Narrative 4 Leads Storytelling Workshop at The Vatican, Answering Pope Francis’s Call to “Let Your Storytelling Be Hope Telling” – PR.com

Rome,
Italy,
February
06,
2025
–(PR.com)– At
the
Jubilee
of
the
World
of
Communication
Conference,
Pope
Francis
addressed
communicators
and
global
storytellers,
urging
them
to
share
narratives
that
inspire
hope,
bridge
divides,
and
foster
unity.
As
part
of
this
inaugural
Jubilee
event,
youth
organization
Narrative
4
led
a
special
storytelling
workshop
with
130
young
professional
communicators
from
62
countries,
showcasing
the
power
of
storytelling
as
a
force
for
repair
and
positive
social
change.

The
Vatican
gathering
brought
together
communicators,
journalists,
and
storytellers
from
across
the
globe,
underscoring
the
responsibility
of
storytelling
in
countering
division
and
spreading
hope.
Narrative
4,
a
global
youth
organization
with
a
mission
to
equip
young
people
to
harness
the
power
of
stories
to
drive
change
in
their
communities,
was
invited
to
facilitate
a
storytelling
workshop,
teaching
young
journalists
how
to
“crowd-source
hope”
and
create
positive
change
through
storytelling.

“Storytelling
is
one
of
the
oldest
human
activities,”
said
Lee
Keylock,
Senior
Director
of
Programs
&
Innovation
at
Narrative
4.
“For
millennia,stories
have
helped
us
share
practical
knowledge
and
life
lessons,
while
also
fostering
deeper
compassion
and
empathy.
In
the
Vatican
this
week,
we
are
teaching
young
journalists
how
to
use
storytelling
to
connect
across
divides,
generate
understanding,
and
inspire
hope.”

A
Unique
Approach

Narrative
4’s
core
program,
the
Story
Exchange,
is
a
novel
approach
to
storytelling.
In
this
process,
two
participants
pair
up
and
share
authentic
stories
from
their
lives.
Later,
in
a
group
setting,
each
person
recounts
their
partner’s
story
in
the
first
person,
retelling
it
as
if
it
were
their
own,
bringing
people
closer
to
the
lived
experience
of
others.

This
method
has
proven
uniquely
effective
in
bridging
divides
and
fostering
compassion,
as
research
suggests
that
stepping
into
another
person’s
perspective
increases
engagement
and
connection.

“Even
though
we
tell
and
hear
stories
every
day,
the
storytelling
approach
developed
by
Narrative
4
is
perhaps
unlike
anything
you’ve
ever
encountered
–
it
truly
collapses
the
distance
between
people
and
fosters
empathy”
Keylock
added.

A
Historic
Meeting
with
Pope
Francis

Beyond
the
workshop,
Narrative
4
team
members
had
an
unforgettable
moment
when
they
were
unexpectedly
invited
to
a
private
audience
with
Pope
Francis
on
the
final
morning
of
the
conference,
“It
was
a
once-in-a-lifetime
experience
and
a
testament
to
our
work
over
the
years.”

Storytelling
as
a
“Pilgrimage
of
Repair”

Irish
author
Colum
McCann,
co-founder
of
Narrative
4,
delivered
a
keynote
speech
at
the
conference,
describing
storytelling
as
a
“pilgrimage
of
repair”—a
way
to
build
understanding,
mend
broken
relationships,
and
promote
peace.

“Storytelling
is
a
call
to
action.
Story
listening
is
a
form
of
prayer.

“At
Narrative
4,
we
have
found
a
simple
formula
to
initiate
change:
You
tell
my
story,
I
tell
yours.
In
the
first
person.
Face
to
face.

“Not
a
didactic
story,
but
a
personal
story.
Not
something
designed
to
win
an
argument,
but
something
that
stirs
the
soul.
A
parable,
if
you
will.”

McCann’s
words
echoed
Pope
Francis’s
message
that
communicators
have
a
responsibility
to
use
stories
to
build
bridges
rather
than
walls.

A
Global
Commitment
to
Hope
and
Repair

As
Narrative
4
continues
to
expand
its
global
reach,
this
Vatican
event
reaffirmed
its
mission:
to
harness
the
transformative
power
of
storytelling
in
fostering
empathy,
breaking
down
barriers,
and
inspiring
hope—especially
among
young
people.
For
more
information
about
Narrative
4’s
programs,
visit

Narrative4.com.

Photo:
Credit:
©
Vatican
Media
Pope
Francis
meets
Lee
Keylock
–
Senior
Director
of
Programs
&
Innovation:

Narrative
4
1178
Broadway
Suite
304
New
York,
NY
10001

Narrative4.com