On May 14, 2026, the “Estrellas de Mar” Meeting – Second Edition: Building a Future for Women in the Maritime Sector was held at the Francesca Pensieri Auditorium of the Metropolitan University in Caracas, Venezuela, as part of the commemoration of the International Day for Women in Maritime.

The initiative, jointly organized by WISTA Venezuela, Metropolitan University (UNIMET), the School of Liberal Studies, and the MAMLa Network, brought together professionals, students, institutions, and companies from the maritime and port sectors, establishing itself as a space for sharing stories, lessons, and visions that strengthen the maritime community. It was also an opportunity to recognize one another, support each other, and continue building a more humane, inclusive, and sustainable sector, while promoting female leadership within the Venezuelan and regional maritime sphere.

As part of the program, our Permanent Representative of Venezuela to the MAMLa Network, attorney Lizett Carrero, participated with a presentation entitled “Shared Horizons: The Strength of Women Connecting Regions,” a concept that highlights the strategic role of organized women leaders as drivers of transformation, peace, and national and regional development.

During her presentation, she emphasized that this approach underscores the importance of unity among women leaders in overcoming the “loneliness of leadership.” She noted that while it is essential to believe in ourselves, in what we do, and in where we are headed, this work cannot be carried out in isolation. Therefore, she stressed the importance of sisterhood and of creating strong networks that extend from the community level to the corporate and political spheres, connecting spaces and territories while generating joint solutions.

She also highlighted that female strength is not a passing trend, but rather a real pillar shaping the present and future of our nations: an individual and collective force that knows no borders.

At Red MAMLa, we celebrate the inclusion of a female leadership agenda built through alliances, interconnected spaces, knowledge-sharing, exchange of experiences, and the creation of real opportunities for participation.

This gathering reflected precisely that vision: demonstrating that female leadership is not an exception, but a growing and consolidated reality that generates impact. Every day there are more of us, and this reality is already part of the present of Latin American transportation and the international maritime sector.

This year, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) theme for the 2026 International Day for Women in Maritime was: “From Policy to Practice: Advancing Gender Equality for Maritime Excellence,” focused on transforming equality policies into concrete and practical actions, promoting maritime excellence through gender equality and the active participation of women in the sector.

In this context, the gathering also contributed to increasing the visibility, training, and support of women in the maritime field, strengthening the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 5, aimed at achieving gender equality.

Finally, this event served as an invitation to continue opening spaces, building bridges, and navigating together toward new opportunities. A message for all women who, through their different roles and spaces, continue mobilizing our countries, communities, and institutions toward a more integrated and humane future.

Because moving forward together also means leaving positive footprints that transcend generations.