In July 2025, researchers working on the Westerwoldse Aa case study participated in the Hongerige Wolf Festival in Groningen, the Netherlands, as part of the citizen initiative From Aa to Sea. The initiative seeks to reconnect people with the riverscape and estuary of the Westerwoldse Aa through ecological restoration, storytelling and collective reflection.
The festival programme, titled When the Water Speaks, combined science, art and community engagement in a unique riverscape experience. Through presentations, storytelling, a guided walk along a historical sleeper dike and a contemporary dance performance, participants were invited to reflect on the region’s long and complex relationship with water.
The event also created space for dialogue and imagination. Visitors shared personal reflections in response to questions such as “What is your river story?” and “What if we move along with water, instead of only holding it back?”. Their answers formed a collective “river of ideas” exploring alternative futures for rivers, estuaries and coastal landscapes.
Over the festival weekend, the programme was repeated eight times with more than 50 participants per session, generating inspiring conversations among local residents, researchers and visitors from other river regions. The initiative also received visibility in the regional newspaper Dagblad van het Noorden.
At RiVIVE, we are proud to support approaches that bring together environmental knowledge, creativity and community participation to reimagine our relationships with rivers and water landscapes.