“We are proud to host this event for the third consecutive year,” said the dean of the faculty, Eduardo Hipogrosso, Ph.D. “My message to women entrepreneurs is: don’t put it off, make decisions, and dare to pursue your goals.” The dean also read a letter from the Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Beatriz Argimón, who was unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts. “Entrepreneurship is a field that is advancing rapidly around the world, but particularly in Uruguay—especially women’s entrepreneurship—and this is no coincidence. There are many women who, through great effort, hard work, dedication, and courage, are making a living using their own resources,” she noted.
At the opening, WEDO Uruguay’s ambassador, Cristina Bertolotto, said there is no need to be afraid: “We need to focus on ourselves and not look too much to the side in order to be innovative; we shouldn’t worry too much about criticism, except from people who are innovative and have already gone through what we are going through.”
“Welcome to all those who are passionate about and committed to changing the world when it comes to gender equality,” said Teresa Perez del Castillo, MBA, a consultant with the UN Women Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean.“Feminism is about equality; we want women to have the freedom to choose what they want to be and do, and to move away from the sexualized view of work.”
Meanwhile, José Alonso, an associate consultant at Geek Creative Economics, stated that“entrepreneurship has a lot to do with building trust, which is essential for overcoming barriers.”
During the first panel of the day, on sustainability and development, featured a discussion between attorney Anabela Aldaz—president of the Organization of Women Entrepreneurs of Uruguay (OMEU)—and Sandra Moreira—director of Casa Urbana, winner of the first Sustainable Fashion Award in our country —, moderated by Federica Abella—manager of new projects at Acrux Partners—.
Aldaz stated that OMEU is “eager to support efforts to break down the long-standing barrier to women’s access to financing and to work with the group that has the opportunity to invest but lacks financial literacy.”
“At Casa Urbana, we view sustainability as integrity, transparency, and accountability in the company’s actions: guided by these pillars, we are forging ahead on this path of entrepreneurship,” said Sandra Moreira.
The founders of Musas, Ximena Fernández and Marcia Parodi, singer-songwriter Florencia Núñez, and the director of Endeavor Uruguay, Analía Migues, made up the next panel, where they discussed creativity and innovation.
"Musas" is a project created to honor women who have been important pillars in people’s lives, through various artistic expressions. Parodi said that they always knew they would have to work hard and go knocking on doors to make a name for themselves: “Luckily, we managed to reach out and make a positive impact on many female artists in Uruguay and abroad.” “Our responsibility as creators and communicators is to tackle a social issue that interests us and try to make a positive impact, no matter how small. You have to take the plunge because if the intention is good and it turns out well, it’s very rewarding,” Fernández remarked.
“For me, the real reward is connecting with the audience,” said Florencia Núñez. “Having those people see how you work—the dedication and effort you put into your project—is what matters most in making a lasting impact.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRT3YGPjaAw