Our Projects · Rain in the City
PluiË – Promouvoir de manière LUdique et Innovante l'Eau de pluie
Rain tags, walks, dances, stories and workshops that invite people in Greater Geneva to see rainwater as a resource, not a nuisance.
Drought, floods and heatwaves now reach Switzerland too, "Europe's water tower". In towns, rain is mostly treated as waste and quickly sent into drains and pipes. Many residents and decision-makers have lost interest in it. Changing how rainwater is managed starts with changing how people see it, feel it and talk about it.
Progress so far: – Spring 2024: first free public programme; rain tags unveiled on the Pont de la Machine in April. – The Léman Bleu programme "Esprit solidaire" featured the rain tags in August 2024. – 2025: 4 school activities and 8 illustrated comic-strip stories linked to Senegal, Nepal and Switzerland.
Expected results (2025–2026): – More children and young people take part in immersive rain activities. – Teachers and youth workers get simple tools to run activities themselves, through the Boîte à Pluie project.
Les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières.
“Little streams make great rivers.”
French proverbproverb: wording and translation to check with our local partner
Swipe or use the arrows, and click on a photo to enlarge it.
IRHA's Geneva team runs PluiË with the partners listed above and the ceramic artists of Caractère Inverti. Phase 1 funders: Fédération genevoise de coopération (FGC), Genevois français and Fondation Hans Wilsdorf to verify: funders 2025.
Help communities catch, store and use the rain.
