The Goethe-Institut Finnland is hosting a cross-disciplinary dialogue as a hybrid event on the topic 'Can waters sue?' on the 12th of September, 12.00 CET to 14.30 CET. By collaborating with the Finnish National Theatre Helsinki, the event takes place at the theatre's Café Willensauna and will be livestreamed as well as recorded to (re)watch at a later time.
Background information provided by the Goethe-Institut Finnland:
The Mar Menor, a highly polluted Lagoon in Murcia, Spain is the first body of water in Europe that has been declared a legal entity in the year 2022, able to sue for its own rights. A discourse that is already advanced in other parts of the world is now spreading into Europe. In more and more countries in Europe and worldwide we see serious discussions around Rights of Nature. For instance, the Dutch parliament voted on a motion to grant the Wadden sea rights. Does a new legal status for water bodies really provide better ecological protection for them? Or does it create new conflicts of interest? And most importantly, who gets to represent each water body and by what methods? Who is the human being who gives nature a voice? Who is talking to whom? Who speaks and who listens?
Questions of representation are as well cultural and social questions and as well a rewarding artistic challenge. So, it is not surprising that artists, scientists, lawyers, and activists are joining forces to explore this ecological-cultural complex and reflect on it in a practical way. For the panel discussion 'Can waters sue?' the Goethe-Institut Finnland has invited artists and experts from different disciplines and forms of knowledge such as law, natural science, art, economy, politics, and indigenous knowledge to present and to discuss their views.
The event will be moderated by Taru Elfving (Director, CAA Contemporary Art Archipelago, Researcher, Centre for Sustainable Ocean Science (SOS), Åbo Akademi University Finland).
Follow the link to the livestream (no registration in advance necessary, just click on the link here or on the link on our website) and find more information via the institute's website at Discussion: Can waters sue? - Goethe-Institut Finland.
back