We invite proposals for participation in the 12th International Digital Storytelling Conference, which will feature two distinct components: A virtual gathering, from October 31 to November 1, 2025 and an in-person event in Belém, Brazil, from November 6-8, 2025. Hosted by Museu da Pessoa and StoryCenter, this will mark the first time the conference is held in both the Global South and in Latin America. The conference theme, Lives, Voices, and Knowledge in a World on Fire, focuses on the climate crisis and the many ways storytelling can help us think about, observe, and address the interconnected challenges reshaping our world. The gathering invites us to examine how storytelling can drive meaningful dialogue and action around the intersecting crises that define our era.
With our world facing an escalating climate emergency, this conference will center on the diverse approaches people use to make sense of and respond to environmental and social crises. As we gather on the eve of the COP30 Climate Change Conference in Belém, Brazil, this conference offers a timely opportunity to spark action, foster dialogue, and build partnerships to address critical issues like environmental degradation, climate injustices, territorial and identity conflicts, and social inequalities.
This conference invites presenters and participants to reflect on how Lives—spanning human and beyond human (animal, and plant experiences, as well as the ecosystems they inhabit)—and their Voices—narratives, fears, frustrations, dreams, and legacies, along with their individual and collective Knowledge —can contribute to a better understanding of the complexities of a world in crisis. By bringing together voices from the Global South and beyond, we aim to deepen our collective understanding of the climate crisis and promote innovative responses through storytelling.
The conference is hosted through a partnership between the Museum of the Person and StoryCenter. We see the collaboration between the Global South and Global North as vital, an opportunity to create a powerful platform for diverse voices. In hosting the conference in Brazil, we want to emphasize the significance of engaging perspectives from the Global South, and deepening our global understanding of how personal narratives can inform solutions to both local and global challenges..
Conference Theme and Objectives
This conference invites presenters and participants to reflect on how Lives—spanning human and beyond human (animal, and plant experiences, as well as the ecosystems they inhabit)—and their Voices—narratives, fears, frustrations, dreams, and legacies, along with their individual and collective Knowledge —can contribute to a better understanding of the complexities of a world in crisis. By bringing together voices from the Global South and beyond, we aim to deepen our collective understanding of the climate crisis and promote innovative responses through storytelling.
The conference will provide a space for cultural and personal exchange, reflection, and collaboration, with a strong emphasis on the urgent issue of climate change and its far-reaching impacts. Participants will engage deeply with the complex web of crises we face, including environmental degradation, territorial and identity conflicts, and growing social inequality. Together, we will explore how narratives surrounding climate change can inspire solutions and strengthen communities in a world on fire.
Thematic Tracks
The conference will provide a space for cultural and personal exchange, reflection, and collaboration, with a strong emphasis on the urgent issue of climate change and its far-reaching impacts. Participants will engage deeply with the complex web of crises we face, including environmental degradation, territorial and identity conflicts, and growing social inequality. Together, we will explore how narratives surrounding climate change can inspire solutions and strengthen communities in a world on fire.
To frame your proposals we encourage you to consider these thematic tracks. These tracks represent key lenses for exploring how personal narratives, collective experiences, and shared knowledge can inform and inspire action in response to the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges:
Conference Formats
Contributors are invited to share their work in the following formats:
Conference Formats