Sailing trip planned to celebrate Capeverdian milestones

Tall ship set to tour the Cape Verde islands

A 10-day sailing trip on the 60m Tall Ship, Eendracht around Cape Verdean islands is planned for 2025 to celebrate the country’s 50 years of independence as well as 75 years of relations between Rotterdam and Cape Verde.

Thousands of Cape Verdean sailors travelled to Rotterdam in the 1950s to work for Dutch shipping companies like P&O Nedlloyd, Van Ommeren, Jumbo Shipping and HAL. Today some 30,000 Cape Verdeans still live in Rotterdam.

Celebrations will kick off next month in Verhalenhuis Belvédère,in Katendrecht, a historic and still iconic neighborhood where sailors used to spend their shore leave in Rotterdam.

The Cape Verdean ‘Rotterdammers’ integrated easily while supporting their families in Cabo Verde and at the same time contributing to the struggle for the independence of Cabo Verde and Guinea Bissau. The community in Rotterdam contributed by creating a strong cultural identity and setting up associations, record companies and shipping lines maintaining a strong link with the motherland.

The Netherlands are currently contributing to the construction of a new Cruise Terminal in Porto Grande, Mindelo on the island of São Vicente that is planned to be inaugurated in 2025. Porto Grande was the original departure point of thousands of young sailors to Rotterdam.

The ‘From Cape to Cape’ program will consist of an exhibition, a podcast, a book, a film documentary and a very special sailing expedition with first generation Caboverdean sailors and Rotterdam youngsters, especially youngsters that have had less possibilities and resources to participate in (cultural) activities.

Tall ship sailing

In December this year, the threemaster De Eendracht will make a 10-day voyage to six of the ten Capeverdean islands, with and for youngsters from Rotterdam-Zuid and Katendrecht area and third or fourth generation Cabo Verdeans.

On board of the Eendracht, youngsters will actively participate and learn that working on board this type of ship can teach you a lot about life.

Owned by STC-group (Shipping & Transport College), the 35-year old De Eendracht was built by Damen Shipyards. She’s a Tall Ship measuring 60 x 13 x 5 (draft) meters, is Netherlands’ biggest gaffeltopzeilschoener and one of the largest sailing ships in the world.

During the trip around the islands we will explore the stories of the historical, cultural and maritime connection between Rotterdam and Cabo Verde. Those on board will also visit several projects that were supported or financed by the Netherlands along these 75 years maritime bond, such as the quays, the ferries, the botanical garden and the new cruise terminal.

The initiative of this project is by Jorge Oliveira Lizardo and Melanie Soares, cultural entrepreneurs and event organisers and Capeverdean representatives at Verhalenhuis Belvédère. Their (grand)parents were one of the first sailors and families to settle in Rotterdam.

“As second-generation Caboverdeans we have a great responsibility to safeguard and transmit our cultural heritage, traditions and the stories of our ancestors to younger generations. To actively contribute to this we work closely together with Verhalenhuis Belvédère,” says Manuel.