World Storytelling Day 2024:

The storytellers from all over the world, both professional and amateur, together choose a theme and then find relevant oral stories to share. They usually schedule live and virtual events on or around March 20 for everyone to participate.

 The day acknowledges the art form of storytelling and encourages diversity among different cultures and races. So get your Peter Pan on and join us to celebrate one of the oldest forms of communication.

 The World Storytelling Day theme for 2024- 'Building Bridges'. Stories are the vessels through which we communicate ideas, emotions, and experiences. They engage our imagination and evoke empathy. Stories are bridges to creativity. They transport us to different worlds, encourage us to think differently and inspire us to create.

IN INDIA:

Katha (or Kathya) is an Indian style of religious storytelling, performances of which are a ritual event in Hinduism. It often involves priest-narrators (kathavachak or vyas) who recite stories from Hindu religious texts, such as the Puranas, the Ramayana or Bhagavata Purana, followed by a commentary (Pravachan).

 They keep the traditions and history of India alive by telling stories that have been passed down through the generations. Storytelling is an important way to teach values and lessons, and it is also a way to entertain people. In ancient India, storytelling was used to teach children about the world around them.

 India is a land of many stories. Panchatantra, Folk Stories , Stories told by Grandmothers are all part of the Indian culture. These stories tell us about our gods and goddesses , moral values , popular legends about heroes and mythical creatures and also take us to imaginary lands full of magic and adventures .

 RELEVANCE OF STORY TELLING:

Today, storytelling and interest in storytelling appears to be making a comeback. As one Irish storyteller put it: “It's a need for connection … I think storytelling nurtures connections with people in real life.”

 The most fundamental use of storytelling is all around us today. Whether it is novelists, poets, bloggers, journalists, or newspaper editors, every written sentence is essentially designed to rivet the reader's attention. The most successful writers of any profession have mastered the art of storytelling.

 STORY TELLING USED BY BRANDS:

Stories appeal to our senses and our emotions, not only drawing our attention more easily, but also leaving an impact on us as audiences. This makes storytelling powerful in delivering any message.

Storytelling is a powerful tool that has the potential to shape our lives, influence our perspectives and guide our decisions. In the context of personal branding and marketing, storytelling allows individuals and companies to create a unique and memorable brand, connect with their audience, and inspire action.

Stories convey our sense of right and wrong, our organizational culture, our expectations of others, our worldviews and our fascinations. And because you are trusted by the people around you, the stories you tell can shape their perspectives on issues that matter to you both.

Good stories do more than create a sense of connection. They build familiarity and trust, and allow the listener to enter the story where they are, making them more open to learning. Good stories can contain multiple meanings so they're surprisingly economical in conveying complex ideas in graspable ways.

STORY TELLING & SOCIETY:

They transmit important values that may have helped build our society, a new study found. Storytelling is one of the oldest forms of communication known among humans. From gatherings around a campfire to watching the latest TV shows, humans are avid producers and consumers of stories.

Whether we actually know the individual or not, hearing their story evokes feelings within us. Learning to relate to others and empathize with them is so important in developing social skills and making friends.

 STORY TELLING &STUDENTS:

Stories teach us about life, about ourselves and about others. Story telling is a unique way for students to develop an understanding, respect and appreciation for other cultures, and can promote a positive attitude to people from different lands, races and religions.

Storytelling can also stimulate creativity among learners, as it challenges them to use their imagination, innovation, and expression. By telling stories, learners can explore different scenarios, possibilities, and outcomes. They can also experiment with different formats, mediums, and styles.

 Story telling brings language learning alive and creates a participatory and immersive experience that allows Young Learners to enjoy hearing the language in a dynamic, sometimes stylistic and entertaining way. Participation using key vocabulary and phrases can create an awareness of rhythm and structure.

 SKILLS OF A STORY TELLER:

Good storytellers are able to follow a logical flow of ideas that contribute to the primary purpose of a story. This involves learning how to concisely share ideas, eliminate distractions and ensure that a reader or listener engages with the story from start to finish.

 CAREER OPTIONS IN STORY TELLING:

 Storytelling is a diverse field with many options. Storytellers are great performers. You can explore your niche, you can tell stories to children if you are passionate about storytelling for children or you can be a corporate coach where you can coach professionals on Business storytelling.

 There are numerous exciting careers in storytelling, including screenwriting, film directing, creative writing, content strategy, video game writing, animation, podcast production, visual effects, storyboard artistry, and VR experience design.

 Overall, creative storytelling is a powerful tool for communication and expression, and it allows storytellers to create narratives that are engaging, emotional, and thought-provoking.

Which fond memory you get when you think of storytelling. Do share it in the comments.