Today, delegates to the International Federation of Actors (FIA) 22nd World Congress elected Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) President Gabrielle Carteris to serve as the organization’s president — the first time an American leader has been elected to helm the nearly 70 year old global union federation.
“It is my profound honor to be elected president of the International Federation of Actors,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris. “For nearly seventy years, FIA has been a leader and fighter for actors around the world. FIA has worked tirelessly to make stages, sets and studios more diverse and equitable, in addition to creating a culture of respect and accountability in the entertainment, media and performing arts industry that transcends international boundaries. I am grateful to Ferne Downey for her leadership as president over the past nine years, and look forward to working with my colleagues across FIA in the years ahead.”
As leader of the FIA, Carteris will continue fight to empower collective bargaining and workers rights globally, improve working conditions, encourage ratification of the World Intellectual Property Organization Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances, protect intellectual property and artists’ creations, promote global diversity, support artistic freedom of expression, and distinguish actors’ special status for FIA’s 80 Member Organizations. She will play a fundamental role in securing actors’ conditions of employment and supporting actors’ endeavours by sharing experience, providing technical expertise and conveying the solidarity of its worldwide membership. Carteris will also play a leading role in fighting for fair representation, inclusion, accessibility, and equal opportunities in the entertainment, media and performing arts industry.In all of this work, Carteris will uphold the special status accorded to the cultural sector.
“Gabrielle has spent her entire career in the entertainment industry, whether as an actor herself or standing up for workers in her role as SAG-AFTRA President, and I’m confident she will be a fantastic president of the International Federation of Actors,” said Dominick Luquer, FIA Secretary General. “We must continue our critical work to expand the protections of collective bargaining, and make the entertainment industry more inclusive, supportive, and safe for workers all over the world. It’s clear that Gabrielle has a deep-rooted commitment to protecting each and every worker in our industry, and I’m so proud and grateful to welcome her as International Federation of Actors President.”
Read the full Press Release here.
