The 1st International Digital Storytelling Festival in Zakynthos (27-29/9/2024) celebrated the transformative power of storytelling. Under the Greek sun and the warm hospitality of Zakynthos, the global Digital Storytelling community—participants from 11 countries across 4 continents—came together to share 171 stories, exchange experiences, appreciate the profound value and strength of stories. After all, We (are) The Story.
Ηere are some heartfelt words “Through the Eyes of the Participants”:
“Being in Zakynthos for the first Digital Storytelling Festival was a fantastic and enriching experience. The location, the warmth and hospitality of the island and the richness of its cultural heritage made what was already an amazing festival into a truly unforgettable one. I am already eagerly awaiting the second digital storytelling festival of 2026!”
Dr Teti Dragas, Associate Professor, Durham University
“The festival highlighted unique personal experiences from different cultural contexts, while the alternating digital storytelling screenings and discussions maintained the participants' active interest. This rich audiovisual experience can serve as a model for holding scientific conferences in the future.”
Babis Mouzakis, PhD, Director of the Authority for Quality Assurance in Primary and Secondary Education
“… The festival gave me the strength to believe that we can do A LOT in our little (and with storytelling) for our planet and its inhabitants. … You gave me strength to believe in applied storytelling… the festival, the stories and the people I met and also the people I didn’t meet but was there…I believe everyone collaborated to create such a meaningful event! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
Marianela Risolia, Storytelling MA Loughborough University
"Taking part in the first ever international digital storytelling festival was an incredible experience. In the UK, digital storytelling is still relatively unheard of to some, so it was so exciting to meet this international community of people who all share my passion for it. It was so validating to share my own digital story with others and hearing the discussions that came out of the screenings really made me see how powerful digital stories can be."
Erin Sparks, MA Loughborough University, Award winner in the Society category
With the aim of raising discussions about important themes affecting us all, digital storytellers were invited to take part in the IDSF-Zakynthos1 and submit stories in relation to the following themes:
Culture – Education – Environment – Health - Science and Research - Society
Ten digital stories were selected for each theme, accompanied by a discussion panel. The stories were selected by the relevant Festival Committee (an international team including Digital Storytelling experts, Theme experts, and Artists) using the principles of inclusion regarding age, gender, geographical region, and language. Moreover, the Festival Committee selected a representative focal digital story -granted the Festival Committee Award- which was screened at the end of the festival to draw attention to a global issue in relation to the theme.
All the submitted stories conforming to the Conditions of Submission were screened during the 3 days Festival.
Τheme Awards
- Culture Award: "I'm Anjum" by Shazia Qureshi
- Education Award: "Enough" by Scarlett McManus
- Environment Award: “For Rest: Varúð (Warning)” by Hanzhi Zheng
- Health Award: "Breath" by Mike Lang
- Science and Research Award: "Digital Dinosaurs" by Susan Lattanzio
- Society Award: "Neat Little Boxes" by Erin Sparks
DST- Zakynthos 2024 Award
“To perasma (The crossing)” by Efi Skepetara
Additional activities took place during the days of IDSF-Zakynthos1.
Special session: The IDSF-Zakynthos1 hosted a special session devoted to Greece, entitled "Across the topos and the chronos: The Poetics of storytelling."
Satellite Scientific Events: In parallel with the Festival, Satellite Scientific Events (including DST workshops and project presentations) were organized by DST specialists. One of the highlights was the scientific seminar titled “We, The Story! Mathematics Phobia in Mathematics Education”, which was aimed at Greek educators and achieved particular success.
More words “Through the Eyes of the Participants”:
“The Digital Storytelling Festival in Zakynthos was an excellent cultural network event for storytellers all over the world. We could exchange thoughts about the realized stories, discover new topics and projects. During the evening, we could meet informally around a glass of wine and tell stories of the past, the present and the future in a beautiful environment of the island of Zakynthos. Everything was good organized. This event permits us storytellers to start the school heat with renewed energy to gather new stories for the coming event. Zakynthos, we miss you.”
Veronique De Leener, Founder and Director Maks vzw
“The First International Digital Storytelling Festival was a delight from beginning to end. The local organizers had thought of everything, from accommodation to arranging tours to places of interest including an old shipwreck and an olive oil factory. The quality of the digital stories that were screened was exceptionally high and the format for discussion within the various themes of health, education, culture, etc. encouraged thoughtful and engaged discussion. Anyone who needs an excuse to visit the beautiful island of Zakynthos and is interested in digital storytelling should definitely plan to attend the Second International Digital Storytelling Festival in 2026.”
Dr Pip Hardy, Co-founder of Patient Voices and Research Fellow at the Institute for Medical Humanities, Durham University, UK
“The 1st International Digital Storytelling and digital stories Festival, held in Zakynthos, created a new condition between the continuum of narratives and the discrete nature of technologies, between analogue and digital. A bridge that starts from man's ability to narrate the situations he lived and reaches to man's ability to live situations through his narratives. Is it the same bridge that starts from man's ability to live situations through his narratives to the ability of the same man to narrate the situations he lived? The answer will be provided at the Second Digital Storytelling and digital stories Festival, which will be organized in Zakynthos.”
Fragkiskos Kalavasis, Professor, University of the Aegean
“As the English summer begins to fade into autumn, what better way to spend a week in late September than by travelling by train along the Adriatic coast of Italy and then across the Ionian Sea to the beautiful and culturally rich island of Zakynthos to enjoy the sun, the food and the company of friends old and new, and, of course, to share our stories. With our souls replenished and rejuvenated in the Greek sun, we are already dreaming of our return in 2026. “
Mike Wilson, Professor, Loughborough University
