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Qatar Airways is proud to partner with The International Air Transport Association (IATA) for the launch of the ‘IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards’, which promote greater gender diversification in the aviation industry. The airline has committed to supporting the awards for the next ten years, as it recognises the need to encourage women to succeed and excel at all levels of the industry.

IATA has created three categories of awards: Inspirational Role Model, High Flyer, and Diversity & Inclusion Team. Each category comes with $25,000 in prize money payable to the awardee or their nominated charity working on diversity and inclusion projects.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive and Chair of the IATA Board of Governors (2018-2019), His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways recognises the need for wider diversity in the workplace, not just in our airline but across the industry as a whole, which is why we are delighted to have this opportunity to reward individuals and teams who are going against the trend and proving that diversification is the way forward for aviation. We see this as a long-term project and look forward to working hand in hand with IATA for the next decade continuing to encourage greater inclusion and diversification in the airline community.”

IATA’s Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Alexandre de Juniac, added: “Aviation is the Business of Freedom. The essence of aviation is building a global community by connecting people, businesses and cultures across great distances. Ten million people work in the aviation industry to make this happen. It is important that this workforce reflects the amazing diversity and inclusion that it fosters in our society. By launching these awards, we want to recognise and celebrate the great work that is being done to take the industry into the future.”

Nominations for the awards are open on the IATA website from 26 February 2019 until 31 March 2019. They will be judged by an international and independent panel of experts. The first of these annual awards will be presented at IATA’s 75th Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit to be held in Seoul, South Korea (1-3 June 2019).

The Inspirational Role Model Award will be presented a female (30+) who holds a senior position within the industry who has had a significant impact on the aviation agenda through her strong contribution to business delivery, as well as her ongoing support of promoting diversity. This award is open to all female participants in the aviation industry.

The High Flyer Award is designed to recognise a female under 30 who has started to grow their career, and is demonstrating thought leadership in the industry through their inspirational work. This award is open to all under-30 female participants in the aviation industry.

The Diversity and Inclusion Team Award has been created to give recognition to an airline that has seen a tangible change in their diversity as a result of the work they have been doing in diversification and inclusion. This award is open to all IATA member airlines.