About Future Roots
St. Maarten's history lives in many places: in our families, schools, monuments, cultural institutions, archives, oral histories and community traditions. Some of this history has not been fully documented, preserved, or made easily accessible.
Future Roots brings these areas together through long-term investment. The aim is not only to preserve the past, but to strengthen the systems and people needed to carry St. Maarten's history forward. This means looking beyond commemoration alone. Future Roots focuses on practical investments that can last: teaching our history in schools, protecting monuments and archives, preserving heritage collections and improving cultural spaces, supporting research, and training St. Maarteners for careers in heritage and culture.
Our Goal
Preserving what came before. Building what comes next.
Future Roots seeks to build a stronger cultural and educational foundation for St. Maarten, one in which people can access their history, young people can see themselves reflected in what they learn, important places, records and collections are protected, and St. Maarteners have the skills and opportunities to shape the future of our heritage and cultural sector.
Across the Future Roots projects, the program will support historical awareness and cultural pride; preserve tangible and intangible heritage; improve public access to archives and cultural resources; create opportunities for education and professional development; strengthen national heritage capacity and cultural infrastructure; and encourage community participation in how St. Maarten's stories are researched, preserved and shared.
Message from the Minister
Future Roots is especially close to my heart because I believe our culture and heritage are not extras, they are part of the foundation of who we are as St. Maarteners. Our history should live not only in archives, old photographs and family stories, but in what our children learn, the places we preserve and the pride we carry forward. After all, roots are not meant to hold us back; they are what helps us grow.
This program gives us an opportunity to do more than remember. It allows us to invest in our young people, our cultural spaces, our archives and collections, and in the St. Maarteners who will become the researchers, educators, artists and heritage professionals of tomorrow. It is part of a broader vision in which our culture and heritage are actively valued, protected and shared as part of our continued development as a people.
Because this work matters so much, I was equally determined that it be carried out with transparency, efficiency and a clear focus on results. This is why the Ministry engaged the St. Maarten Development Fund as project manager and implementation partner. I am excited about what lies ahead and, especially, about the opportunities our community will have to help shape it. I welcome you to join us on this journey.
Melissa D. GumbsMinister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport