Nautilus member Gustavo Abdiel Aguilar-Miranda has been honoured for his efforts at improving diversity and inclusion in maritime through his visibility and rights awareness project I Exist Too.
Mr Aguilar-Miranda received the award for Best New Initiative at an EU Conference on the Wellbeing of Seafarers on 8 March 2024, held in Brussels, which deliberately coincided with International Women's Day.
The I Exist Too project aims to improve the visibility and rights of LGBTQ+ people in the maritime industry and was launched in Panama in 2023.
The project was one of three initiatives awarded the Honour for Diversity and Inclusion in Maritime, which was organised by the European Commission and the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association.
'This award is not merely a testament to our initiative, but a tribute to the remarkable individuals who have supported our cause from its inception,' said Mr Aguilar-Miranda, who is studying for a PhD at Newcastle University. 'Special recognition goes to those who tirelessly advocate for the inclusion, visibility, and rights of sexually diverse individuals within the maritime industry.'
Mr Aguilar-Miranda, who is originally from Panama and worked in the maritime industry, created I Exist Too while researching his doctorate and found there was no previous research on LGBT+ experiences in the sector.
He hopes the project will help to strengthen the access and career development of LGBTI+ people within the maritime industry and lead to the establishment of inclusive policies whose emphasis is linked to improving lived experiences, the recognition of human rights, and the promotion of a safer environment for all, especially the LGBIT+ population.
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