The Second Annual Women Fundraising Gala took place in Segovia’s beautiful Casa de la Moneda at the IE Creativity Center on the afternoon of Saturday, 18 March.
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Who organized, contributed, and supported?
Other clubs that contributed to this event apart from Women in Business were more of IE’s own: the Arts Club, Photography Club, Music Club, Dance Club, and SDG Club.
The gala supported two Non-Government Organizations: ISMUR (Iniciativa Social de Mujeres Rurales) and Afghan Women on the Run.
ISMUR is a Segovian-based organization that aims to promote development in rural areas and support women by training and advocating for policies supporting rural women’s rights. It also encourages a sustainable rural lifestyle that protects nature and its resources.
Afghan Women on the Run is a group of women who want to aid and accompany Afghan women in obtaining passports and visas – this enables them to leave the country to a safer destination.
Check both NGOs out on Instagram: @ismursegovia and @afghanwomenontherun.
The Gala welcomed three NGO representatives, each giving beautiful speeches enlightening the audience about the reality of women in the world, their struggles, and why it is essential for us to honor them and help them have their voices heard.
What struck me the most was ISMUR’s speaker, who highlighted how women should be independent and autonomous. This is brought to light with the gala’s organizers! Coming up shortly…
Creativity floods the Creativity Center!
IE’s Art Club’s exhibition, titled Through Her Eyes, was also displayed. Guests dressed formally could walk around and enjoy the community’s talent. In the end, the three winners of the exhibitions were declared.
After the speeches, guests were welcomed to watch IE’s Dance Club and IE music club perform.
The Creativity Centre was lit with energy as guests began to clap to the beat and sing along. The crowds gathered upstairs cheered on the talented performers – the theme was honoring women, titled Tribute to Her. Listen now to the matching Spotify playlist!
What attendees were offered
The gala offered snacks and drinks for guests who paid for the Gold and Silver tickets. They were set with a platter of various tapas, including jamón ibérico, tomato, cheese, raspberries, and more – all catered by Segovia’s Plaza Mayor native restaurant and bar, Juan Bravo! The event also offered wine, cava, beer, and sangria to these ticket holders.
A chat with the organizers…
I spoke with the two Women in Business Coordinators of the events – Derin Kurultak and Daniela Aguila. They broke down their club and the organization process for the gala:
First, they told me about the club and its mission:
“What we want to portray in the club is to empower women to go up the business ladder.
Often, in different industries, it is tough for women to get into higher positions […] The club wants to fight this and fight for more equality; for women to get treated better in the workplace in general. To give people the tools to be their best selves.”
Then, I asked about the challenges involved in organizing a gala:
There are a lot of challenges! We had this huge event and many clubs involved, so we had to delegate tasks so that they could be manageable. But overall, having all the logistics and getting so many people connected to the mission was the most significant challenge. Hence, everyone had their priorities in different places.
But overall, it’s been amazing, and everyone has done a fantastic job! We had challenges, but we could get over all of them.”
Now let’s take a look at some numbers…
Over 700 euros were raised through donations and ticket sales, and over 130 people attended – a massive leap from last year’s 375 euros and 61 attendees! Do you see? Hard work does pay off.
All in all,
Maria Bravo, executive of Campus Life at IE University, says this second round of the Annual Women Fundraiser Gala has rooted in a tradition. So, if possible, expect an even bigger and better gala next year.
We applaud and give kudos to all the women in the Women in Business Club and those involved in organizing the event! They did an incredible job honoring women, enhancing diversity, and bringing our IE community together.
