Four hundred delegates from 28 countries around the world converged on Halifax, Nova Scotia (14-15 November) for the International Sail Training and Tall Ships Conference 2008. Organised by Sail Training International in collaboration with the American Sail Training Association (the biggest of Sail Training International’s 25 member national organisations), the conference had an overall rating from delegates of close to ‘Excellent’.

Sail training vessel operators from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and throughout both Europe and North America attended, along with representatives of host ports from Europe, the Caribbean and North America. The conference comprised a mix of plenary sessions for all delegates and an á la carte menu of 16 ‘focus group’ sessions. These covered a range of topics from dealing with the current ‘economic tsunami’ and navigating the regulatory seas, to recruiting trainees, the development of a successful sail training programme, and the ingredients of a successful Tall Ships event. The conference also included a session for the Sail Training International Youth Forum, attended by 40 young sail trainers from 15 countries.

The Rt Hon Rodney MacDonald, Premier of Nova Scotia, opened the conference and a dramatic new two-minute film aimed at attracting young trainee crews to participate in Tall Ships events was premiéred.  (This can now be seen on http://www.sailtraininginternational.org/page.asp?partid=959)

It was also announced that Sail Training International’s Conference in 2009 will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, in November, one of the host ports for the Historical Seas Tall Ships Regatta, being held in 2010.