Curaçao has a colorful history with a rich heritage of Native Arowak, Spanish, Dutch, African, Jewish and Portuguese origins. These cultural origins have mixed and mingled to form what in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries evolved into our contemporary Caribbean culture. In the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries this culture was further enriched with influences of modern Surinamese, Portuguese, Chinese, Arabic, Anglo-Caribbean, French Caribbean and Latin American origins. On multiple occasions since its discovery by the Spanish explorer Alonso D’Ojeda in 1499, Curaçao played an important role in the world economy and has proven the great trade potential of its geographic location. People from all corners of the world who have come to Curaçao repeatedly recognized its unique value to our world heritage.
In order to advance in the twenty-first century a community needs to remain open to the world and needs to interact and cooperate with other communities on a basis of trust and brotherhood. That is why we who love Curaçao invite you to join us as we embrace our diverse cultural heritage, our accomplishments and lessons learned, as the cornerstones of our identity as a people, and continue on a cosmopolitan path of innovative and sustainable development.
Whether you’re just passing through or are staying for a while, be sure to have a fabulous time here!
