Illuminating the Mekong River Basin

This Request for Proposals  invites a community of storytellers to illuminate the complex network of interconnected issues rooted in the Mekong River Basin*. Our goal is to support creative projects across all mediums that elevate Ancestral Knowledge and cutting-edge science into our collective awareness.

We are seeking narratives that explore the delicate pulse of the local and broader ecosystem and the cultural practices that define our relationship with nature, wildlife, and landscapes. We especially encourage projects that bridge the gap between traditional wisdom and modern science and culture, offering a holistic view of the natural world.

*What do we mean by the Mekong River Basin?

The Lower Mekong is a transborder bioregion defined by the “flood pulse”—the unique hydrological heartbeat that reverses the flow of rivers and breathes life into the floodplains. It is an amphibious territory where ecology, wildlife, and human culture do not exist in parallel, but are woven into a single, defensive fabric of survival. The Lower Mekong is a fluid heritage—a geographical space where the survival of a fish, the health of a rice crop, and the persistence of a traditional song are all part of the same biological and cultural loop.

We are particularly interested in stories that address:

• Co-existence and The Common Thread: Highlighting the shared fate of humans and indicator species (such as the Irrawaddy dolphin or the Giant Freshwater Stingray). We are looking for narratives that treat wildlife not as “resources,” but as vital stakeholders in the basin’s health and spiritual heritage.
• The Biodiversity Archive: Projects that document the “hidden” biodiversity of the Mekong—from the microscopic life in the silt to the migratory giants of the deep. 
• The Nexus of Nature and Culture: How local knowledge systems and spiritual practices act as practical tools for stewardship and conservation.
• Resilience: Documenting the environmental pressures on the basin while centering the strategic defense of ancestral traditions. 
• Water Stewardship and Legacy: Exploring the deep history of water management that has shaped the region’s identity, knowledge, and shared future
• The Urban Pulse and The River’s Edge: Investigating the symbiotic (and sometimes strained) relationship between expanding cities and the riverbanks they occupy. We seek stories that explore how urban design can honor—rather than erase—the hydrological and cultural rhythms of the basin.
• Diaspora Communities: How displaced communities maintain “ecological connectivity” to the basin through ritual, foodways, and oral histories, and how these traditions are defended against the pressures of assimilation.

We are seeking surprising, unique, and deeply specific stories—narratives that could only happen in one particular village, along one urban canal, or within one stretch of the deep river. We invite you to move beyond surface-level observations and offer us a “sense of place”.

However, the most deeply rooted stories are also the most universal. We are looking for the “extraordinary within the ordinary”: local chronicles of survival, connection, and wisdom that resonate with the global human experience. We want to see the ancient within the modern, showing how the pulse of the Mekong reflects the challenges and hopes of our shared world.

We will be hosting two Information Sessions with Executive Director, Asia-Pacific and Senior Program Officer, Storytelling:

• April 23 at 9PM HK (April 23 at 9AM ET) Register here
• May 5 at 10AM HK (May 4 at 10PM ET) Register here

Deadline May 31, 2026, at 11:59PM ET. Funding notifications to be shared with applicants in December 2026.