Every River Has Its Stories. Share Yours on March 14!

By: 
Kate Ross and Elizabeth Brink
Date: 
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Celebrations on the Teesta River as part of the Day of Action for Rivers
Celebrations on the Teesta River as part of the Day of Action for Rivers

"Rivers are our life, the source of our identity, the source of our ways of life and culture.”– Indigenous peoples’ activist Joan Carling (Philippines)

Every river has its people and every river has its story. Often we know these stories in our hearts and may talk about them amongst ourselves. But when we share our stories more widely, across oceans and continents, they join us (and our rivers) together. By sharing our stories, and weaving them together, we can paint a powerful image of the importance of the world’s rivers.

In 2013, as part of the International Day of Action for Rivers, you can help make a river of stories with us. International Rivers invites you to share your personal story of your river. How are you connected to your river? Why is your river important and inspiring? What is critical for the world to know about your river? We would like to hear your stories through writing, poetry, video, audio clips, or even drawings. Through March 14 and beyond, we will bring these stories together, harnessing the power of our collective voice, to demonstrate and narrate the global importance of our world’s rivers.

The river of stories will likely be just one part of the day’s activities. For the past 15 years, thousands of people around the world have lifted their voices to celebrate March 14, the International Day of Action for Rivers. Actions range from kayaking, festivals and religious gatherings, to marches, press conferences and river clean-ups. March 14 is a day to celebrate victories such as dam removal and river restoration. It is a day for many of us to take to the streets, demonstrate and demand improvements in the policies and practices of decision makers. This is a time to educate one another about the threats facing our rivers, and learn about better water and energy solutions.

Above all, the International Day of Action Against Dams and For Rivers, Water and Life is a day to unite – by acting and speaking together, we demonstrate that our issues are not merely local, but global in scope. In 2013 help us to tell our collective story!

Learn more from our website and email us at dayofaction@internationalrivers.org.