With its long-standing support to this international sailing project, ACI continues to promote togetherness, tolerance and inclusivity, offering children and young people an opportunity to make new friends through sailing and spending time together
About 1,000 children and young people from over 30 countries gathered in Marina Kaštela at this year’s edition of the international Calm Sea – Peace Fleet sailing project, which has connected participants from different backgrounds through sailing, educational activities and socialising for more than 30 years. Among long-term partners of this initiative is also ACI, which, this year as well, has lent its support to the project aimed at promoting peace, tolerance and social inclusivity. This year’s Peace Fleet, held from 19 to 26 September, included about 100 boats and brought together children and youth from socially vulnerable groups, those with disabilities and developmental difficulties and participants from various cultural and social environments.
Sea as the place of encounters, friendship and togetherness
The Calm Sea – Peace Fleet project was established in 1994 with the aim of connecting children and youth from war-torn areas. Over 30 years, it has evolved into an international initiative that promotes solidarity, mutual understanding and acceptance of diversity through sailing. Since 2013, Marina Kaštela has hosted the main part of the programme, in which participants, apart from sailing together, also participate in workshops, concerts and many other activities.
Living on a boat gives the children and young people an opportunity to develop independence, responsibility and mutual trust. Through everyday activities that they do together – from preparing meals to raising the sails – they learn to work together, overcome language and cultural differences and forge friendships that go beyond any boundaries.
At the press conference held to mark this year’s edition of the project, Ante Bačić, director of ACI Marina Trogir, expressed ACI’s support, highlighting the importance of long-term cooperation and values promoted by the Peace Fleet.
“Once again this year, ACI has had the pleasure to lend its support to the Calm Sea – Friedensflotte project, with which we have a long-standing and successful cooperation. We are especially happy that, through this project, the sea becomes a place of encounters and connections, a place where new friendships are forged by children and youth with different backgrounds. We are proud to be able to contribute to an initiative that promotes togetherness, tolerance, inclusivity and peace, and we will continue to support projects in the future that make positive changes and promote values we share as well”, said Bačić.
ACI’s long-standing support to socially responsible projects
ACI’s support to this year’s Peace Fleet is part of the cooperation that, in May, included providing daily berths for project participants in ACI marinas Rovinj and Pula. In this way, ACI offered its support to participants during their stay on the Adriatic and contributed to activities aimed at social inclusivity and bringing people together.
By continuing its partnership with the Calm Sea – Peace Fleet project, ACI proves its dedication to socially responsible activities and initiatives that make the sea and sailing available to children and youth from different backgrounds. By supporting projects that promote solidarity, inclusivity and mutual understanding, ACI continues to contribute to creating positive experiences and lasting memories for new generations of boaters.
