13-11-2025

During the Island(er)s at the Helm end conference 'New perspectives on climate challenges in the (Dutch) Caribbean' from 21-23 October at the University of Curaçao, our researchers presented their findings, reflected on the last four years of the Islanders at the Helm project and shared insights that matter for everyone living and working on any of the islands of St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius, Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.

Four keynote speakers, Professor Kathryn Yusoff (Queen Mary University of London), Dr. Nelson Mota, (Delft University of Technology), Professor Melanie Newton (University of Toronto), Dr. Keston Perry ( University of California) joined us in the conversations.

The  Island(er)s at the Helm project started in 2021 for a period of five years. In the meantime more than 20 researchers have explored a wide range of questions regarding how islanders on St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius, Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao have been living with climate challenges, both in the past and the present. From climate justice, to visual anthropology, to ethnopaleontology, to musicology, and more - our researchers have utilized a myriad of different perspectives from the social sciences, humanities and beyond to ponder a variety of issues surrounding climate adaption. 

For those who couldn't make it to Curaçao, livestreams of the morning plenary sessions can be watched back here These sessions include presentations from all the keynote speakers as well as the Island(er)s project researchers.

Soualiga Newsday (Sint Maarten) wrote a summary of the conference on their website.