On the occasion of the 10th International Day of Women and Girls in Science, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 to promote full and equal access for girls and women to STEM fields, the Italian Embassy in Ottawa organized a meeting in collaboration with WiSDA, the Women in Scientific Diplomacy Association, founded in Washington D.C. in 2023 by the scientific attaches of Italy, France, and Germany. WiSDA aims to promote coordination and exchange of experiences among women and girls active in scientific fields.
The meeting, opened by Italy’s Ambassador to Canada, Alessandro Cattaneo, featured the participation of Italian and Canadian researchers, who shared their experiences in science and discussed the importance of gender equality in STEM fields.
A video message from Mona Nemer, the Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada, and the launch of the new Canadian section of WiSDA, based in Ottawa, followed.
The initiative highlights the particular attention given by the Embassy, the Italian consular network, and the Italian Cultural Institutes in Canada to the role of women and issues related to inclusivity and women’s empowerment, areas where Italy and Canada share a common vision.
Notable events organized recently include the participation of Canadian Nobel Prize in Physics, Donna Strickland, as a special guest at the launch of the Galileo Galilei exhibition at the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo (Ontario), and the “Buone Nuove” exhibition dedicated to Italian women architects from the golden age of design, hosted at the UQAM University in Montréal in collaboration with the MAXXI Museum in Rome.
