Maroochy River, Maroochydore, Australia

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Julie and Layne Smerdon were visiting family near the Maroochy River in Queensland, north of Bisbane. In Bisbane Julie runs a yoga studio, Shri Yoga, teaching Anusara Yoga.

Yodogawa River, Osaka, Japan

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Artist Mengdi Li visits her place of birth. Yodogawa River is often referred to as the Yodo River.

I choose Yodogawa River because it ‘s the largest river in the city I live and I crossed the river everyday when I went to school. I was happy to participate in this project. I like that it ‘s a collaboration with people around the world who I ‘ve never met. and by participating in the project brought me a common sense with the others. I think it ‘s interesting that water affects our lives in a similar way even when we come from different cultures.

Vrbas River, Banja Luka, Bosnia

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Snjezana Kovacevic lives along the Vrbas River in the Republic of Srpska, northwest Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It was a clear Sunday in Bosnia as I dipped the white cloth into the River. I felt my hands getting wet and the water was ice cold. I had to take care of my balance as I squat beside the swift water, and had to take care not to get my feet wet. I had to take care I smiled, had to take care the wind doesn’t blow off my adored Indian shawl into the rushing River. And I had to take care…then I thought of the World Rivers idea and of all the good people who had or would join together in order to make a DIFFERENCE. And how it mattered, it mattered to me so much that I had to be one of them. Suddenly, I started hearing the River. The flow of my beloved native Vrbas River was the Flow of Life Itself, and the shiny green noise it was spreading. My heart receives the secret and sacred message of the old Sage called the River and expanding…getting bigger and bigger until I finally felt all was One and I was one with everything. I was One with the lively babbling River, with the snow-covered tops of the Banja Luka hills, one with the first spring grass and flowers, with the sparkling stones at the River bottom, one with the sun rays bathing in the water; I was one with my expanding heart, I was thoughtless but yet alert, and one with my boyfriend and the camera; One with Lee, who I had never seen but knew had initiated the World Rivers; One with Milijana, a dear friend who got me interested; One with water, air, fire and earth – I was One with All and that All was Love that the River was awakening me to. My hands were not cold any more, my squatting balance came to me naturally, and I somehow felt wonderful warmth around my heart. And that is how I knew: World Rivers was going to make a change, it was CAPABLE of making a difference, for it connects River to a River, Heart to Heart, Cloth to Cloth, Smile to Smile – all around the world. It can weave the Curtain of Love to envelop all nature-caring hearts and send Love and Healing Energy to all our Rivers, the beloved restless children of our from exploitation tired mother Earth. The flash of the camera brought me back to reality…or did it just steel the Reality of Oneness of Life from me? Until the smiling River once again decides to take me along on its Journey…Love to you, people and Rivers of the World.

Lots of love, Snjezana

Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada

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Two sisters, Karina Bergmans with photography by Geraline Jordan. The Canadian fabric that was dipped in the Ottawa and Lahave Rivers traveled to the Frazer river in Fort Langely.