Water, a source of life, has long been manipulated as a weapon of control and destruction. Throughout history, it has been used to oppress communities, weaken enemies, and exacerbate suffering in times of war and conflict. From the poisoning of wells in ancient battles to the deliberate flooding and withholding of water in modern geopolitical struggles, water has played a strategic yet devastating role. As climate change worsens water scarcity and political tensions over access intensify, the use of water as a tool of war continues to threaten lives, destabilize nations, and violate fundamental human rights.
In response, Meeting of Waters (MoW) co-curated an immersive experience with Art Now Projects, a contemporary gallery in Geneva, to expose the realities of weaponized water on December 10, the Human Rights Day of 2024. Hosted at Art Now Projects, the event transformed the space into a sensory environment where sound, storytelling, and artistic interventions brought hidden histories of water to life. Swiss singer-songwriter Soren Sorensen created an evocative song “In Her Father’s Arm” and soundscape that immerses the audience in the tension and urgency of water conflicts.
The evening also featured interventions from Stephen Cornish, Director General of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders, MSF) Operational Center in Geneva, a Nobel Prize-winning humanitarian organization providing medical aid in war zones, disaster areas, and regions affected by waterborne crises. MSF’s frontline experience underscores how water insecurity fuels health emergencies, displacement, and suffering. “Killer Water “also featured Nidal Salim, Founder of the Global Institute of Water, Environment and Health (GIWEH), an organization working with governments and marginalized communities to restore water infrastructure and sanitation worldwide. Through these partnerships with MSF and GIWEH, “Killer Water” did not only raise awareness—it reinforced the urgent call for justice, humanitarian action, and the protection of water as a fundamental human right.
The curation of Killer Water was designed to immerse the audience in the stark reality of water as a weapon, while also offering a glimmer of hope for restoration. The space was intentionally dark, evoking a sense of loss, conflict, and absence, with red candle lights scattered throughout, symbolizing hope flickering in the shadows of destruction.
During Soren Sorensen’s composition, “In Her Father’s Arms”, the atmosphere deepened into an emotional reckoning. Charlotte Qin embodied water itself—a force of life whose purpose and hope were stripped away through exploitation and violence. As the song faded into an extended silence, the weight of water’s suffering lingered in the air. It was in this moment of stillness that Stephen (MSF) and Nidal (GIWEH) entered the space, carrying their stories of resilience and restoration. Their interventions shifted the narrative, demonstrating how, even in the most devastated places, water—and hope—can be restored through action, care, and unwavering commitment to justice.
That same commitment moved beyond the gallery walls. In the weeks that followed, Nidal and his team at GIWEH fulfilled a promise made during Killer Water—to bring water to Gaza. Amid a temporary ceasefire, 20 cubic meters of water were successfully delivered under the name of Charlotte Qin and Meeting of Waters, a gesture of profound solidarity and shared commitment to humanitarian relief. This delivery brought desperately needed water to families who had gone weeks without access to safe drinking water, and the team also prepared meals for over 2,000 displaced residents, demonstrating that even in the darkest of times, acts of compassion and collective action can bring hope and survival. Yet, the crisis persists. Humanitarian aid remains blocked, leaving countless communities without the essentials needed to live. Meeting of Waters stands with GIWEH and all those working on the ground to restore dignity, hope, and life through water—because water should never be a weapon, but a source of peace and survival.
