Walloon Floods Memorial: Tears Become Monument, Climate Plea

Belgium is marking five years since the catastrophic July 2021 floods that devastated Wallonia, killing 39 people and causing billions of euros in damage, with a unique artistic memorial project that collects tears from survivors into a public monument—and a renewed call for urgent climate action.

The “Mémoires des eaux” (Memories of the Waters) project, initiated by Barbara Raes of NTGent and the Théâtre de Liège, brings together 125 survivors across five flood-hit locations for intimate conversations, hand-washing rituals, and the collection of their tears in tiny vials. These vials, bearing names like “Résurrection” and “Don’t give up,” will be assembled into a single large public monument in Liège, as VRT NWS reported.

The 2021 Disaster

On July 14–15, 2021, extreme rainfall—271.5mm in 48 hours in Jalhay—triggered the worst natural disaster in Belgian history. The Vesdre and Ourthe river valleys in Liège province were overwhelmed, flooding approximately 48,000 buildings, damaging 11,000 vehicles, and affecting some 100,000 people. Total damage was estimated at €2.3–3 billion, with insurers paying out €2.3 billion across 74,000 claims, according to Wikipedia’s comprehensive account. The floods were part of a larger European disaster that killed at least 224 across Western Europe.

A Unique Memorial

The “Mémoires des eaux” project operates across five locations—Chaudfontaine, Limbourg, Verviers, Angleur (Liège), and Eupen—over five weeks. Each day, five survivors participate in a 1.5-hour ritual: Barbara Raes washes their hands at a ceramic basin, then leads them into a tear-drop shaped cocoon designed by Manu Siebens for a deep conversation. Participants may leave a tear, collected via handkerchief or pipette, which is stored in a tiny vial they name themselves.

“Each conversation, each grieving process is unique,” Raes told VRT NWS. “You can feel that there is a need for this. It has been five years, it is no longer raw grief, but it is not over.”

Christiane Lavigne, 81, a resident of Kinkempois who participated, said: “The grandmothers of the neighborhood organized themselves to offer help. The dead do not return, there is still much to repair, some people are still distraught, but I believe you have to look to the future.”

Each participant also receives a private one-on-one concert with a local artist. The project culminates in a closing concert on July 15 at the Théâtre de Liège, featuring An Pierlé, Gala Dragot, and Stef Kamil Carlens.

Climate Action Imperative

The memorial carries a strong political message. Against the backdrop of a concurrent heatwave—37°C during the ceremonies—Raes emphasized that the project is also a collective signal about the climate crisis. “It is 37 degrees outside right now. I think the people’s question must be heard: do something, take strong measures,” she said.

A World Weather Attribution study found that climate change had significantly increased the likelihood and intensity of the July 2021 extreme rainfall, with such events becoming 1.2 to 9 times more likely and 3 to 19 percent more intense due to global warming.

Lavigne echoed the urgency: “It is more than time to take measures so that the planet does not take revenge on us. We must take care of it, maintain the rivers and locks well, provide much more green.”

Recovery and Resilience

Five years on, recovery efforts continue. The Walloon government’s 2025–2029 action plan, combined with the “Schéma de la Vesdre” masterplan, aims to improve flood resilience. The EU-funded Marhetak project improved cross-border crisis management coordination in the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion, as the European Commission Representation in Belgium reported.

However, challenges remain. Valérie Dejardin, Mayor of Limbourg, noted in a 2025 VRT NWS interview that some infrastructure still hasn’t been fully repaired: “We are not necessarily better protected, sometimes even a little less.” Professor Ann van Griensven of VUB warned that while floods will continue to occur, “with good preparations you can avoid fatalities.”

Lingering Trauma

The project fills a gap in psychosocial support that official recovery programs may not fully address. The term “solastalgie”—emotional distress from irreversible environmental change—captures the psychological toll. As Raes observed, many survivors still need to talk. “This is also a sign of respect for them.”

All tear vials will be incorporated into a single large monument in Liège’s public space, transforming private grief into collective memory and a lasting call for climate action.