Swimming Toward a Constitutional Right for Nature

"Christopher Swain's deep relationship with water began as a child. He recalls splashing around in the water, searching for the protruding edge of a pirate's gold chest along the shores of Massachusetts, and feeling an almost spiritual connection to the ocean. For Swain, the water has always been a place of belonging. His sunlit childhood memories of the ocean later shaped his life's mission to protect water and the natural world."

"In 1995, inspired by reading the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Swain walked 200 miles along the length of Massachusetts, holding a prototype Olympic torch and distributing copies of the declaration. This endeavor introduced him to the power of engaging people through symbolic action. But it also sparked a realization that his next journey should connect directly to the element he loved most: water."

"This inspired him to swim all 1,243 miles of the Columbia over the course of 165 days, from 2002 to 2003. He found himself immersed in the physical challenge of the swim, alongside the stories of the people who lived along the river. Through conversations with Indigenous leaders, Swain developed an understanding of the cultural interconnectedness Indigenous peoples feel with the environment,"

Christopher Swain developed a lifelong connection to water during childhood play along Massachusetts shores, shaping a mission to protect water and nature. In 1995 he walked 200 miles in Massachusetts with a prototype Olympic torch distributing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, then swam 200 miles down the Connecticut River to promote the declaration and draw attention to water pollution. He later swam the Columbia River's 1,243 miles over 165 days, engaging with river communities and Indigenous leaders. Conversations with Indigenous leaders fostered understanding of cultural interconnectedness with the environment and rejection of human-nature separateness. Swain's swims combine physical challenge, storytelling, and environmental advocacy.

Read at State of the Planet