The Sail Training International annual conference will be held outside Europe this year for the first time ever. It will take place in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, 14-15 November, and be organised jointly with the American Sail Training Association (ASTA – one of the founder member national sail training organisations of Sail Training International).

“This development recognises Sail Training International’s growing engagement outside its historical European base and it will provide us with an excellent opportunity to gather more sail trainers from North America than would normally attend in Europe”, says Nigel Rowe, President of the organisation. “Halifax will also be a Sail Training International host port for the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009.”

The theme for the Sail Training Programme content will be ‘Best Practices – why we do it and how we do it’. This will include workshops on subjects such as media relations, medicine at sea, youth work, State funding, and navigating the regulatory seas. The theme for the Host Port Programme content will be ‘Working together – measuring and maximising the benefits of partnering with the sail training industry’. This will include workshops on subjects such as recruiting trainees, media case studies, corporate hospitality and economic impact studies.

The conference will be preceded by a ‘Port to Port Day’ on Thursday 13 November, which will provide opportunities for host port delegates to network with other ports and representatives of the port business community in Halifax.

Special discounted room rates have been negotiated with the Marriott Halifax Harbourfront Hotel and fees have been set to encourage sail training operators to attend this important conference. A limited number of bursaries will also be available to assist sail trainers with travel costs.

Full details of the conference, with booking form and details of bursaries will be available on the Sail Training International website from the end of May, www.sailtraininginternational.org. Delegates from North America must register via the ASTA website, also available from the end of May, www.sailtraining.org.

For further details please contact Corinne Hitching, Media & Publications Manager, Sail Training International, tel: +44 23 9258 6367, email: corinne.hitching@sailtraininginternational.org

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