News - International Women's Day 2022

Key presentation with two amazing speakers Dr Katarina Jerbić Archaeologist/

Ethnologist and Sarah Yagmich Physiotherapist/Clinical Pilates instructor, Fiitlates.

Fran Roberts spoke about the importance of International Women’s Day (March 8) a global celebration of the social, economic, culture and political achievements of women. It has become a date to celebrate how far women have come in society, politics, and economics. The colours are purple, for justice and dignity, green symbolises hope and white represent purity. United Nations made International Women’s Day celebrations official in 1975.

This year the day marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. Today the world expect inclusivity. Women expect it. In 2022 we must step up and be aware of the significant impact that bias has on women’s equality, both conscious and unconscious bias. We need to recognise it and call it out. We need to #BreakTheBias. Women are forging change innovating to feed the world and build a sustainable future.

Supporting Women in the workplace is an important part of any inclusion and diversity strategy. Companies today are focused on attracting and hiring to increase the pipeline of underrepresented talent, developing and promoting to increase representation and overall diversity in senior leadership and throughout promoting an inclusive culture and work environment and measuring our progress to inform our actions.

Launching of Licence to hire, giving organisations the tools to be more inclusive best practice and most diverse talent pools. Reaffirming our commitment to gender equality and empowering women at work.

Dr Katarina Jerbić studied Archaeology and Ethnology at the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences at the University in Zagreb in 2009, was awarded with the Honor Frost/Flinders University Doctoral Scholarship to study maritime archaeology at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia. Her research was based on a prehistoric settlement in Zambratija Bay located on the Istrian Peninsula in Croatia. Katarinas unique research which was located 3 metres underwater due to past sea-level and climate changes. Katarina’s research was focused on trying to culturally connect the settlement to similar sites around the Alpine glacier lakes as well as to connect the abandonment of the site to the rising sea-levels. The results, derived from waterlogged oak wooden samples as well as seabed core samples, revealed that the site was in use around 4200 – 3900 years BC when the sea-level change data shows a rapid rise, eventually causing abandonment and full inundation.

Katarina currently works as a Senior Archaeologist for a heritage company from Queensland. In September 2020 she was seconded to work for the Rio Tinto Heritage Team in order to help them change legacy issues after a very tumultuous period at the beginning of 2020.

Sarah was an interactive presenter who talked about the importance of exercise and keeping fit and healthy.

Sarah as an experienced Physiotherapist and Clinical Pilates instructor, with a love for exercise, health and wellness. Sarah is currently completing her Masters studies at La Trobe University to become a titled Sports and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist. Additionally, having completed multiple Pilates certifications, Sarah combines her professional expertise with Pilates principles to skilfully design powerful, effective and fun workouts. Formation of her business ‘FIITLATES’ over the last couple of years has seen her passion and interest for holistic, specific and enjoyable exercise increase exponentially. Sara’s dad Denis’s family came from Zaostrog and her Dida was born in Drvenik. Sarah visited Croatia in 2018, giving her the opportunity to explore these old villages where her Dida and great grandparents walked behind her!

Entertainment was with our wonderful singer Anita Varga Finneran. Anita’s singing was truly beautiful. Singing in Croatian and English throughout the morning.

Anita grew up in a Croatian family embracing traditional culture folklore and became an active member. She was the vice president of the young Frankopani folkloric ensemble. in Sydney.

A performer, a mother an educator who moved with her family , husband John and children Ursula and Stephen to Perth. We welcome Anita and her family and are lucky to have such a wonderful family join our community.

The event was sponsored by WA Croatian Centre North Fremantle and Tihana Simic, Pasta Addiction. We thank all the sponsors and appreciate the support.

Fran Roberts

Vice-President Western Australian Croatian Chamber of Commerce