MY GIFT TO YOU—GET YOUR FREE EBOOK—”THE 5-DAY JOURNEY TO CULTURAL AWARENESS”!
In a conversation with some fellow orality (oral communication methodology) and storytelling trainers and consultants, one of them mentioned “World Storytelling Day.”
What?! I had never heard of it, and many of the others hadn’t either. Talk about a wake-up call to “Cultural Awareness”!
I have been training and consulting in orality and storytelling around the world for the past 10 years, but I have never heard of “World Storytelling Day.”
I did some research, and here is what I found.
March 20
World Storytelling Day is celebrated every year on the March equinox. This usually falls on March 20, which just happens to be Vincent’s birthday. Now, we have more than one reason to celebrate this beautiful day!
“World Storytelling Day”is a global celebration of the art of oral storytelling. As many people as possible tell and listen to stories in as many languages and at as many places as possible, during the same day and night. Participants tell each other about their events in order to share stories and inspiration, to learn from each other, and create international contacts.” (Wikipedia)
Wow! Sounds like they are “weaving cultures” to me—through stories! That sounds like “The Cultural Story-Weaver”!
Storytelling History
There’s quite a history behind this international story celebration. It all started in Sweden in 1991 when they organized “Alla berättares dag” (“All Storytellers Day”). This idea spread to Australia in 1997 with a 5-week “Celebration of Story,” commemorating March 20 as the “International Day of Oral Narrators.” Mexico and other Latin American countries were already celebrating this day as the “National Day of Storytellers.”
Further progress was made as a Scandinavian storytelling web-network, Ratatosk, started in 2001, spreading this global celebration to Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Estonia.
“In 2003, the idea spread to Canada and other countries, and the event has become known internationally as World Storytelling Day.”
France celebrated the “Jour Mondial du Conte” for the first time on March 20, 2004. We were living in Morocco at the time. Maybe that’s why we missed the big inauguration of this national event! This annual storytelling event continues to this day. Wow! I am overwhelmed with cultural awareness as I write this.
In 2006, 25 countries on 5 continents celebrated World Storytelling Day! Then, 2007 witnessed the first storytelling concert in Canada, and in 2008, The Netherlands took part in a national event called “Vertellers in de Aanval.” On this day, three thousand kids had the shock of their lives when live storytellers suddenly appeared in their classrooms for this fascinating event!
By 2009, there were World Storytelling Day events held in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, and Australia. This event continues to grow around the globe today! (Wikipedia)
A Global Theme
Each year, the global storytellers choose a common theme through their Facebook page.
Here are the themes from 2004-19: birds, bridges, the moon, the wanderers, dreams, neighbors, light and shadow, water, trees, fortune and fate, monsters and dragons, wishes, strong women, transformation, wise fools, myths, legends, and epics. This year’s theme is voyages.
International storytelling events are announced on their Facebook page. Their website even helps you get started with hosting your own event and adding it to the international celebration.
I don’t know about you, but I’m even more excited today about “weaving cultures” through global stories!
The theme, “Voyages,” fits right in with The Cultural Story-Weaver!
Check their Facebook page and website to see if there is a local storytelling event in your area. If not, it may be too late to catch a plane to one of these global events around the world—Philippines, Palestine, Buenos Aires, etc. However, it’s not too late to tell a story!
Grab a friend, a child, a spouse, or your telephone (skype, FaceTime, or self record) and TELL A STORY! It’s World Storytelling Day! By telling an oral story today, you can be part of a much larger global celebration of “weaving cultures.”
Last year, in honor of “World Storytelling Day,” I posted my first “audio story” on “The Cultural Story-Weaver.” Here’s the link. Let me know what you think. Check out my other audio stories here!
Today, March 20, 2020, let’s take time to tell and listen to OTHER stories—besides those about the Coronavirus. Go and tell a story! As for me, more “Voyage” stories are coming your way!
—The Cultural Story-Weaver
MY GIFT TO YOU—GET YOUR FREE EBOOK—”THE 5-DAY JOURNEY TO CULTURAL AWARENESS”!
Let’s Weave Cultures!
What kind of stories do you like to tell? Sometimes we don’t even realize how much storytelling we are already doing. Social media is full of stories about our lives, our families, our adventures. When you talk to your friend over coffee or on the phone, you are telling stories. When you ask your kids what they did at school today, they are telling you stories.
Many oral cultures around the world use storytelling as their main means of communication. Why not try it today? Go and tell a story!
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures!” Write about them in the comment box below.
