Water is of fundamental importance for our lives. It surrounds us all day, but many people no longer notice how precious it is. To reinforce the bond between people and water, Pascal Rösler, founder of the non-profit organisation Pure Water for Generations e.V., and his team have made it their responsibility to teach the youngest members of society about the significance of water. During the summer the association organised Water School Days at 20 schools and showed a total of 950 children aged from 9 to 15 what they can do to show their appreciation for water. The founder and chair of the association, Pascal Rösler, and his team of 4-6 associates created the events to help children learn to be mindful about water and also about themselves – a day by, in and on the water.
Experience water in all its dimensions
It all started with the documentary film, “2467 km – A Journey to the Black Sea”. It describes Pascal Rösler’s journey on a stand-up paddle board from Munich to the Danube delta, along with his impressions and experiences. After the film’s première in 2019 the founder was approached by many teachers asking if he would bring his film and his message to their schools. No sooner said than done: with the support of a small and very dynamic team, Pascal Rösler organised the Water Days at 20 schools across Germany in 2021. A Water Day starts with children and students watching the film, before moving on to four water stations, where they can feel and learn why water is so important for us and our planet, what disturbs its natural equilibrium and why plastic and the channelisation of rivers are a major problem. “When we talk with the kids about the problems and our core messages, many of them start to think about their own behaviour”, says the social entrepreneur, from experience.
“Today was a perfect day; we learnt a lot about the Danube. And now we understand much better why we should avoid plastic.” Pupil from Ebersberg
He and his assistants take time for the participants: on any given Water Day they discuss, paint and meditate with them, do yoga together and finally all go out on the water together – with SUPs, of course. Whether it is the quiet meditation sessions or the active paddleboarding, Pascal and his team are always struck by the same thing: “The water that carries us through all the Water Days gives the children an incredible energy. That is what drives us on from day to day and motivates us to keep doing what we think is important.”
Many small images create one big impression
The grand finale of the Water Days 2021 took place on the river Isar in September. Beforehand, the 950 pictures of the young people on and in the water were painstakingly stuck together and laid out on the riverbank. The final creation was a post card that was given to all the water artists and their supporters. A fitting interpretation of the idea that many small images create one big impression. “We try to make sure our Water Days appeal to everyone and always find that once the kids are in the water, it’s not that easy to get them out again!” admits Pascal Rösler.
Since the response this year was so positive, Pure Water For Generations e.V. plans to take the Water School Days back on tour throughout Germany again next year. “We got the feeling that the Water Days are on a wave. We wanted to go with that flow, and above all, we listen very carefully to all the feedback we get”, is how Pascal Rösler explains the success of his project. Golding Capital Partners is a long-standing partner of the non-profit organisation.
Do you know a school that would really like to host a Water School Day project next year? Would you like to find out more about the Water School Days? Then just get in touch with us, or with Pascal Rösler from Pure Water for Generations directly!
You can get more impressions of the Water School Days in this video: https://vimeo.com/604168321/6514ec9570
And further information about the association is available from: https://pure-water-for-generations.com
