Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
“Braving the Odds, Scripting a New Narrative”: WAVES 2025 celebrates courage, equality and resilience in M&E
Ariane Hingst, Former German Footballer and World Champion, Advocates for Equal Opportunities in Sports, at WAVES 2025
Bianca Balti highlights the power of social media in challenging inequality and promoting fair representation at WAVES 2025
Rona-Lee Shimon highlights media’s role in strengthening female voices and breaking cinema stereotypes at WAVES 2025
Posted On:
01 MAY 2025 8:45PM by PIB Mumbai
Mumbai, 1stMay, 2025
The panel discussion on the theme”Braving the Odds, Scripting a New Narrative” held at WAVES 2025 Global Summit today featured three inspiring speakers – Rona-Lee Shimon, well-known Israeli Actress famous for her strong roles in action-packed dramas like Fauda; Bianca Balti, globally recognized Italian model and cancer survivor; and Ariane Hingst, former German footballer and world champion – who have overcome personal or professional challenges while excelling in their fields.
Instead of being held back by these challenges, the speakers used them as a chance to grow and build a new path forward. WAVES 2025 is all about celebrating people who turn tough experiences into strength and use their journeys to inspire others. It is a platform that honors courage, change and leadership, especially by those who break social barriers or rise above difficult situations.
During the event, Ariane stallion shared her journey as a professional footballer in a male-dominated sport. She spoke about overcoming gender bias to become a world champion and how she now uses her voice to promote fairness and equality in sports. She highlighted the lack of media coverage and proper platforms for women’s football compared to men’s and stressed the need for equal opportunities and recognition for women athletes.
As part of the panel discussion, Bianca Baltia globally recognized model and cancer survivor, shared her powerful story of resilience and her return to work after recovery. She spoke about the gender pay gap in the modeling industry, pointing out that female models are often paid less than their male counterparts and that men still occupy more space in media. Bianca emphasized that the true power of media especially social media lies in its ability to create change. It can help raise unheard voices, challenge inequality and promote fair representation, particularly for women.
During the event, Rona-Lee Shimon highlighted that WAVES provides a platform for storytellers to change narratives and bring people together. She emphasized the importance of women uniting to create new opportunities in cinema, encouraging them to be brave, support one another, and not be afraid to stand up for change. She also noted that social media plays a key role in this movement by giving women the power to share their voices and stories. Known for her strong and dynamic roles on screen, Rona-Lee continues to break stereotypes in the entertainment industry, proving that strength, action, and depth are not defined by gender.
Each speaker has faced personal or professional odds and instead of being defined by them, they’ve used those moments to rewrite their own story. That is exactly what WAVES 2025 stands for: celebrating individuals who are not just surviving challenges, but transforming them into platforms for change and inspiration.
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