Dialogue on Living in Harmony with Nature

On 18 June 2026, water@leeds hosted a high-level discussion bringing together UK and international experts to explore the future of the United Nations Harmony with Nature Programme and its growing global movement.

We invite you to watch our film with interviews from participants who took part in the day.

Led by Professor Julia Martin-Ortega, the event welcomed Maria Mercedes Sánchez, Coordinator of the United Nations Harmony with Nature Programme from 2009 to 2024, who was visiting from New York. During her visit, Sánchez identified water@leeds as a key focal point for advancing dialogue, knowledge exchange and collaboration among UK stakeholders engaged with the international Harmony with Nature agenda.

The event also featured a presentation by Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle, Member of the House of Lords, who introduced her proposed Nature’s Rights Bill and discussed its relevance to emerging legal and policy approaches that recognise the rights of the natural world.

Participants heard an overview of the UN Harmony with Nature Programme, including its global vision, achievements and current priorities. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2009, the programme promotes a non-anthropocentric approach to sustainable development, placing the Rights of Nature at its core. It advocates recognising the intrinsic value of nature and aligning human activities with natural processes, while drawing on the knowledge and practices of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

The discussion then turned to examples of UK-based research and practice, including the concept of Riverkin, developed by researchers at the University of Leeds. Riverkin was used as a conversation starter to explore how re-establishing kinship relationships with rivers can contribute to the wider international movement for recognising and respecting nature's rights.

The event highlighted opportunities for strengthening collaboration between researchers, policymakers and practitioners working to advance more harmonious relationships between people and the natural world. It also reinforced the role of the University of Leeds, through water@leeds, in supporting interdisciplinary dialogue on environmental governance and sustainability.

The event and accompanying film were co-funded by water@leeds and the Cheney Fellowship at the University of Leeds.

For further information about the event, please contact [email protected].