Storytellathon 2025

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Telling Territories to Understand People

Introduction

Storytellathon 2025 marked the first edition of an international initiative promoted within the framework of Life Beyond Tourism.

It brought together young participants and emerging practitioners to explore heritage through narrative practices, fostering deeper connections between people and places and transforming cultural itineraries into meaningful experiences of dialogue, understanding and shared identity.

The itineraries

Each itinerary became a space of encounter — from the mountains of Taiwan to the streets of Mostar, from the traditions of Maramureș to the evolving identities of Odesa and Kharkiv, extending to experiences of cultural connection through adaptability, community-based tourism, and the rediscovery of local narratives and intangible heritage.

Through heritage, memory and local knowledge, participants offered not only routes to explore, but opportunities to connect, reflect and engage in dialogue. Together, these narratives highlighted storytelling as a powerful tool to foster understanding, strengthen communities and build meaningful relationships between people and places.

Participants: 

A wide range of participants from universities, cultural institutions and organizations worldwide took part in the initiative.

These included:

  • Gonzaga University (USA)
  • International University of Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
  • “Gheorghe Dima” National Academy of Music, Cluj-Napoca (Romania)
  • Red Rock Initiative (Rwanda)
  • Odessa National University of Economics (Ukraine)
  • Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology (Taiwan)
  • Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction (Azerbaijan)
  • Associazione Amici dei Musei e Monumenti Fiorentini (Italy)
  • O. M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv (Ukraine)

Discover More

Watch the full video on our YouTube channel

Includes the interviews of the practices discussed at the tables and a selection of the Storytellathon itineraries presented at the event. (available as PDF)