The Confluence of European Water Bodies 2026 (September 3–6), hosted along the River Spree in Berlin and curated by Symbiotic Lab, brought together representatives of over 50 water bodies from 18 countries alongside artists, scientists, Indigenous representatives, and activists. The Embassy represented the Baltic Sea through Arnis Kadikis (Latvia), Anne Marie Flood and Noémi Zelander Dukai (Sweden). The gathering aimed at reimagine Europe's relationship with water by recognising water bodies as living, political actors and cultivating shared practices of care, law, art, and governance. The gathering’s guiding questions were: How can we learn to live with water differently? What responsibilities emerge when we recognize water and aquatic ecosystems as living political actors? How do we build cultures of care around water? Above to the left; All participating Water Bodies (The blue boards are made by Cecylia Malik, River Sisters/Siostry Rzeki Poland) Above to the right; Astrids Neimanis,

An action programme for the Stockholm archipelago outlines 34 proposals for a healthier marine environment, framing the Baltic Sea as a living system with rights that should be considered alongside human interests.

This autumn, the Embassy of the Baltic Sea collaborates in an experiment in ecological representation: Consulates of the Baltic Sea. Together with the research-driven art and design collective Nonhuman Nonsense and the Åland-based regenerative company Under Ytan, we will explore what it might mean to represent a living sea — and what kinds of places, practices and relationships could make such representation possible. Every day, decisions are made about the Baltic Sea: how much fish can be taken from it. What can be built along its shores and on its seabed. What substances may enter its waters. Which forms of economic activity should grow. Which habitats should be protected. Around the tables where decisions are made sit governments, businesses, scientists, municipalities, fishers and sometimes environmental organisations. But what would it mean for the Baltic Sea itself to be represented? And how could a human being take on such a responsibility? These questions go to the heart of why

The Embassy of the Baltic Sea and the Embassy of the North Sea gathered in Copenhagen May 21- 22, for exchange, collaboration, and ceremony centered on cross-border water governance from a rights of nature perspective. A key part of the meeting was a workshop on mapping held by Ziega van den Berk, Sebastian van Berkel and Tea Hadžizulfić from MUST NL. Today’, maps representing the Dogger Bank and the North Sea are static and technocratic in nature. The North Sea is reduced to nothing more than a blue surface with straight lines. These maps contribute to the exploitation and colonisation of the sea. The workshop was held at WW Denmark and we together imagined a new seascape map of the North Sea, exploring how mapping can serve not only as a technical tool, but also as a way of recognizing relationships, responsibilities, and forms of representation. Ziega van der Berk and Sara Lehman Svensson in map-making mode. The exercise was part of a project visualizing the dynamics and the comple

The Embassy of the Baltic Sea stands behind the coalescing Ocean Rights Movement! The launch of the Ocean Rights website marks a transition from an initiative to a fully structured global movement. With a growing coalition of 60 organisations from 20+ countries, the focus is now on concrete action and coordination. The Ocean Rights Vision is to achieve an ethical relationship between humanity and the Ocean. A relationship where: Human activities respect the Ocean’s ecological capacities; Economic models prioritise long-term health over short-term gains; Indigenous wisdom and scientific knowledge drive policy and action; and Humanity embraces a collective shift in behavior, honoring our responsibilities as caretakers of the Ocean. - Ocean Rights is not about imposing a single legal vision. It’s about enabling and supporting many pathways that honour the Ocean’s intrinsic value, says Michelle Bender from Ocean Vision Legal. - We are thrilled that Ocean Vision Legal has created this platf

The River Odra is one of the largest veins of the Baltic Sea watershed. Today, growing movements are calling for the Odra to be recognised as a living entity with legal personhood.