The Indian entrepreneur Shruti Kapoor received the prize – an amount of 10.000,00 euros – during the final Ceremony of the 17th edition of the International Award “The Woman of the Year”.
Shruti is engaged in safety services for women and girls in her country: in 2013 she founded Sayfty to help Indian women protect themselves against violence, providing support that combines training in self-awareness and self-defense. Her mission is to give women the necessary tools to take charge of their personal safety, through workshops and awareness campaigns on-line on the issue of violence against women, with the sale of self-defense products.
The Award was delivered in the late afternoon of Friday 20 March at the Splendor Theatre by Marco Viérin, President of the Regional Council of Aosta Valley, and by the components of two Juries.
The event was sponsored by the Regional Council of Aosta Valley, in collaboration with the Soroptimist International Club of Aosta Valley, with the support of the President of the Italian Republic and his Representative Medal, with the sponsorship of the Italian Deputies’ Chamber, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Department for Equal Opportunities-Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
The winner was Aicha Belco Maiga, born in Tessalit (Mali) and involved in a variety of roles in favour od women, ranging from human rights to cultural and economic development, the right to freedom and equality in law, and the promotion and creation of women leaders. She received 30.000,00 euros to be allocated for the activities and actions that led to this important recognition.
Even this year, the audience was actively involved: thanks to the web voting procedure, a “jury” assigned the “People’s choice Award” to Alessandra Morelli, who got the 62% of the vote. As Representative of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees UNHCR Somalia, she works in an emergency context, protecting and assisting displaced people and refugees. She received 20.000,00 euros to continue the activities which she was reported for.
«To focus the public attention on the stories of these three women means not only to help them finishing their projects, but also to raise awareness, sensibilize and make people reflect on the values these women embody – said the President of the Aosta Valley Council, Marco Viérin -. Their lives are clear examples of solidarity for the most vulnerable people, spending every day by challenging wars and prejudices.»
The Award Ceremony was opened by a minute of silence dedicated to the victims of Tunisi and to reflect on the value of human dignity.
The evening was hosted by Alessandra Ferraro, journalist of the Italian National Radio Television-RAI. During the event, several performances were proposed: on th stage were the young talents of the “Sfom orchestra” (Training and musical Studies School of Aosta Valley) directed by Mauro Gino; the white children’s choirs “Canto leggero” (Soft song) of the Musical Institute Foundation of Aosta Valley directed by Luigina Stevenin; and finally the musician and songwriter Carlo Benvenuto, with the track “Incanto donna” (Women glamour), he wrote for the 2012 edition of the Award