Turkish Project Draws Major Interest at FIA Seminar

The second FIA Women in Motorsport seminar, held under the slogan "Make a Difference", took place in Lisbon on 7-8 October with 90 women from 43 countries taking part.

The seminar was organised to identify strategies that will increase women's active participation and to discuss the various factors involved. On the first day, the opening address was given by FIA Women's Commission President Michele Mouton. The speeches that followed came from FIA Vice-President for Sport Graham Stocker and Carlos Barbosa, President of the Automóvel Club de Portugal, host of the seminar.

AVCIOĞLU PRESENTED THE "HOW IS THE PARENT'S REPORT CARD?" PROJECT

Projects from nine countries were presented at the seminar. Representing Turkey, FIA Women's Commission member Beyza Avcıoğlu presented the "How Is the Parent's Report Card?" project. The project, which has children assess their parents on traffic rules and driving safety, attracted interest from all participants and was widely praised.

The recommendations that emerged from the first seminar, held in Paris in 2012, were grouped under the following headings:

• Every country should appoint a national representative who can work in partnership with the FIA Women's Commission.
• Every country should establish an active Women's Commission within its own federation.
• Every country should carry news about the FIA Women's Commission on its official website and provide a link.
• Every country should provide information that can assist the FIA.
• Every country should implement the FIA Ambassador Programme at national level.
• Every country should provide promotional material to encourage women into motorsport.
• Every country should set out a strategic plan to attract younger women to motorsport.
• Every country should run activities that enable more women to take part.

In the "Draw Your Road Map" booklets handed out to all participants, they noted what has been done on these points since 2012. Work on a road map for the future then followed under the slogan "Making a Difference Together", and eight recommendations were adopted.

On Sunday 8 October, four workshops were held with officials, drivers and media taking part. The eight recommendations that came out of the workshops, in which all participants were involved, are as follows:

• Every country should identify its national and regional training needs for volunteers and senior officials, and set up practical seminars and mentoring programmes.
• Every country should identify active role models and ambassadors to promote the sport.
• Every country should support existing programmes that strengthen the active participation of women in motorsport.
• Every country should develop local and national programmes that bring in young competitors.
• Every country should find creative solutions for building networks between drivers and sponsors.
• Every country should set up a social media platform (Twitter, WhatsApp etc.) and make sure that every kind of contribution by women in the sport is recognised at every level.
• Every country should provide clear and simple examples of motorsport career paths.
• Every country should make sure that the right terminology is used in marketing materials to create a level playing field.