First in the Climate Awareness series, Rivers of Life, a journey through India’s rivers, was held at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru. The festival depicted the splendour of our rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands through the perspectives of 48 young students and practitioners, along with artists, musicians and teachers who came together to form a multi-layered narrative of the river over 16 days, from 2 to 16 November 2022.

Rivers of Life was conceptualised with high school children and college youth as the focus audience. Our collective climate future lies in the hands of young people — this series is one of the flagship events of the University, with the aim of spreading climate awareness and action to tens of thousands of high school and college students through the joyous medium of the Festival. 

Subsequent iterations of the Festival will move on to other, equally fascinating aspects of nature and our interactions with them. Thus in 2023, the University will hold Forests of Life in its Bengaluru campus, from 2 – 15 November.

Rivers of Life travels to…

The festival travelled to Yadgir, Karnataka, as a 3‑day exhibition of Karnataka rivers. Essay writing was conducted as an activity for the visiting school children. 1778 children and teachers from government and private schools and colleges in and around Yadgir participated in it.

Follow along on Instagram and Twitter: @azimpremjiuniv #riversoflife.