“ Stories make us more alive, more human, more courageous, more loving. ” Madeleine L’Engle
When I was a child, I remember the evenings when my dad would pull out the special blue book of stories! This book would transport my siblings and I to a different world and time! A world of goats and canals and windmills! While I enjoyed the stories wholeheartedly, it also provided a bridge to the world my father and grandparents grew up in. As a child/grandchild of Frisian/Dutch immigrants, these stories were a source of meaning and connection as I grew up with the gift of two cultures in my home and heart.
Stories Around The World – a family storytelling festival – was created with cultural celebration and preservation in mind. For children who are growing up in a country and culture which is different from their parents/caregivers, Stories Around The World provides a space for connection and celebration of cultures and traditions. For cultural storytellers, Stories Around The World provides a platform to share culture and powerful meaning making stories. For Canadian born families, Stories Around The World provides the opportunity to learn and celebrate the multiculturalism of our community!
Antonia De Boer
NITEO Executive Director
Stories Around The World provided an afternoon of interactive storytelling sessions with 25 facilitators representing 7 different cultures! Each session was unique and included things such as skits, songs, drums, crafts, and cultural outfits with story at the heart of it all.
“Thank you for a very entertaining and interesting afternoon!! Bravo to the storytellers!”
Stories Around The World Participant
“It felt heartwarming to be able to share my traditional stories with people from very diverse backgrounds. I’ve often felt that in order to fit into any Canadian or Western Society in general, I had to shed pieces of my cultural heritage. However, seeing such a diverse group willing to listen validated my identity in ways I did not know I needed or was lacking. It truly broke some pre-conceived ideas I had. I’m glad I got to share a piece of myself and my culture.”
Event Storyteller
Thank you to all the storytellers, organizations, and volunteers who partnered with NITEO to make Stories Around The World such an incredible event!
Alicia G, Alodene Lewis, Angel C, Dolyna Ukrainian Cultural Society, Eason L, Ghazal Shaloodegi, Jake G, Joe Chiou, Kassia Agboka, Kelowna Japanese Language Society, Luna Taniguchi, Mari Habuki, Marriana Chen, Mandarin Mondays, Melody L, Rie Shiozaki, Riley G, Somayeh Mahmoudi, Toluwanimi Okunola, & William L.
If you are interested in participating in our next event, we’d love to hear from you!
info@niteo.org
Thank you to the City of Kelowna Cultural Grant Program for their generous financial support of this event.
