Santiago, Chile – A ceremony was held at the University of Santiago to honor the legacy of Karen Poniachik, Chile's first female Minister of Mining, with the inaugural "Karen Poniachik Spirit Award." The event was attended by the current Minister of Mining, Aurora Williams, the Rector of the University of Santiago, Rodrigo Vidal, and the late minister's family.

Chile currently boasts a world-leading 18% female participation rate in the mining sector, a testament to Poniachik's pioneering efforts. "With this award, we aim to honor the legacy of Minister Karen Poniachik, who contributed to promoting diversity and inclusion of women in Chilean society," said Rodrigo Vidal, Rector of the University of Santiago.

The University of Santiago's Mining Engineering department is at the forefront of fostering female talent, with a remarkable 30% female student enrollment, double the national average for the mining industry.

Minister Aurora Williams emphasized the significance of Poniachik's contributions, stating, "Minister Karen Poniachik was a pioneer who worked tirelessly to create more opportunities for women in the mining sector. Through this award, we must carry on her legacy and support more women to thrive in this field."

This year's award recipients were Maria Soledad Cayejas from the small-scale mining sector, Nereida Villarroel from the supply sector, and Kenya Aguirre from the large-scale mining sector. Each of these women has made significant contributions to the mining industry and has been a vocal advocate for women's rights. Notably, Kenya Aguirre, as president of the Chuquicamata Mine Workers' Union, has been a tireless advocate for the rights of female workers.

The ceremony served as a platform to highlight the growing role of women in Chile's mining industry and to encourage more women to pursue careers in this field.