Press Release:

Kingston Rivers festival event with King’s Legal Clinic and London Waterkeeper

The River Thames appearing in Kingston Country Court?

King’s College London’s Human Rights and Environment Clinic in collaboration with London Waterkeeper (https://www.londonwaterkeeper.org.uk/) will be at the Kingston River Cultures Festival on Saturday 6th September at Canbury Gardens, Kingston Upon Thames. The Kingston River Cultures Festival is part of the Totally Thames Festival and Kingston 2025 which aims to celebrate the borough’s past, present and future marking the 1100th anniversary of the crowning of King Athelstan. His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh will be in attendance to open the new Athelstan Gardens. Reflecting the growing importance of the Rights of Nature, Sue Willman KC (hon), Assistant Director and Supervising Solicitor at King’s Legal Clinic, and Natalie Bone, Student Director within King’s Legal Clinic, have been invited to meet with the Duke.

The aim of the event is to use art and law to introduce the concept of the Rights of Nature to the local community. The stall is centred around the question ‘Should the River Thames have the right to go to sue in Kingston County Court?’.  Clinic Students will spin a quiz wheel and ask questions about the river and legal rights. As well as an interactive art workshop hosted by hosted by local artist Olivia Twist there will be lively discussions with the London Waterkeeper about how to get involved with protecting local waterways.

Theo Thomas, London Waterkeeper, said ‘Awareness of water pollution is greater than it has ever been, but we are still too far from having the solutions we need. More people can speak up for rivers and press for investment that is going improve their health and be cost-effective. Being an advocate for your river is empowering; you hold the authorities to account, and make sure that nature is part of the debate.’

Student Advisor Nauman Nadeem said, ‘The idea of nature having inherent rights is as radical as it is necessary. To me it is important because it reframes our relationship with the natural world not as one of exploitation, which assumes we are somehow external and separate from it, but as one of cooperation and solidarity.’

The stall will run from 12pm to 8pm at Canbury Gardens: https://thamesfestivaltrust.org/whats-on/kingston-river-cultures-festival-23913/.