Carnivals Pacific Partnership is strengthening its commitment to water safety in Vanuatu through a long-term partnership with Paradise Swim and Arts Academy, aimed at equipping children with vital swimming and open-water survival skills.

The sponsorship, which began last year, is now entering its second year as Carnivals continues to work closely with the academy as one of the key sports initiatives it supports. The main goal behind this partnership is to train children in different swimming techniques through structured training classes, recognizing that many people in Vanuatu grow up surrounded by water.

This morning, Senior Director of Carnivals Corporation, Michael Mihajlov, visited the swimming site while Seaside School students were attending their swimming classes with instructors from the academy.

Speaking to VBTC Sports, Mihajlov expressed pride in the ongoing partnership.

“Carnivals Pacific Partnership is very proud to sponsor the Paradise Swim and Arts Academy. It’s a long-term agreement and it’s all about empowering young people to learn to swim, to float to survive. We understand that here in Vanuatu, young people love the water but once their feet leave the floor they often panic. The first part of the empowerment is learning to float to survive. The second part, as children get more confident, is learning to swim in open water and understand ocean currents and rips and how to deal with those situations. The third part is becoming lifesavers and being able to support others in need when exposed to open water challenges. It’s an important part of capacity building in this country and we’re very proud to be part of the solution,” he said.

Mihajlov added that while this is the second year of sponsorship, the partnership is expected to continue into the future.

“This is the second year and we’re hoping to make it an ongoing commitment. We’ve got milestones which we’re reaching and which the academy team is exceeding at the moment, so we’re very proud of those results. For now, we are reorganising and planning for the future and we’re very hopeful that Paradise Swim and Arts Academy will be a long-term partner,” he said.

Through this collaboration, more children are gaining confidence in the water, learning lifesaving skills, and building knowledge that could one day save lives in their communities.

Photo credits: Paradise Swim & Arts Academy