The Saudi International Airshow 2021, which is to be held 16-18 February in Riyadh, will include the inaugural participation of the Women in Aviation Middle East Chapter, a non-profit association dedicated to providing opportunities to women striving for careers in the aviation industry.

Launched in the UAE, this chapter shines a light on female role models in the Middle East to demonstrate the many opportunities for women in the aviation sector. It is fuelled by the possibilities of supporting current and future generations of women to achieve their goals and ambitions as they work side by side with men in the industry.

The Saudi International Airshow forms part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme as the aviation sector continues to play an essential role in the diversification and expansion of the Saudi economy. Since the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has also included women's rights in its Vision 2030, exhibiting companies are supporting women and making more jobs available in aviation.

WAI-ME aims to bring together women working in all areas of aviation across the Middle East to inspire and encourage future generations of women to consider a fulfilling career in aviation, and is committed to ensuring its vision, mission and goals are comprehensively realised.

“We are delighted that the WAI-ME chapter will join us in February as it will help to cultivate a culture of understanding and appreciation for the Chapter's vision within the local community and the region as a whole. Women bring so much to aviation, and WAI-ME is invaluable in supporting women at an extremely exciting time for Middle Eastern aviation,” comments Samantha Chastang, executive sales manager for the event.

The Women In Aviation Middle East Chapter aims to broaden the outlook of women in this part of the world and empower them to see beyond the horizon and inspire them to soar to new heights to achieve unprecedented success in aviation. Its main mission is to encourage and nurture women to consider and seek opportunities in aviation and aerospace by providing them with information, education, scholarship, internship and comprehensive resources.

One of the major goals of the chapter is to engage members in an educational network to showcase the many contributions and achievements of regional women to the industry.