Programme Category: Sacred Universe
Type/Category: Workshop / Performing Arts and Collaboration
Date/Duration: 2 – 3 March 2017
Venue: Huế University, Huế, Vietnam
SEAMEO SPAFA, Mahasarakham University and Huế University have successfully presented the Third and Fourth Storytelling Festivals in Thailand and Vietnam in 2015-2016. These events have brought together world renowned international storytellers and story-lovers young and old from many countries, particularly those from ASEAN countries. The events provided entertainment as well as intercultural understanding among people of various cultures through the power of folktales and the art of storytelling. These efforts help to engage people in the ASEAN Community through the sharing of wisdom, ways of life, beliefs, cultural values, and practices inherent in the tales.
On 1-4 March 2016, Mahasarakham University and SEAMEO SPAFA successfully organized the Fourth International Storytelling Festival at Huế University, Vietnam. In 2017, we have Huế University as our co-hosts. The programme will bring together more than 20 famous international storytellers to share folktales from Southeast Asia and elsewhere to the primary school sector in Huế City.
Although the major emphasis of the festival is connecting ASEAN through travel, trade, food, cultural heritage, religions, and arts, it is not limited to only one topic or locality. Storytellers may choose to tell their own favourite stories from other cultures as well. Other themes ranging from love, compassion, kindness, sharing, peace, conserving natural environments, honouring indigenous wisdom could be shared at the festival.
Activities in this event include: one keynote address; five masterclass workshops on various aspects of folktales and the art of storytelling, and more; four storytelling showcases; a drawing contest to illustrate one of the stories told in the festival, and a finale of storytelling performance by all storytellers.
SEAMEO SPAFA will work with collaborators and regional partners to identify storytellers to lead the workshop session. Guidelines and materials will be provided to storytellers beforehand to facilitate their storytelling performances during the workshop session. The workshop session and the stories told will be recorded
- Present an international arena of traditional and international storytelling performances for the second time in Huế City.
- Provide a forum for Southeast Asian storytellers to share their stories with Primary School children, parents and teachers.
- Offer opportunities for teachers, educators, and interested people to learn and share knowledge relating to the preservation and revitalization of folktales and storytelling traditions.
- Record oral stories on the Southeast Asian cultural landscape and its festivities.
- Encourage the use of storytelling as an educational tool, addressing the SEAMEO Priority Area on Early Childhood Care and Education.
- Presentation of tales as an educational tool for teachers.
- Video documentation of performances by international storytellers to use as models of the art of storytelling.
- Collection of more than 20 folktales from ASEAN and around the world – these folktales will hopefully bring awareness of similarities and differences among Southeast Asian countries and beyond, which in turn will promote mutual understanding and peace.
- Publication of a collection of Southeast Asian folktales.
- Drawings from the drawing contest to be used as illustrations in the collection of folktales from the festival.
- Raised awareness on preserving and continuing the tradition of telling local folktales among the youth.
- Teachers and students will be exposed to the educational benefits of storytelling.
- Intercultural and mutual understanding will be enhanced.
Primary School children, parents and teachers
Video documentation and publication can serve as educational tools for future generations, as well as participate in the preservation of the art of storytelling.
