In honour of this celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, we looked to Italian and Italo-Australian women for some words of wisdom.

Here’s what they had to say...

Lily D’Ambrosio – Minister for Energy Environment and Climate Change 

Our dreams are often at odds with our realities, demanding resources we may not have.

But this doesn’t make them impossible to achieve.

Press on. Every challenge and hurdle that you cross takes you a step closer to your dream.

So it is important to not give up and push forward even when it feels impossible.

Paola Magni – Senior Lecturer in Forensic Science at Murdoch University, Perth, WA; Deputy Dean & Director of SCRIPT at Murdoch University, Singapore 

To achieve success, you need to be willing to take risks, persevere and take on responsibilities.

Being tenacious and being stubborn are two different things.

Tenacity is intelligence and flexibility in the face of a changing world (both internal and external); stubbornness, on the other hand, prevents us from seeing new opportunities and trying new things.

Daniela Costa – Doctor and president of Australian Donna

Be curious and open to learning and relating to others.

Identify the role models in your life and become one for other women.

Trust your own judgement and be sure of yourself.

Be prepared and explore new paths in your life and reconsider your choices.

Rula Jebreal – Journalist

Be the only protagonists of your destiny.

Write your own rules and be free.

And if you have the power, liberate other women.

I live by these words every day.

Vera Gheno – Sociolinguist

Choose your words carefully and live by them. 

A mastery of language is fundamental to all other life skills.

Every field of study requires the use of words in order for information to be conveyed.

Using words well gives us immense power, both on a personal and a professional level.

Rhonda Barro – Businesswoman

Always be true to yourself.  

Remember that happiness is in your own heart, not in someone else’s.

On your journey you will come across hurdles and may have doubts which undermine your confidence; be tenacious, take a break, assess and come up with solutions.

Be open to new associations and change, both professional and personal – opportunities arise and you’ll learn something new. 

Always respect others and their opinions, and be loyal.