Zonta International Names Lisa Blair, Advocate for Equality, an International Honorary Member on World Environment Day

OAK BROOK, Ill., June 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Zonta International announced today that it would award Lisa Blair, OAM, an honorary membership in the organization, which works to build a better world for women and girls. Zonta specifically chose 5 June for this announcement as World Environment Day is also an opportunity to elevate the issue of gender equality, a cause that Ms. Blair stands firmly for within her work.

Ms. Blair is the fastest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around Antarctica on her yacht, Climate Action Now. She holds eight world records, having sailed over 130,000 nm and holds an RYA Yacht Master offshore. Ms. Blair is a proud Australian adventurer, author of Facing Fear, and was a keynote speaker at the 2024 Zonta International Convention in Brisbane, Australia. There, she shared her inspirational story of how she came to be a climate activist and inspired others to take action now.

Throughout her time at sea, Ms. Blair has seen how humans have a direct impact upon the environment. From being close to shore to the most remote areas in the Antarctic, she saw evidence of microplastics and the damage they cause. Determined to get the topic into the headlines, Ms. Blair chose to name her yacht, Climate Action Now, so that the topic she cares so passionately about gets mentioned in the same media that announces her record-breaking actions. Ms. Blair's upcoming Arctic Impact Project is another exercise in sustainability and action. She intends to build a sustainable boat from Basalt rock and Bio resins and sail it solo, non-stop and unassisted around the Arctic Circle.

"People won't protect what they don't have a connection with," said Ms. Blair. "My goal through my projects is to take my audience to the most remote and impacted parts of our world and, through the power of storytelling, inspire them to take action."

Zonta International commends Ms. Blair for her actions in drawing attention to climate action and sustainability. In times of extreme weather events, research shows that women often face greater challenges in recovering than men. This disparity stems from systemic gender inequalities that result in women having access to fewer resources and opportunities. As more climate-related disasters occur, the gap between men and women widens, complicating women's ability to rebuild their lives in the face of obstacles to their education, employment, legal rights and leadership roles.

"I am incredibly honored to be awarded an honorary membership to Zonta International, they are taking strong climate action for women and girls, and I am proud to work with them so that together we can amplify the need for sustainability and protection of our planet," said Ms. Blair.

Zonta International and Ms. Blair stand united in calling for swift and decisive actions that address climate change. The time to prepare is now and we must ensure the needs of women and girls are met before disaster strikes. We must work together to promote gender equality and ensure that both women and men have equal opportunities and resources to thrive.

We invite all members of the global community to join us and Ms. Blair in our shared responsibility as stewards of our planet. Together, we can build a better world for women and girls by promoting climate-conscious practices in our daily lives and beyond.

Contact:
Kate Edrinn
Communications Manager
Zonta International
Phone: 630-928-1400
Email: [email protected]
www.zonta.org

SOURCE Zonta International