WILLEMSTAD – On May 28th, the Student Sport Federation of the Dutch Caribbean hosted during the 2nd ODUPA Championship the conference ‘Women’s Leadership in University Sports’ in Curaçao.
7 Keynote speeches were given by:
Mrs. Maida Cijntje – Curacao – Executive board member of SSFDC regarding the Structure of the SSFDC for the 5 islands of the Caribbean.
Mrs. Sonia Stapf – Panama , vice president of ODUCC – The work and goals of the regional organization the last 40 years
Mrs. Rosaura Mendez – Costa Rica – liaison officer for ODUPA to FISU Woman’s Commission – Females in the Leadership of University Sport in the Americas
Mrs. Nicole Hoevertsz – Aruba – Member of the IOC – Woman’s in leadership positions in the Olympic Movement – Challenge and strategies for the future.
Mrs. June Caddle – Barbados – The woman’s in Key role functions in University Sport in the Caribbean
Mrs. Helena Williams – Ghana – Liaison officer for Africa with the FISU Woman’s Commission. – The Threats for female leadership in University Sport in Africa
Mrs. Carole Beckford – Jamaica – Supports from Governments in the Caribbean
Minister of Education Mr. Lionel Jansen with the 7 keynote speakers
The congress was opened by the Minister of education of Curacao, Mr. Lionel Jansen, were he talked about the importance of University sport for the community.
The congress was closed by the Vice Prime Minister Charles Cooper and he stressed that sport is one of the tools for his government to work at healthier people for his country.
In total 62 people from 15 countries attended the conference.
Special guest were:
– ODUCC Sotero Vasquez of Santo Domingo;
-. Clovis Morales, President of the University Sport Federation of Honduras and next organizer of the ODUCC Games;
– Eldis Barnes, vice rector of the University of Panama.
After the congress ODUCC President Sotero Vasquez inaugurated the first ODUCC Woman’s Commission with the following Members:
– Maida Cijntje – Curacao;
– Mirjam Lieuw Kie Song – Suriname;
– Carole Beckford – Jamaica;
– Sonia Stapf – Panama.
Advisor of this group is Mrs. Nicole Hoevertsz from Aruba and member of the IOC.
During the Conference in Curaçao , the vice Rector of the University of Panama, Mr. Eldis Barnis, also a visited the rector of the University of Curaçao, Mr. Dr. M. Goede.
(Source: Guno Rudge, ODUCC Secretary-General)
Carole Beckford giving the Minister of Education and Sport her book ‘Jamaica’s Sport on Track’
Closing of the conference by Vice Prime Minister Cooper
Vice Rector of the University of Panama Eldis Barnis & Rector of the University of Curaçao Dr. M. Goede