debate the growth of women’s side of motor sport in MENA region at a key FIA seminar to be held today.

The FIA Women in Motorsport Commission is being hosted for the first time in the Middle East, Al Attiyah, the FIA vice-president for sport for the MENA region, said yesterday.

Al Attiyah will deliver the opening speech at the key meeting where Mouton, 62, will make a presentation on how FIA promotes women in motor sport around the world.

Mouton, who became the first president of the FIA’s Women and Motor Sport Commission in 2010, will be joined by WIM vice-president Randa Nabulsi, MSA international training programme director Susan Sanders, FIA WRC media delegate Hayley Gallagher and FIA commission manager Frédérique Trouve.

Ladies attending the seminar include Egypt’s Yara Shalaby, FIA WMC circuit project co-ordinator Cathy Muller Ehrlacher, Finland’s Tina Lehmonen, Mexico’s Jenny Bertin, former Italian co-driver Fabrizia Pons, Moroccan representative Samira Bouhassoune and Keko Ihara of Japan.

Graham Stoker, the FIA deputy president for sport, is also one of the speakers at the seminar which has been planned to hand out tasks to MENA officials for the rest of the year, Al Attiyah said.

“The main target of this seminar is is to give them (officials in Doha) tasks to be carried out in MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. This was my dream to support women’s side in motor sport when I became the FIM Vice President. So we really need to do many things,” Al Attiyah said when asked about the agenda of the seminar.

“Any woman who is associated with motor sport in a major way is going to be here and they will be given task force so that they can challenge the men in this area. We want to give them the larger picture what needs to be done to further women’s role in motor sport as a whole,” Al Attiyah added.

“We need to strike a balance (among men and women side of the sport),” Al Attiyah said. “To do that, we need easy communication, easy preparation ahead of events and we have to receive them in this part of the world with more facilities,” he said.

Al Attiyah said Doha’s involvement in the seminar is large scale.

“We have also invited officials from Ministry of Interior and Hamad Medical Corporation. They will talk about their roles when they associate themselves with our events since they provide key help during or after events,” Al Attiyah said.

“We will see in which direction we go after this meeting. I am pushing hard for representatives from motor sport side on safety and logistics etc so that they also get a chance to dedicate themselves to this sport.

“We will have (Qatar’s first female rally driver) Nada Zaidan who is taking part in this week’s Qatar International Rally. We have also invited MENA officials too. Officials who are associated with motor sport clubs or activities are here to share with us their knowledge and experience. This is a good platform to build relationships. The regional media will also be involved.

“We are basically going to engage in many topics related to moto rsport and how to encourage more females to come forward and be part of this sport,” Al Attiyah said.

“This is what I am trying to do – to combine the expertise at FIA and FIM gel with the women’s side of motor sport,” Al Attiyah said.

Al Attiyah, who is also a Vice President at FIM, said the plan to hold a seminar was conceived last year.

“Last year when I was thinking to run for the FIA Vice President post, during that time I met with FIA’s women’s commission headed by Michele Mouton, the famous rally driver,” Al Attiyah recalled.

“We talked about the possibilities as to how we can help fast-track women’s participation in motor sport, to take it to a better level and for better marketing,” he said.

“What we achieved with women’s participation in the FIM side was well noticed. We got a lot of female riders into our races and international events. Riders like Elena Rosell and Nina Prinz and many others achieved good results in races.

“There are members in FIA (car racing authority) who are also members of FIM (bike racing body). They already know what Qatar gave to the female riders in terms raising their profile in a sport dominated by men. Now Michele she trying to upgrade their level.

“We are not talking only about racing. We are also talking about marketing, marshalling, administration, volunteering, logistics, road safety … so all aspects of auto racing are taken into account so that women also raise their profile,” Al Attiyah

Prensa Milka Duno