SBC celebrated International Women’s Day

Hilton  Dubai Jumeirah , Dubai

8^th March 2018

This year International Women´s Day celebration was dedicated to influential women in the region and we enjoyed of a very special morning at the Hilton Dubai Jumeirah listening to inspiring experiences and bold moments in the Arab World. Spanish Business Council hosted this breakfast/roundtable supported by  Canadian Business Council, French Business Council and AHK UAE. The event was also sponsored by Natura Bisse, Laure Sejean, Teekanne and The Culture box.

The roundtable was presented by Irene García Lasala, Executive Director of Spanish Business Council and moderated by Maya Khelladi, Director Gulf Countries at CaixaBank, who ensured that all participants shared their amazing paths. Among the attendees were H.E. Santiago Jiménez, Deputy Head of Mission at Embassy of Spain in UAE and Maria Jose Rodríguez Escolar spouse of the Ambassador of Spain in UAE.

The panel discussion started with Maria Rubert, Partner at United Advocates, who described  her working experience in Dubai. She thinks that women are getting closer to the same rights but still a lot to do. Then Isabel Pintado, SVP & Managing Director, MEA at Wilson Associates continues saying that women  have same expectation to succeed as a human. She focuses on the strenghts of the people and tries to enhance it.  On her team are not genders, individuals that are all equal. She also comments that women nowadays have some fear to do some tasks by social are done by man, so women are their own limitation. Consecutively Diana Baddar Head of Partnerships for MENA and Turkey, Youtube explained the program created to push women on Youtube. That program helps to potencial strenghts and best qualities of women. The good thing of it is that the women really believe in what they do. They can talk about everything they like or feel comfortable as  beauty, comedy, education of the children. The most important is that with this program they break some boundaries in the region of Saudi. Finally, Myrna Ayad, Director of Art Dubai, shared with us her story of growing as woman in Dubai. She hadn’t had any issues or difficult it about it. Regarding Art Dubai, she commented when they bring an artist is because is contemporary, fresh and new. They don’t look if it is a man or a woman.

After open questions where audience discussed that equal pay will be in the future a sign that women have reach an equal society. Change mind set of the colleagues still a difficult part to adjust, so authorities has to support. So it is women’s hand to do everyday the effort to change it and to fight for it.