Riding the Blue Wave: As Curaçao Cheers for Its Home Team, Sandals Resorts' Future Goals Program Inspires the Next Generation of Fútbol Dreamers and Vacationers Alike
/PRNewswire/ -- As Curaçao prepares for a historic summer on the global soccer stage, Sandals Resorts is celebrating the island's passion for the game both on and off the field. Through Future Goals, a sustainability-driven youth initiative led by the Sandals Foundation in partnership with Dutch football club AFC Ajax and local recycler Limpi Recycling, students across Curaçao are learning that the power of sport extends far beyond the final whistle. At the same time, guests visiting Sandals Royal Curaçao this summer are invited to experience the island's soccer spirit firsthand through the resort's new Vacation Goals: Curaçao Edition program, creating a unique connection between community impact and cultural celebration.
Students enrolled in the Future Goals program helped create and unveil a vibrant public art installation in the historic Kura Hulanda district on World Oceans Day, using blue and yellow recycled materials to celebrate Team Curaçao's historic World Cup qualification and four years of the program's community and environmental impact across the island.
Against the backdrop of Curaçao’s coastline, Future Goals soccer posts reflect the power of partnership. Through an initiative led by the Sandals Foundation, recycled plastic and recovered fishing nets are transformed into colorful goal posts that help students develop teamwork, leadership skills and environmental awareness.
Aerial view of Sandals Royal Curaçao, where guests can immerse themselves in Curaçao’s historic soccer summer through the resort’s Vacation Goals: Curaçao Edition program, featuring spirited watch parties, local cultural experiences, and opportunities to connect with sustainability initiatives making an impact across the island.
Pictured here, guests at Sandals Royal Curaçao participate in hands-on coral restoration through the resort's partnership with BRANCH Coral Foundation, helping to nurture and outplant coral fragments.
Future Goals: A Program with Purpose
Now in its fourth year and recently extended through 2028, Future Goals transforms plastic waste and discarded ghost fishing nets collected from the sea into colorful soccer goal posts for elementary schools across Curaçao. Paired with an eight-week curriculum that blends environmental awareness, teamwork and on-the-field training, the program uses sport as a vehicle to teach life skills while fostering environmental stewardship among the island's youth.
At the heart of the initiative is a network of local "Future Coaches," who receive specialized training and mentorship through Dutch football club AFC Ajax's renowned youth development methodology. Together, they bring the program to classrooms and communities across Curaçao, helping students build confidence, leadership skills and a love of the game.
To date, Future Goals has:
Recycled more than 7,500 pounds of plastic waste
Repurposed more than 3,390 square feet of ghost fishing nets
Created and distributed more than 116 soccer goal posts across Curaçao
Reached more than 5,345 students across the island's primary schools
Produced locally by Limpi Recycling, the goal posts serve as a visible reminder of the program's circular approach, turning materials collected from Curaçao's shores into opportunities for play, learning and growth. Limpi also operates an educational outpost where visitors can learn more about the island's recycling efforts and circular economy initiatives.
"Curaçao's historic moment on the global soccer stage is about so much more than the game itself; it's about possibility and inspiring the next generation," said Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts. "Through Future Goals, we're using the power of sport to create lasting impact in local communities while giving young people the tools, confidence and opportunities to dream bigger."
A Celebration in Blue: A Student-designed Public Installation Debuts in Honor of Curaçao's Historic Soccer Moment
The program's impact is on full display for travelers and locals as students unveiled the Future Goals Year End Showcase on World Oceans Day, transforming a street in the historic Kura Hulanda district into a vibrant celebration of Curaçao's soccer pride, creativity and commitment to sustainability. Designed and created by thousands of students, the blue-themed public art installation used recycled plastic waste and recovered ghost fishing nets collected through Future Goals, turning materials once destined for landfills and the sea into colorful blue and yellow displays honoring Curaçao's historic moment as the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup.
More than 22 participating schools contributed to the installation, collecting nearly 850 pounds of plastic waste, 192,319 plastic lids and more than 430 square feet of ghost fishing nets. Following the display period, materials from the installations will be returned to Limpi Recycling for continued processing and reuse, reinforcing the program's commitment to creating a more sustainable future both on and off the field.
The Island's Match-Day Energy Comes Alive at Sandals Royal Curaçao
As excitement builds across Curaçao this summer, visitors can also experience the island's soccer spirit firsthand through "Vacation Goals: Curaçao Edition" at Sandals Royal Curaçao. The limited-time summer program invites guests to celebrate alongside the island with lively watch parties, globally inspired food and beverage offerings, on-resort soccer activations and immersive cultural experiences, including the Curaçao Futbòl Culture Tour from Island Routes.
Beyond the soccer celebrations, guests can also connect with Curaçao's natural environment through the resort's partnership with BRANCH Coral Foundation, which now offers opportunities to participate in hands-on coral restoration efforts.
For more information on Future Goals, please visit [LINK].
About Sandals Royal Curaçao: Opened in 2022 as Sandals Resorts' first property in the Dutch Caribbean, Sandals Royal Curaçao sits on 44 oceanfront acres within the Santa Barbara estate, just 15 miles from Willemstad. The adults-only, all-inclusive resort features 351 rooms and suites across 25 categories, including signature accommodations such as the AWA Seaside Butler Bungalows Kurason Island Poolside Butler Bungalows, and Asombroso Rondoval Butler Villas. Guests enjoy 11 global dining concepts, 13 bars serving premium spirits, unlimited land and water sports, and PADI®-certified scuba diving for qualified divers. Stays of seven nights or longer in butler level suites include access to Sandals' Island Inclusive Dining program — offering a curated off-site restaurant experience with transportation, while select top category suites offer a complimentary MINI Cooper for island exploration. Additional amenities include the Red Lane® Spa, daily fitness classes, and access to the nearby Old Quarry Golf Course. Blending Dutch-Caribbean character with Sandals' elevated all-inclusive experience, the resort seamlessly connects guests to both luxury and local culture.
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