World Storytelling Day

World Storytelling Day is an international holiday dedicated to the art of storytelling. This day also honors myths, legends and fairy tales of all peoples of the world, as they are a cultural treasure. It is celebrated every year on March 20.

History

The history of World Storytelling Day begins in the 1990s in Sweden. Initially it was not international in character and was simply dedicated to storytellers. The Swedes valued folklore and believed that the oral transmission of stories from one generation to the next played an important role in shaping the country’s overall culture. For our ancestors, stories played a big role in their lives, they kept them and passed them on to their descendants, so we have no right to just forget them!

In 1997 there were already reports of this day being celebrated in Australian and Latin American countries. The names of the holidays differed, there were slight differences in their essence, but the general idea remained the same. Since 2001, the day dedicated to storytellers began to spread actively in Scandinavian countries. In 2005, we could already talk about the creation of World Storytelling Day, as 25 countries from all over the world took part in the celebrations.

Interesting facts

• Each year is dedicated to stories on a different theme. So 2005 was dedicated to bridges, 2014 to mythical creatures (including dragons), and 2020 to travel.
• The Epic of Gilgamesh” is considered by many scholars to be the first book, dating back to the period of the state of Mesopotamia. It was designed as a collection of short stories.
• Folk tales are rich in local epic, often contain mythological images and have a mystical component. For many peoples in the modern world, they are sources of information about their ancient ancestors and the culture of the country of those times.

How to celebrate

Tell interesting stories to your friends or family. Get to know the ancient epic of your people, read myths and legends.

Share information about the holiday on social networks. Ask other users if they’ve participated in World Storytelling Day celebrations and which stories they remember most.

When is World Storytelling Day celebrated in 2024?

World Storytelling Day is observed on March 20 each year.

Observations