Confluence of European Water Bodies 2025 in the Netherlands
When two or more rivers meet in a landscape, they flow together and continue as one body of water: they ‘confluence’. From 21 to 24 September 2025, representatives of more than 35 European seas, lakes, rivers, wetlands, lagoons, and glaciers will confluence in Bergen aan Zee and Amsterdam.
The Confluence 2025 is a growing and interdisciplinary community of water representatives that strives for new dialogues and relationships with Europe’s water bodies. The network was founded by the Embassy of the North Sea, TBA21–Academy and ILP Mar Menor. The first edition of the Confluence took place in 2023 at the Mar Menor in Spain – the first European ecosystem that, like people and companies, has been granted the status of a legal entity. In 2024, the community of water bodies confluenced at the Venice lagoon.
The Confluence 2025 will be launched in Amsterdam on 21 September 2025 by British writer Robert McFarlane, followed by a three-day programme put together by the Embassy of the North Sea.
During the Confluence we will explore new ways to represent water in the cultural, political and legal domain. The programme, taking place in Amsterdam and Bergen aan Zee, includes workshops, lectures, films, art installations, performances, concerts, and future thinking sessions. The general public is very welcome at the public venues including De Balie, UvA, Mediamatic, the Amstelkerk and Filmtheater Cinebergen.
Public programmes
— 19 September — 10 October @ Mediamatic
Diplomatic Suitcase Exhibition
After Murcia, Venice, Italy, Berlin and Lisbon, the Diplomatic Suitcase now travels to Mediamatic art center in Amsterdam. The Diplomatic Suitcase is the traveling exhibition of the Confluence of European Water Bodies. In a multimedia installation, it narrates about the many problems of European waters, and explains how water diplomacy and activism can lead to strong alliances. The Diplomatic Suitcase was put together and designed by Jakob Kukula and Leon Lapa Pareira. Read more about the project here.
— 21 September @ De Balie, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Robert Macfarlane opens the Confluence
Whether it’s the Amazon or the Amstel, our language, laws and economies still treat rivers as resources – channels to be dredged, diverted and controlled. In his latest book, Is a River Alive?, Robert Macfarlane asks whether rivers are beings with agency, life and rights. How would it change us if we didn’t see the river as an object, but live wíth it as a person or relative? Moderator Kees Foekema will discuss these questions in De Balie with both Robert Macfarlane and various representatives from the Confluence network. This programme is fully booked.
— 24 September @ Amstelkerk, 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Water Bodies Orchestra & Dogger Bank Coalition Inaugural Meeting
The Confluence concludes in the Amstelkerk (Amstel Church) with the Dogger Bank Coalition Inaugural Meeting. The Dogger Bank Coalition, consisting of nature organisations from the four Dogger Bank countries: Blue Marine Foundation (UK), BUND (D), WWF (DK), ARK Rewilding, the Embassy of the North Sea, Doggerland Foundation (NL) and ATU (IRL), will be working over the coming years on reef restoration and on better legal, cultural and political representation of the Dogger Bank, a unique but seriously damaged submarine sandbank. The evening starts with the Water Bodies Orchestra, an interactive performance led by artists Harpo ‘t Hart and Steye Hallema. This programme is fully booked.
— 23 September @ Cinebergen, 8 p.m @ Cinebergen
The latest documentary by Petr Lom (I am the River, the River is me) about the volcanic islands of Cape Verde, where wind and ocean determine the lives of animals and humans. With a Q&A with makers Petr Lohm and Corinne Egeraat. Register here
Closed sessions
— 22 September @ Bergen aan Zee
Internal workshop day
A full day of session in and around the Zeehuis, aimed for the members of the Confluence of European Water Bodies to meet and exchange.
— 23 September @ Museum Kranenburgh in Bergen
Water Bodies Future Thinking Session
During this closed session, the Confluence will take the next step towards a collective vision for the future of the network. External guests and speakers are among others: Claudia Fernandez de Cordoba Farini / Living Imaginaries; Li An Phoa / Drinkable Rivers and Arne Hendriks
— 24 September @ University of Amsterdam
Rights of Nature Beyond the Looking Glass
Researchers from the UvA, led by Laura Burgers, expert in the field of the rights of nature, have started a research project entitled Rights of Nature beyond the Looking Glass. The aim is to explore the potential and implications of the rights of nature in Europe, specifically from the perspective of the Global South. On 24 September 2025, the team invites all Confluence participants to a series of world cafés in which questions will be discussed such as: what do the rights of nature mean to you, what are the challenges and success strategies? How do you view your own indigeneity and are you inspired by indigenous perspectives?
Radical shift in perspective
The Confluence of European Water Bodies is for anyone interested in new ways to make the voices of more-than-human life heard in language, law, economics and politics. “The poor ecological state of European waters shows that the current handling of water is unsustainable – for the health of the waters and of the people. The solutions sought so far, such as Natura 2000 and the Netherlands Nature Network, have not been able to reverse the loss of biodiversity.” This statement was made by Christiane Bosman who leads the Confluence on behalf of the Embassy of the North Sea [read the full interview here]. “A radical shift in perspective is needed, where waters are no longer viewed as human assets, but as living entities that belong to themselves and have the right to better representation, protection and restoration.”
We are: Akerselva, Antarctic, Baltic Sea, Deep Sea, Dogger Bank, Drina, 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, Schelde, Snæfellsjökul, Spree, Tara, Tagliamento, Tavignanu, Tejo, Ticino, Vättern, Venice lagoon, Viskan, Vistula, Wattenmeer and Zenne
De Confluence of European Water Bodies 2025 is kindly supported by Cultuurfonds, VriendenLoterij Fonds, Forest Peace and Chalmers University Zweden.
