Hendersonville Sister Cities’ “Exploring the World Through Digital Stories” program, March 22

PRESS RELEASE:

In 2016 Hendersonville Sister Cities will present programs that explore how we can Think Globally and Thrive Locally. On Tuesday, March 22, at 6 p.m., an exciting and challenging presentation on digital storytelling – how it works and how it can change lives – will be presented at Henderson County Library auditorium, hosted by HSC. “Stories From Abroad: Exploring the World Through Digital Stories” has been created by students in the Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA) program at Butler University. The presenter is Hendersonville resident Heather Gregg Reed, Field Director of the Southeast and Young Alumni Engagement at the Institute for Study Abroad, Butler University. The program is open to the public at no charge.

In addition to encouraging students to go overseas, Reed works with IFSA-Butler alumni to ensure that they use their international experiences to further their personal and professional goals back home. Digital Storytelling, an art form that allows everyday people to share aspects of their life story, is Reed’s favorite way to engage students in conversations on culture. She has worked with more than 100 students who’ve used photos, videos, music and words to communicate the most transformative moments of their study abroad journeys.

“Some of the countries we will visit through the stories I will show are Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Scotland, Wales, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile,” Reed described. “Students were encouraged to consider how they connected with their host communities or engaged in a shift in cultural perspective during their time abroad. My presentation will explore the uniqueness of each storyteller’s journey, and the dynamic ways in which it can be shared through technology. I will talk a bit about the history of Digital Storytelling and how each student’s story ties into the key principles. Mostly, however, I’ll let the stories speak for themselves.”

At universities, elementary schools, and workshops, citizens around the globe are learning innovative media methods to tell personal narratives rooted in their life experiences.

Hendersonville Sister Cities is a nonprofit organization formed in 2007 to foster and celebrate international cooperation and understanding and local economic growth through education, exploration of other cultures, travel, and social interaction. Almuñécar, Spain, and Verbania, Italy, are Hendersonville’s two sister cities.

Hendersonville Sister Cities regularly hosts educational and cultural programs and international dinners. The organization is a member of Sister Cities International, a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network seeking stronger economic and cultural ties at the municipal level between U.S. and international communities.

For more information about Hendersonville Sister Cities, visit the website at www.hendersonvillesistercities.com. For more information about the program, visit https://www.ifsa-butler.org .