Project Sail Race, the Environment & History

The project is about raising awareness at school about our ecological footprint and the ways to minimise it. Through our partnership with various organisations, we also intend to increase public awareness about environmental sustainability to a wider audience and to promote ocean literacy, ( (how healthy oceans and seas are critical for life on Earth). Finally, our students will experience a tangible example of sea-going cultural heritage and the importance of its preservation for the future.

Final examination candidates from the HAVO and VWO (grammar school) learning streams are organising the race on two-mast wooden sailing vessels. During the race, participants will be dealing with issues regarding ocean sustainability. This project is supported by the Windseeker and School at Sea, with potential partners such as the Royal Dutch Navy, the NIOZ, Blue Schools and Wageningen University. Students will be researching and producing relevant and trustworthy data relating to sustainability issues. We wish to highlight to our students the role of science and technology in finding solutions to sustainability problems. Through this experience, students will discover how education and personal development are not just restricted to the classroom.

This project will be supported by local and national partners. Our long-term vision is to develop an international network with other Blue Schools and partners throughout Europe. In this manner we can reach out to more young people and organisations to get them involved various sustainability projects in a (unique) maritime context.

Under the guidance of faculty members, this sailing race project will serve as a platform upon which students are introduced to the wider world by inviting the world on board. Through the various activities related to the Sailing Race, awareness about sustainable practices will develop and lead to other spin-off activities.