Workshop Format & Overview:
This interactive, intergenerational session invites youth and adults — scientists, students, storytellers, educators, and policymakers—from across the globe to co-create media concepts that can be developed into compelling short films addressing water and climate challenges. This workshop will catalyze films that can be created and shown for World Lake Day and beyond.
Led by AquaVox, this session merges filmmaking, systems thinking, and climate justice into a dynamic story-lab where participants collaboratively design story-based interventions for real-world impact. The goal is to spark new narratives that raise awareness, influence policy, inspire community action, and shift how we relate to water.
Participants will be organized into cross-generational creative teams to develop story concepts rooted in frontline perspectives and innovative water solutions—from wetland restoration to water equity, indigenous stewardship, and transboundary cooperation.
Objectives:
- Introduce the AquaVox and storytelling as methods for awareness, education, collaboration, and action.
- Co-create compelling story concepts that highlight community-led solutions to water and climate challenges.
- Explore how youth storytelling can create influence and catalyze action across sectors and geographies, with an eye toward World Lake Day.
- Facilitate intergenerational exchange, blending wisdom, innovation, and diverse knowledge systems.
- Inspire new collaborations across regions, disciplines, and generations for continued creative action, emphasizing World Lake Day possibilities.
Activities:
- Spark Presentation: Brief presentation about youth storytelling and films to prompt inspiration.
- StorySprint: Guided small-group exercise to design a short film concept using a collaborative worksheet (includes: central issue, character(s), solution angle, emotional hook, and audience).
- Issue Mapping: Visual mapping of interconnected water/climate issues to identify leverage points and narratives of hope/resilience.
- Pitch Circle: Groups present their film concepts to the room, followed by rapid feedback and partner offers.
- Commitment Wall: Participants write down what action or follow-up they’ll take (e.g., mentoring a youth filmmaker, producing a local story, joining the AquaVox network).
Outcomes:
- Multiple concepts co-created during the session, with potential to be produced by youth teams post-conference for World Lake Day and beyond.
- New cross-sector partnerships between youth, educators, scientists, and creatives.
- Ideas for using storytelling as a tool for community education and action for World Lake Day and other opportunities.
- An open invitation to join the growing AquaVox network, supporting global youth-driven storytelling.