This week (26 and 27 September) ICF 2023 Women´s Symposium took place in Dublin (Ireland). A great inspiring event was carried out by Canoeing Ireland in cooperation with the International Canoe Federation.
Canoeing Ireland is now the leading organisation working towards equal representation and support for women in canoe sport. Canoeing Ireland has supported women actively for 4 years with the project Bridge The Gap (https://www.canoe.ie/bridge-the-gap/).
Now Canoeing Ireland organized a charged, opened, friendly and very valuable conference. Over 100 visitors (most of them women) from 34 countries attended the conference. The conference was also very positively evaluated by the International Olympic Committee, namely by Thomas Bach (president of the IOC). During the conference the most important personalities of the world canoeing spoke: José Perurena López (ICF President), Cecilia Farias (ICF Vice-president), Jean Michel Prono (canoe slalom chairman) and Maree Brunett (ICF Executive Committee) together with other prominent speakers: Nora Stapleton (Sport Ireland Women in Sport Lead), Thomas Byrne TD (Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education) or Zelda La Grange (former private secretary to Nelson Mandela).
The conference was not only about lectures but mainly about three workshops, discussions and contacts. The open and friendly atmosphere led to the establishment of dozens of friendly contacts and valuable cooperation for the future.
What all happened at the symposium? Take a look here: https://www.canoe.ie/2023/09/26/icf-womens-symposium-day-1/ and here: https://www.canoe.ie/2023/09/27/icf-womens-symposium-day-2/.
The project Women in Canoe Sport was represented by Adriana Morenová, Anna Barosso and Jan Busta. They have made contact with similar projects: with the aforementioned Bridge The Gap or related projects Slalom Inspires (www.slalominspires) and C1 Women Academy. Slalom Inspires and C1 Woman Academy are linked, founded and led by a former British racer Eilidh Gibson in Scotland. Slalom Inspires wants to inspire a generation of girls into paddling & coaching and empower girls to be the best version of themselves. Connecting of the projects can bring even more benefits and fulfil one of the conference's slogans: Change Together.
Written by Jan Busta
