Porsche, a famous automotive company and supporter of women’s professional tennis, donated €50,000 to benefit the partnership between UNESCO and the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. This partnership was formed in November 2006, in order to promote gender equality and women’s leadership in all spheres of society with the involvement of leading female professional tennis players.
France’s Tatiana Golovin was named a “Promoter of Gender Equality” for the partnership, at the ceremony held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. World No.17 joins Venus Williams who has been the global Promoter of Gender Equality since November 2006.
“I am really excited to play an increased role in advancing women’s equality through this partnership. I have had unbelievable opportunities as a professional athlete and feel strongly that girls and women across the world should have similar opportunities to succeed in the goals they set for themselves,” Tatiana said.
UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura stated: “The efforts of Tatiana Golovin and Venus Williams will be key factors in the successful implementation of the partnership as they will provide role models for millions of girls and young women around the world.”
Stacey Allaster, President of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, pointed out that “2007 will be remembered as the year of equality in women’s tennis, with both Roland Garros and Wimbledon having made historic decisions to move to equal prize money for all women’s and men’s competitors for the first time in their respective storied histories.” (source: Sony Ericsson WTA Tour)
