Afternoon of “communication” to celebrate Women’s Month

“Today we are doing something a little different than a typical reception,” Elizabeth Meza, Public Affairs Attaché at the US Embassy in Panama, commented, as more than 100 guests approached the afternoon of “communication.” In honor of International Women’s Month, which was held last Thursday, March 31.

“In addition to taking time to talk, we have conversation circles that we’ve set up around the whole house, and we’ve invited women from the US Embassy and from different sectors in Panama who we feel can help facilitate conversations. And conversations, about situations that are important to women as well as some that are important to us. In the country “.

Enough stickers and self-adhesive pens were placed on a table so that each guest could identify themselves, and a sign marked the location of the different chat spaces. Guests can choose and even change groups as desired.

“We have a circle on ‘what women can bring to the workplace’, I think every woman around the world is working and would be interested in that discussion. But we also have a discussion on ‘women, peace and security’, which can bring us closer to the goals that women can achieve in services Security and governmental, including, the world at large, know the challenges they face.

We have a department that deals with “corruption” issues, but we also have “Women in Art”, “Working Mothers”… It’s just an opportunity to express yourself. I often feel that when we’re in groups, we often shut ourselves up, and back off. “When we have a women-only event, we don’t have to do it,” says Mesa.

Gisela Porras, president of the NGO Voces Vitales, one of the guests at the event, emphasized that “in the different roles we have as individuals, it is important to make space, take time and say ‘I deserve this time with my colleagues’” and be able to have an open conversation .”

She added: “We are usually very busy, we come home to review our homework, thinking your husband is waiting for you, we are always in a hurry, but it is important to stop because we need space.”

According to Borras, “It has been proven that when a woman is healthy, the family is healthy. And it is important that we seize opportunity in these spaces, which we do not usually do.”

For Meza, this is only the beginning of the conversations as the goal is to encourage participants to register through a QR code in a mailing list that allows them to participate in activities related to various topics that will take place in the new American Center that will open its doors in the City of Knowledge Plaza.

“We will be inviting them to continue these conversations in different conversations and events throughout the year not only with ourselves, but with other women in Panama, with young girls, who want to promote the next generation, so for us this is just the beginning. For a long-term space that gives us space and have fun conversations Miza said.

About 120 women involved in security and government agencies, companies, cultural communications, and students participated in this experiment. “We try to make a mix of women who are well established in their fields and women who are just starting out so that they are together and can start creating a network,” she explained.

It’s time for official actions, and Meza has taken the podium.

“The best gift we can give to future generations [de mujeres] is to support them. Let us encourage those who are late to go forward, let us shake hands with those at our side, let us greet those who are ahead; “Your success is our success,” she told the guest group. “At the US Embassy, ​​we are joining the ‘Breaking Prejudice’ campaign – to break down barriers – this Women’s Month. Barriers are broken when we help each other and the resources we have to do so are limitless,” he said.

An hour is not enough to talk to everyone, to clarify all doubts or expose all sides of the situation. Certainly that afternoon was just the beginning.