The University of Montenegro, ICT Cortex, and Women4Cyber marked the International Day of Girls in Information and Communication Technology
The University of Montenegro, ICT Cortex, and Women4Cyber marked the International Day of Girls in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by organizing a Speed Mentoring session titled "Small Talks - Big Vision," aimed at raising awareness about their values and significance.
Twenty-five girls participated in this event, engaging with mentors to discuss the importance of womens roles in the ICT industry, opportunities, aspirations, and advice for successful engagement in this sector. One of the messages conveyed to the girls was:
"Do not hesitate to occupy the space that belongs to you. Be clear in your visions, vocal in your ideas, and silent in your doubts. Draw inspiration for your work from global trends and local challenges, and build your career in response to both. With love and admiration for your dreams," said Dr. Andreja Mihailović, President of Women4Cyber Montenegro and a teaching associate at UCG.
"By celebrating the International Day of Girls in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), we aim to send a message about the importance of the power possessed by girls and the magical changes they create. What is crucial for us to remember as a society is that every single day should be a day for girls and women in ICT. To achieve this, we must encourage them today," emphasized Milena Aković, Marketing Director of the ICTCortex NGO. She also expressed her belief that such events should become traditional and celebrated annually.
Moreover, one of the mentors at the event, Executive Director of the startup Flourish at DigitalBee, Ms. Jasna Pejović, highlighted that "the ICT world offers countless career opportunities" and reminded the girls that "the first programming language was invented by a woman, who also wrote the first program." She encouraged the girls not to give up prematurely just because someone thinks IT is not for them.
Tamara Pavlović, a data reporting analyst at Coinis, stressed the need for diversification in the ICT sector and stated that "if we want to set strong new standards in the digital space, we must discover, showcase, and nurture dedication, competence, and leadership thinking among women involved in information technologies."
Ana Nives Radović, founder of the FinTech Online Center, highlighted the importance of innovation for the digital revolution and encouraged girls "to use ICT as a tool to achieve their ambitions in any industry they are interested in."
From the national Computer Incident Response Team (CIRT), Zorica Vučković, a specialist in applied computing, emphasized that ICT is "synonymous with the future and is not limited to engineers but is present in all professions."
Maša Miladinović, Product Marketing Manager at Logate, urged girls "to dare to contribute to shaping the digital future with their sensitivity and unique perspective."
The International Day of Girls in ICT celebrates the strength and potential of girls, inspiring them to use that power to create fantastic changes in the world of technology. Regardless of how uncertain the future may seem, we must ensure that we have empowered women in all fields of business. Achieving this as a society requires unity and selflessness in sharing knowledge.
Established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) within the United Nations, the International Day of Girls in ICT has been celebrated since 2001 in Germany and is now observed in over 170 countries worldwide, including Montenegro.
More than a million girls worldwide participate in this important initiative each year, aimed at empowering young girls and encouraging their involvement in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields.