Wisdoms of Water

Astrida Neimanis is a cultural theorist working at the intersection of feminism and environmental change. Her research focuses on bodies, water, and weather, and how they can help us reimagine justice, care, responsibility and relation in the time of climate catastrophe.

Francesca Mariano (also Francesca Heart, Serpentine Dance) is a movement and sound artist, somatic practitioner, with volcanic and marine origins in Southern Italy.

Veronica Strang is an author and professor of anthropology affiliated to Oxford University. Her work combines cultural anthropology with environmental studies, and focuses on the relationship between human communities and their environments.

Sara Campbell is a British freediver and former holder of four depth world records, her deepest dive ever being to 104m on one breath. Fusing her spiritual practice and her explorations to the depths of the ocean on one breath, Sara created a unique teaching philosophy to guide people beyond their fears; not only to greater literal depths in the ocean but towards their true potential, peace and joy. Using freediving as a metaphor for how we live, Sara embodies our connection with the ocean as human beings, our own biology guiding us back to innate wisdom, and deep connection with nature.

Charlotte Pulver has a background in natural healthcare, studying and practising various medical systems of healing for 20+ years specialising in women’s healthcare and mental health. Her love is rooted in making medicines for people which she sells through ‘Pulver’s Apothecary’.

Peggy Pierrot is an intellectual worker, teacher and independent researcher (on software, human sciences and popular cultures), writer, radio host living in Brussels, Belgium. She teaches media theory and speculative fiction at ERG. For the fourth TOPOS residency she will carry her bag of popular fictions with her.

Matthew Fox might well be the most creative, the most comprehensive, surely the most challenging religious-spiritual teacher in America.

Bayo Akomolafe (PhD) is Chief Curator and Executive Director of The Emergence Network.

Born of Ngati Kahugnunu, tribal descent, WHAIA - Sonic Weaver is a transcendant vocalist, alchemical performer, First Nations Multi-instrumentalist, Designer, Creative Cultural Producer and visionary Facilitator. She is an elemental voice of water and board member of Oceanic Global. As keynote speaker for World Oceans day at United Nations Headquarters in New York City 2023, WHAIA’s Sacred Sonics open your heart in effortless ways taking you on a journey through realms yet to be discovered. With a depth of ochre in her skin and mana in her bones, Whaia is a true warrior woman with a soft yet powerful delivery, entwining one’s heart, body and spirit.

Veda is a water researcher, public speaker, mother, artist and author. She has dedicated the last 10 years observing and photographing the life of water. She believes that water is fluid intelligence, observing itself through every living organism on the planet and in the Universe.

World renowned intellectual and advocate for the preservation and celebration of biodiversity against genetic engineering and the negative impact of globalisation. She is an important voice in favour of people-centered, participatory processes; support to grassroots networks; women rights and ecology. Time Magazine identified Dr. Shiva as an “environmental hero” in 2003, and Asia Week has called her one of the five most powerful communicators of Asia.

Rajendra Singh is an Indian water conservationist and environmentalist from Alwar district, Rajasthan in India. Also known as "waterman of India", he runs an NGO called 'Tarun Bharat Sangh' (TBS), which was founded in 1975.