# Ceremony Ideas | Water is Life

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<img src="https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk/uploads/images/gallery/2024-06/scaled-1680-/dip-dive.jpg" width=100 alt="dip and deep dive" style="float:right">

## Ideas and Assets to Create Your Ceremony
On this page you will find many ideas for your water ceremony. We have also created outreach materials for you to promote your ceremony. You can use the editable versions of the leaflets to add your text, QR codes and date/place of your ceremony and also use the printer-ready versions to send to a professional printer.

Download <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17M29EtbWHgj6Kw93SjrZzf8CfdHlTGW0?usp=drive_link" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Stickers | posters | flyers</a>

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<img src="https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk/uploads/images/gallery/2024-06/scaled-1680-/dirty-water-wave-6-sticker-option-1-60mm-dia-no-bleed.jpg" width=230 alt="ceremony water is life sticker">

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<img src="https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk/uploads/images/gallery/2024-06/scaled-1680-/dirty-water-wave-6-ceremony-a3-poster-river-cmyk-resized.jpg" width=210 alt="ceremony water is life poster">

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<img src="https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk/uploads/images/gallery/2024-06/scaled-1680-/43cc454e0a2145faaf72c3eeb404c93aisosjwx03dlevwj2-1.jpg" width=210 alt="ceremony water is life poster">

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## Some Inspiration & Ideas
### Community
- Engage other river / water user groups to build a community of stewards.
- Lead walks, clear litter / blockages.
- Consider joining a <a href="https://theriverstrust.org/take-action/volunteer-opportunities" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">water testing group.</a> <!-- water testing opportunity link -->
- Offer <a href="https://cloud.extinctionrebellion.uk/s/AYtz6sifD6ceoKX" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Science Street Talk</a><!-- Science Street Talk link --> to other groups.
- Share research to strengthen knowledge and connection to the waterways.
- Post on social media, highlighting local pollution issues.
- Discuss the change you want to see to the waterbodies you care about.
- Read about other ceremonies.
  - <a href="https://www.thecelebrantdirectory.com/sand-ceremonies/
" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Unity Sand Ceremony</a>
  

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### Art & Creativity
- Create artwork
- Write or read poetry
- Make mandalas
- Chant / sing to rivers / make music (more on this below)
- Use Sound Bowls
 <!-- sound bowls youtube -->
<p class="align-center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NOyP07_l50g" title="How to Use a Sound Bowl" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
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### Music & Storytelling
- <a href="https://youtu.be/PV4jyT1FcfU?si=bfB9E9GLqjY9aFUt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Song of the Thames</a> (YouTube 29min) by Sam Lee - singer and song collector.
- Traditional Native Storytelling - <a href="https://youtu.be/g2FTrPUpXNQ?si=bLXzA2bs2c6n3477" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Salmon Boy</a> (YouTube 12min) with Roger Fernandes.
- <a href="https://youtu.be/Hg1xFYpXuWA?si=wv9q9DJrVNpwbF6H" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Lost Words Blessing</a> - (YouTube 4min) a song created from Robert Macfarlane's book The Lost Words.
- Collect stories.
- <a href="https://cloud.extinctionrebellion.uk/s/xFg5cRH2DmrAztK" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Running order</a> [Dropbox 1 min] for the Ceremony for the River Wye.
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### Promote
- Share the ceremony with local authorities, politicians, other water users and engage schools & colleges.
- Incorporate [Blue Plaques for Nature.](https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk/link/1518#bkmrk-page-title) This could include a QR code on the plaque which could point to the history of the waterbody.

[![blueplaquesRNN.png](https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk/uploads/images/gallery/2025-04/scaled-1680-/img-0094.jpeg)](https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk/uploads/images/gallery/2025-04/scaled-1680-/img-0094.jpeg)
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### Puppets/Masks/Costumes
- Make a ‘big splash’ in your local media with colourful [puppets, masks and costumes](https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk/link/1507#bkmrk-page-title).
- Welcoming the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZRMBgu7YYk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">River Wye Ceremony</a> [YouTube 5min] at Herefordshire Council featuring Wye River Goddess puppet.