A river is a gathering that seeks the sea. A confluence is the moment we begin to move together.
The Confluence of European Water Bodies 2025, taking place in Amsterdam and Bergen aan Zee and hosted by the Embassy of the North Sea, brought together representatives of water bodies to imagine, discuss, and strategize on the political representation of water. Through workshops, screenings, future thinking sessions, ritual, and art, this interdisciplinary network of diverse practitioners seeks creative propositions for ecosystem regeneration through the Rights of Nature framework and other strategies.
Four days, 35 water bodies, more than 15 workshops, thinking sessions, and world cafés, hundreds of aquatic allies at public events, and a coalition for the Dogger Bank launched, we are incredibly grateful to all of you for making this network of mutual support possible.
Robert Macfarlane in conversation with Kees Foekema at La Balie, Amsterdam. Photo by Jan Boeve.
Future thinking session and communal artwork creation guided by Arne Hendriks at Museum Kranenburgh.
Launch of the Dogger Bank Coalition at Amstelkerk. Photo by Dirk Koeme.
A big thank you to all the water bodies: Akerselva, Baltic Sea, Deep Sea, Dogger Bank, Drina, Dôn, Genova waters, Irish Sea & Liffey, Klarälven, Laguna de la Janda, Loire, Maas, Mar Menor, Mediterranean, North Sea, Odra, Os_lo Fjord, Ouse, Pek, Piave, Reuss, Reva, Rhine, Rhône, Snæfellsjökul, Spree, Tara, Tagliamento, Tavignanu, Tejo, Ticino, Vättern, Venice lagoon, Viskan, Vistula, Wattenmeer and Zenne, and to our supporters this year: Cultuurfonds, VriendenLoterij Fonds, Forest Peace, and Chalmers University, Sweden.
The Confluence of European Water Bodies was founded in 2023 by the Embassy of the North Sea, ILP Mar Menor, and TBA21–Academy.
See glimpses of the program below:
Keep in touch! Follow us on Instagram via @ambassadevdnoordzee and @tba21academy, or subscribe to the Confluence Newsletter.
