“At LAC4, we are proud to support the participation of inspiring young girls from Panama at CyberWizards 2025. Our mission is to strengthen cybersecurity capacity across Latin America and the Caribbean – not only by building technical skills, but also by supporting and investing in the next generation of talent. Initiatives like this demonstrate the power of international cooperation and the importance of creating inclusive opportunities for all to thrive in the digital age.” – Liina Areng, LAC4 Director.
“There is still a shortage of specialists in cybersecurity, and since the workforce is quite male dominant, we see engaging women as an opportunity to fill the gap in workforce. We at the Estonian Information System Authority find it is important to broaden the opportunities and raise interest among young girls in this field so that they consider cyber technology as an attractive career option. The CyberWizards camp is one of our key initiatives which inspires and supports young people who take interest and are eager to get involved in the cyber field.” – Tiina Pau, organiser of the CyberWizards camp.
From Panama to Estonia: with a Call to Lead
Ahead of travelling to Estonia, the Panamanian participants were welcomed by the Ambassador of the European Union, LAC4 representatives and partners at the Delegation of the European Union to Panama.
In her address to the girls, the Ambassador of the European Union to Panama, H.E. Izabela Matusz reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment in science, technology, and cybersecurity, in line with the Gender Action Plan III, which promotes a structural transformation toward equality in all EU external policies. She also emphasised that this camp “not only represents an opportunity to learn new skills, but also to discover what they are capable of achieving,” encouraging young women to be curious, courageous, and confident in their creativity and talent to build a more inclusive and resilient digital future. She concluded with a call to build a global network of “cyber girls” as a tool for transformation in favour of more equal and secure digital citizenship, encouraging the five young Panamanian women to become role models for a new generation of female leaders in technology.
Among the participants, Daniela Camargo, a native of Pacora, recounted how her interest in robotics began in 2021. Her mother, Yadisel Camarena, excitedly emphasised that “when the pandemic started, we barely knew how to copy and paste. Now, Daniela can program.” Janna Ramos, from Tocumen, shared that at the beginning of her first robotics course, she “didn’t understand anything and didn’t feel at home,” but she persevered and is now excited about this international opportunity.
CyberWizards’ Participants to Focus on Practical Workshops and Teamwork
CyberWizards activities include a variety of cybersecurity workshops, practical exercises, competitions and teamwork. Participants build their knowledge from the basics and gradually grow into more complex topics. Participants will learn about file analysis and computer operation systems, gain understanding of security vulnerabilities including password cracking and network scanning as well as discuss online safety and cyber ethics.
CyberWizards camp, organised since 2023 is aimed at girls aged 13 to 16 who take interest in challenges and demonstrate will for learning about technology and cybersecurity. The 2025 edition welcomes 87 participants from 10 different countries: Panama, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Poland, France, Czechia, Ukraine, Hungary and the USA.
Participants from Panama were chosen in cooperation with the National Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation of the Republic of Panama (SENACYT). The international cybersecurity camp CyberWizards 2025 is organised by the Estonian Information System Authority and has received funding from the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC) under the Digital Europe Proramme.
