What is the role of WISTA CYPRUS in order to support women in shipping?
WISTA Cyprus is one of the largest NWAs in the World with a membership exceeding 130 members. We are concentrating our efforts on awareness, encouragement and mentoring of women within the spirit of WISTA International’s mission and vision.
Shipping is a tough industry, for anyone, men and women and it takes more out of any individual than many other industries. It is diverse and challenging and sometimes it takes its toll on our personal lives, especially us women, but it is an industry of opportunities and passion. Through awareness and mentoring we aim to empower the younger generation, irrespective of gender, and give them the tools to excel. We try to utilise any platform available to us to reach women and men in the shipping and trading industries and create awareness about our work, mission and vision and future aspirations.
Through the examples and achievements of our members and sharing of our experiences, we seek to encourage and support our members in every possible way, albeit being slowed down by COVID. This we do either by way of members meetings, presentations, through the media and even one to one exchanges not only with our members but with other women and men in shipping and trading. In general we aim to draw as much as we can from our networking both at corporate and individual level. It is very important that professionals as well as corporations acknowledge that contribution and benefits go together in achieving common goals.
In Cyprus we have the advantage that albeit being one of the largest shipping centres in the world, we are a small community which is concentrated mostly in Limassol. This has contributed to us building strong relationships with the Shipping Deputy Ministry, and other Associations such as the Cyprus Shipping Chamber, the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, Youngship, CYMEPA etc) while providing professionals with the opportunity to get to know WISTA and its work from arm’s length.
Our overall aim remains to empower and support more women to pursue their aspirations and to become a valuable asset to our industry and this gives us purpose to work together.
* Director Aphentrica Marine Insurance Brokers Ltd / WISTA Cyprus President
The answer was provided for NAFS magazine issue 143 in its special report “WOMEN in SHEPPING”