Women of Aviation Worldwide Week
| Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week | |
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Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week logo
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| Observed by | Men and women, worldwide |
| Type | International civil awareness week |
| Date | Week of March 8 |
| 2016 date | March 7–13 |
| 2017 date | March 6–12 |
| 2018 date | March 5–11 |
| 2019 date | March 4–10 |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Related to | First female pilot licence worldwide |
Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week {abbrv. WOAW Week} is an annual global observance that takes place during the week of March 8. The awareness week managed by the Institute for Women Of Aviation Worldwide {abbrv. iWOAW} celebrates women's past and present contributions to the betterment of the air and space industry and promotes industry opportunities to girls and women.
As of April 2016, Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week activities have been organized in 40 countries on 5 continents. 140,000 individuals have directly participated in the week's activities. 30,074 girls and women have been introduced to flight in a small aircraft in response to The Week's Fly It Forward® call to action.
In January 2010, Mireille Goyer, an aviation educator and pilot, launched an international grassroots initiative to celebrate the centennial of the first female pilot license worldwide earned by Raymonde de Laroche on March 8, 1910.
Her Fly It Forward® call to action encouraged pilots from around the world to introduce record numbers of girls of any age to aviation during, what was then dubbed, "Women Pilots' Week". In 2011, the one-time celebration evolved into the annual "Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week" as the world celebrated the centennial of International Women's Day.
By addressing the female population's lack of exposure to aviation activities, Goyer's Fly It Forward® initiative aims to fulfill the dream of the pioneering women pilots of 1910, namely to see women participate in all aspects of aviation.
On September 10, 2012, Mireille Goyer founded the Institute for Women Of Aviation Worldwide, a not-for-profit global alliance of industry organizations. It organizes The Week's various contests and tracks The Week's activities in addition to managing other initiatives that facilitate women's integration in the industry around the year. Led by a gender-balanced, all-volunteer, Board of Directors, iWOAW's mission is to foster gender balance in the air and space industry through outreach, education, and advocacy.
Female-centric activities take place at airports and aerodromes around the world as well as in museums and aerospace businesses. Special commemoration flights are often conducted.
iWOAW organizes multiple challenges and contests during the week. The best known challenge, Fly It Forward®, rewards top performers annually with awards including "Most Female Pilot Friendly Airport Worldwide", "Most Dedicated Female Pilot Worldwide", and "Most Supportive Male Pilot Worldwide".
Each year, a theme is selected to highlight the anniversary of historical and world-scale achievements by outstanding women of aviation.
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