To commemorate International Girls in ICT Day in the Maldives, Women in Tech Maldives and the Maldives Monetary Authority have launched the NextGenGirls Virtual Innovation Tour. This event, which has been conducted annually since 2019, is also supported by the Ministry of Education.  

NextGenGirls, intended for girls in grades 7 to 12, aims to inspire and motivate girls to pursue a profession in ICT for their future. It also provides a safe environment for the exchange of information between the participating agencies and young adults.

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In addition to the above, the event also provides information about work done in the ICT sector, and encourages girls to choose the ICT field when considering a career or higher education. Furthermore, they are made aware of technological innovations and advancements of Maldivians. 

The virtual tour was conducted online for secondary and upper secondary girls across the country on April 26, 27 and 28. 12 parties, including government and private companies, are participating as facilitators in the tour.Facilitating partners include Dhiraagu, Ooredoo Maldives, Allied Insurance Company,Maldives Stock Exchange,  LottieFiles, Maldives Pension Office,Maldives Customs,NCIT,Bank of Maldives, Technews.mv, Women in tech Maldives and MMA.  

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The facilitators provided information on the working environment and jobs of the participating agencies. Their Technology teams shared information about the tools, resources, and products they utilize at work. This year's event will see participation from 36 schools across the Maldives.

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As the main partner of this event MMA stated that they are thrilled to extend their  support once again to this fantastic initiative. As an organization, they strongly believe in the transformative power of education and are dedicated to promoting ICT education and empowering young girls in the Maldives. They  are eager to contribute to the success of the event and inspire young girls to explore the possibility of a career in the dynamic and ever-evolving field of ICT.

Over 2000 girls from 48 schools participated in this event.

International Girls in ICT Day is a global event coordinated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and is observed at various levels in over 166 nations worldwide. This day is celebrated every year on the 4th Thursday of April. 

Recognizing the importance of girls and young women acquiring skills to become ICT users and creators in a digital world to advance in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers, in consultation with young people, ITU has adopted “Digital Skills for life” as the theme for girls in ICT Day 2023.

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