Bike route Arts festival Watou 2024

Bicycle route with climate poetry: Swimming lessons for later

At the end of last year, the Westhoek and Watou were flooded. Streets disappeared, houses were submerged, fields were underwater. For a moment, Watou seemed to have sunk below sea level.
The climate is changing, do we just stand by and watch, or do we take action?

The bicycle route 'Swimming lessons for later' features 13 climate poets who aim to inspire, disturb, mobilize, and above all, empower us to take care of this world that is our home.

The route takes you past climate poems by Saskia van Leendert, Anke Cuijpers, Lies Van Gasse, David Troch, Jana Arns, Seckou Ouologuem, Heidi Koren, Yousra Benfquih, Jee Kast, Alex Gentjens, Sylvie Marie, Pieter Van de Walle, and Sara Eelen.

Each poem is accompanied by a QR code at the location. If you scan it, you will hear the climate poems performed by actress Marijke Pinoy.

Share your cycling, reading, and listening moments with #watou2024 #kunstenfestivalwatou #klimaatdichters