River Landscapes in the City
The film Swim City shows us how vital rivers are for the well-being of the entire urban population. Whether in the Danube baths in Vienna, the botanical gardens of Tbilisi, or the rivers in Basel and Zurich—everywhere people are jumping into the water on warm and even cold days. In other cities, too, where rivers are only just being rediscovered as open spaces, initiatives are being formed to raise awareness of the value of water in the city. This, however, goes far beyond the mere popularizing of swimming. They are also movements that fight for public access to water against the background of increasing privatization of river banks. They make it clear that rivers must be taken seriously as important arteries in larger ecological structures.