World Storytelling Day
Weaving magical tales, captivating listeners with every word, transporting them to new worlds - it's a skill that has been cherished for centuries.
Activate storytelling-focused experiences and content in March to drive engagement with families, educators, and cultural institutions seeking narrative-driven entertainment and learning moments.
- Host a live storytelling event or virtual story circle for families and community members
- Create behind-the-scenes content showing how professional storytellers craft and deliver tales
- Launch a user-generated story campaign encouraging customers to share their own narratives on social media
- Partner with libraries and schools to promote storytelling workshops and performances
Storytelling has been around for almost as long as humankind itself. In fact, we can’t really make sense of the world around us without narrative, can’t function without the power of storytelling to help us piece it all together. Our very brains are wired to understand stories and pass them on!
Throughout history, storytellers have been revered and celebrated in cultures all around the world, often seen as leaders, teachers, entertainers and more. In the Middle Ages, for example, wandering storytellers known as minstrels or troubadours delighted royalty and peasants alike with their captivating tales, which they had often picked up from the various places and countries they travelled through.
Although one of the many special things about oral storytelling is that each teller can make the stories their own, it is also helpful to have ways to remember them. Aboriginal people in Australia, for example, used cave drawings to help commit the tales to memory, and storytellers have frequently used songs, chants and dance to aid recollection.
Common storytelling techniques have also resulted from this need to remember as well as improvise stories – set phrases such as ‘Once upon a time’ and ‘happily ever after’, typical plot structures, archetypal characters, repetition, rhyme and much more assist tellers in mastering this art form.
In much the same way that stories are shared and take on a life of their own, World Storytelling Day has gradually grown over time and spread all over the globe. It all began in Sweden back in 1991, when an Alla berättares dag (All Storytellers Day) was celebrated at the time of the March equinox. And it wasn’t long before the rest of the world caught on.
By 1997 the occasion had travelled to Australia and Latin America and by 2002 it had spread across the rest of Scandinavia. 2009 marked the first time it was celebrated across all six continents (excluding Antarctica of course!).
Now World Storytelling Day takes place every year and centers around a different theme each time, for example dreams, trees and voyages.
The aim of World Storytelling Day is to celebrate the art of oral storytelling, with as many people as possible around the world telling and listening to stories in their own languages on the same day. People taking part can link up with others around the globe who are also contributing, making it a truly international festival that creates new friendships and promotes a positive understanding of cultures around the world!
Tell Stories Together
Gather your loved ones, perhaps around a fire under the stars or someplace cozy and warm inside, and take it in turns to share your favorite tales. Think about how to really engage your audience – suspenseful pauses, different voices for each character, getting them involved in the story – a flare for the dramatic will go a long way on World Storytelling Day!
Get the Kids Involved
It’s especially fun to get kids involved, as they more than anyone can appreciate the magic of stories. Why not make some epic scenery and props, pull together a few creative costumes or invent songs and dance routines to go along with your tales? Puppet shows are another fun way for children to practice their storytelling skills, or you can all pick a character and act the story out.
Make Up a Story
And you don’t just have to tell stories you’ve heard – if you’re feeling especially creative, then have a go at inventing your own! The sky really is the limit when it comes to storytelling – the setting, genre, style and so much more are completely up to you. Think about the beginning, middle and ending, how (and if!) the characters learn and grow, and what kind of narrator you want to be.
Get Access to More Stories
Check out your local library, literary organizations and other art and culture venues – they’re bound to be holding events to mark the occasion. For example, they may host a performance from a professional storyteller who really gets the audience involved.
Join a Literary Festival
Literary festivals are another great way to listen to stories from the pros and brush up on your own skills. Popular events include open mic sessions, workshops for people to learn more about the craft, panel discussions with the experts and even opportunities to hear from and meet with published writers.
Celebrate Storytelling Day Online
Make sure to check out YouTube, social media and the World Storytelling Day Facebook page to connect with others celebrating all around the world. Thanks to the wonder of technology, you can listen to stories told on the other side of the planet and in a whole range of languages. It’s a great way to create new friendships and grow the international community of storytellers. So, go on, sit down with your loved ones and join the united nations of storytellers to celebrate the art of oral storytelling! Why not spin a yarn and pass on your stories to people all around the world?