This is a pioneering project and, for the organisation, “a dream come true”. Soroptimist International Costa del Sol is launching the Soroptimist Leadership Academy for Women (SLA), which will be held for the first time in the municipality from the 5th to the 11th of November. Mijas will host this transformative international event, with the participation of 24 young women of 17 different nationalities from across Europe, aged between 20 and 30. 

“It is finally going to be a reality to organise a leadership academy for women in Mijas. It is a dream come true for me, and for the club too, because what we want is to create opportunities for young women. And as we are an international organisation, we invite women from all over Europe to participate”, said the president of SI Costa del Sol, Daphne Theunissen, at the presentation.

A dream come true

For the Soroptimists, as the members of this women’s organisation call themselves, this programme represents the realisation of a dream that began in 2019 and was postponed due to the Covid pandemic. “Now, thanks to the collective efforts of the Soroptimist clubs in Spain and the support of Soroptimists from all over Europe, especially SI Germany, the academy is finally a reality”, added the president.

The women who will participate in the academy will stay and train at Cortijo Alegría in Osunillas. They come from fields as diverse as law, engineering, psychology, architecture, education, tourism, science and the arts. With backgrounds ranging from doctoral researchers to professionals in the non-profit sector, they embody the richness of the next generation of European female leaders. According to SI, “their diversity is not only geographical, but also academic, cultural and professional, making this academy a truly global and inspiring experience”.

“It’s going to be very interesting because it’s the first time SI has done something like this and, secondly, because it’s what we at SI believe is the destiny of all women’s associations; not just working in times of urgency, but preparing the women of the future to be better”, said SI Costa del Sol Vice-President Aura Roderick.

Female leadership

“The SLA is more than leadership training, it is a celebration of diversity, resilience and global sisterhood”, the organisation explains. The women will participate in workshops, mentoring sessions and collaborative projects “designed to help them discover their voice, strengthen their leadership skills and build lasting international networks”. The facilitators also form an international group, with some familiar local faces such as Ali Meehan from Costa Women, Adriana Caliri from Renaissance and Minerva Quijera, local manager of Toastmasters International.

At the local level, the initiative has the support of Mijas Town Hall and Mijas Comunicación and is sponsored by HM Hospitales and the La Cala Lions Club. “All these types of initiatives are beneficial for Mijas and for Soroptimist International Costa del Sol, as the women who come can also join them”, said the Mijas Town Hall councillor Mari Francis Alarcón (PP).

In addition to the training, SI explained that participants will enjoy cultural and leisure activities in both Mijas and Malaga City.

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