October 12-13, 2018
Radisson Blu, Bucharest
Oct 12-13, 2018 Registration

About

The conference

The Power of Storytelling is built around the idea that stories can change our worlds.

The only one of its kind in Eastern Europe, it brings together superstar storytellers in all fields – from media, to arts, to business – to show the potential of stories to connect people, to heal wounds, to move to action, and to drive change.

We started in 2011 because we believe stories are for everyone. This event grows out of our deep commitment to in-depth and intimate narrative journalism, and attracts artists, producers, communicators, marketers, activists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.

This year’s theme: Closer

This is an important year for stories. Our world is in turmoil. Wars are looming, anxieties are high, disparities and divisions are everywhere. Most of the stories we see and hear today are stories of chaos and fear, of unwanted change. These stories are sometimes spread by forces who benefit from our uncertainties: they stress the possibility of terrorism, the need for isolation, the impossibility of integrating the Other (be they political enemies, refugees or minorities).

We, at The Power of Storytelling, believe stories shouldn’t build fences or push people away. On the contrary. Good stories bridge the divide, they bring us closer, they create a shared sense of the world, and of our mission. They are the primary force of human connection, and our most powerful tool for learning how to live a better life.

In 2017, our incredible speakers will tackle the troubling realities of our age – uncertainty, fear, inequality, misinformation –, and look at how stories can explain them, put them in context, while also giving a voice to those that have not been heard. Bringing untold stories and voices into the public sphere gives them social currency, reaffirms our humanity, and brings us closer.

2017 Overview

The Conference (Oct. 20-21)What you already know as the main conference: inspiration and craft from international award-winning speakers.

The Festival (Oct. 16-22)Exhibits, screenings, book signings and live music carefully curated by DoR magazine. A full schedule will be available in the following weeks.

Team

Cristian Lupșa

Cristian is the editor of DoR, a quarterly devoted to longform narrative journalism. He started The Power of Storytelling to help spread the gospel and importance of well-told stories.

Adrian Lungu

Adrian has been involved with the conference since 2011, the year he joined the DoR team. Other than raising funds, and enjoying the keynotes, he likes driving the speakers around.

Ciprian Morar

Ciprian is the CEO of LATERAL, the wonderful creative technology company that has been co-designing, and supporting The Power of Storytelling since 2015.

Ioana Burtea

Ioana oversees website content, social media and media partnerships. She makes sure The Power of Storytelling is known 'round the world, and that it makes the proper splash.

Sînziana Sumbasacu

Sînziana is the person who will make the participants feel welcome and taken care of, while providing support on administrative issues and logistics.

Andreea Giuclea

Andreea assists with communication & social media for the conference (use #Story17, she says). She’s also a sports writer, and occasionally takes our guests to games.

Anamaria Tataru

Anamaria (friends call her Anuca) is DoR's administrative magician. Her favorite stories are the ones told by numbers: on her daily reading list you will find cash-flows, budgets, and financial reports.

Artemisa Pascu

Artemisa guides the DoR and PoS visual identity. She’s the go-to wunderkid for color schemes, cropping, lettering, collage-making and award-winning magazine covers.

Ioana Șopov

Ioana is an amazing illustrator who co-created the visual identity of the conference. She’s with us for the second year in a row, she loves Earl Grey and admires Darth Vader.

Rareș Cinteză

Rareș is an art director and graphic designer who works in communication, and event management. He co-created #Story17’s visual identity and consults with website design.

Carla Lunguți

Carla is DoR magazine’s intern and a #Story17 assistant, who just graduated from Journalism school. She’s helping us with website content and whatever else she can get her hands on.

Advisors, friends, and alumni: Irina Tacu, Georgiana Ilie, Gabriela Pițurlea, Sorana Stănescu, Alina Dîrstaru, Oana Sandu, Andreea Drăgan, Andreea Ioniță, Stela Serghiuță, Ramona Cherciu, Oana Filip, Anca Drăgoi, Andreea Vrabie, Raymond Bobar, Călin Tritean, Ștefan Bălan, Mircea Drăgoi, Ana Vișan, Andreea Bota, Lavinia Gliga, Gabriel Dobre, Solene Cesbron, Ancuța Iosif, DoR reporters and editors, and many enthusiastic and wonderful volunteers.

Past speakers

Over the years, our speakers have included multiple winners of Pulitzer Prizes, National Magazine Awards, Emmys, and many other accolades. They were writers, editors, producers, digital innovators, filmmakers, entrepreneurs, and musicians, all among the best in their respective fields.