World Air Transport Summit: IATA Announces Names of Diversity and Inclusion Awards Winners F=for 2022

Doha, June 20 (QNA) - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the winners of the third edition of the IATA Diversity and Inclusion Awards, on the sidelines of the World Air Transport Summit, which followed the 78th IATA General Assembly that convenes in Doha.
The Inspirational Role Model Award was awarded to CEO of Pegasus Airlines Jules Ozturk, while the Aviation Pioneers Award went to Kanchana Gamage, founder of the Aviatrix Project, while Air Baltic received the Diversity and Inclusion Team Award.
Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker congratulated all the winners and said that he is pleased to hand them these awards that honor the remarkable achievements they have made, pointing out that he is pleased to witness this increasing number of successful women in this sector, as the advantages of this approach are not limited to the positive impact it leaves on the level of senior leaders currently, but extend to inspire the generation the next leader in the aviation sector.
For his part, Director General of IATA William M. Walsh extended his warmest congratulations to all the winners of the 2022 Awards, who succeeded in highlighting the extent of evolution in the aviation sector.
He added that a few years ago, women made up only 3 percent of the CEO share of IATA member airlines, and today that percentage has risen to 9 percent, most importantly, more women are increasingly occupying senior positions, in commensurate with the goals of the 25 Initiative.
He elucidated that by 2025, the sector cannot lose sight of the exceptional capabilities of half of society amid a severe shortage of skills, indicating that change cannot happen overnight, but the sectors top leaders will change almost entirely over the next few years thanks to the efforts of todays award winners and many others in all areas of the sector.
Karen Walker, chair of the jury, said that the IATA Diversity and Inclusion Awards honor all individuals and teams who contribute to advancing gender parity. She added that the determination to achieve this goal was the shared factor among this years winners, who worked to overcome obstacles and contribute to achieving gender equality, and thus transforming the aviation sector into a more attractive career option for both men and women.
Chairman of the Arbitration Committee Walker added that IATA Diversity and Inclusion Awards honor all individuals and teams who contribute to advancing gender parity, and the determination to achieve this goal is the most common denominator among this year's winners, as they strenuously work to overcome obstacles and contribute to transforming the aviation sector into a more attractive career choice for men and women worldwide.
The arbitration committee included a number of Diversity and Inclusion Award winners for 2021, including CEO of Air India Harpreet Singh, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at All Nippon Airways John Taneie, and former aerospace engineering consultant at McLarens Aviation Lalita Dhavala.
Qatar Airways sponsors the IATA Diversity and Inclusion Awards, in which each winner will receive a prize of $25,000, to be paid to the winner in each category or to the charities of their choice. (QNA)