The Moth: The Art and Craft of Storytelling

¨The power of storytelling lies in its ability to connect with humans across times and cultures.  From ancient cave paintings to modern novels, stories have been used to share knowledge, entertain, and explore the human condition. They tap into universal emotions and experiences, allowing readers to empathize with characters and situations excluded from their own lives.¨ These are the words of Nancy Bell in her book, The Art and Craft of Storytelling.

The dynamism of characters is essential for creating an experiential, impactful and memorable story or storytelling event. This is exactly what novelist George Dawes Green aimed to do in the wake of starting The Moth in 1997. On a mission to promote the art and craft of storytelling whilst celebrating diversity and the commonality of human experiences, The Moth events are international storytelling events renowned for the extensive range of human experiences they showcase. 

Acknowledging the power of a good story, The Moth empowers storytellers through training activities to maximize their story´s impact. The Moth Community Program offers a platform for adults often overlooked by mainstream media to tell their stories. This promotes the fundamental right of social inclusion. Whether stories are told for educational purposes or to share experiences, they have the power to stimulate dialogue within the target groups. This inspires reflection, self-recognition and personal development.

Stories are part of the fundamental learning tools. They have the power to provoke greater brain activation, create intimate connections, and empower the listener with extensive knowledge. The methodology of storytelling, as applied by AIFED in the Stories for Empowerment project is considered a highly flexible, adaptable, and creative method that stimulates interpersonal dialogue, creative capacity, and cognitive ability of the listeners. This ensures an experiential and wholesome experience not only for the listener but for the storyteller as well.