On January 29, 2025, the environmental NGO Focus and the ONA VE Association hosted an inspiring gathering at Ruska dača in Ljubljana.

The meeting spotlighted practical lessons and good practices for empowering women in STEM and the energy sector. The event marked the beginning of a new collaboration within the framework of the EUWES project, with ONA VE officially becoming a support group for the initiative.

Under the leadership of its president, Mateja Malnar Štembal, ONA VE continues to build a strong network of female professionals committed to driving change. During the event, experts from diverse backgrounds exchanged strategies for increasing awareness and representation of women in technical fields.

Among the featured speakers were Špela Sedej, former digital product lead at Danfoss known for her leadership in Women in STEM initiatives, and Ljupka Vrteva, development engineer at Petrol and 2024 Female Engineer of the Year. Together, they shared actionable insights and experiences on promoting inclusivity in the workplace, emphasizing that the path to professional success should not be bound by gender.

The evening concluded with an open discussion and networking session, during which participants identified synergies and opportunities for further collaboration across sectors. Attendees left with a renewed sense of purpose and valuable ideas for transferring successful practices to other fields.