From 22 to 25 July 2022, the City of Antwerp and Port of Antwerp will be welcoming the cathedrals of the sea during The Tall Ships Races 2022, according to the Port of Antwerp's release.
This seventh edition, with a focus on sustainability and connection, was officially launched today. Youngsters between 15 and 25 years of age who want to experience this at first hand can apply for a traineeship. A total of 100 trainees are being recruited in Belgium. 10 lucky youngsters will get the chance to come on board one of the ships this summer.
It will be the seventh time that The Tall Ships Races call at Antwerp. The sailing regatta, organised by Sail Training International, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from inside and outside the city to admire the world's finest and largest sailing ships. The previous edition in 2016 attracted more than 500,000 visitors. In addition to the ships and the fringe entertainment, the focus this time is also on connection and sustainability. City and port are literally connected because, in addition to the Scheldt quays and the Eilandje, the Kattendijk Dock and the Zaha Hadidplein are also being given a prominent role. Ecopolis, a zone highlighting the innovative and sustainable developments from the City of Antwerp, Port of Antwerp and partners, will be set up in the middle of the event site. The emphasis on sustainability is continued in the choice of materials and mobility, and in the compensation of CO2 emissions by planting forests in Flanders.
Connecting is another key issue for the 3,500 trainees sailing along on the various ships during The Tall Ships Races from all over the world. The City of Antwerp and Port of Antwerp are also giving 100 youngsters between the age of 15 and 25 the chance to come along on board in 2022 on 2 routes: Harlingen – Antwerp and Antwerp – Aalborg. The trainees will be financially supported by sponsorships from companies and guided through a fund-raising process to finance part of their trip themselves. In addition, 10 youngsters will be given the opportunity through a competition on social media to come on board this summer as ambassadors of the city and port, and to participate in a unique sailing trip in Europe.