Transformation through tales

All of us have a story to narrate, and so does ACEnovation. ACEnovation, a company founded by Major Rajan and Dr. Neena Gayatri, was born from a story. ACEnovation has created stories, and in just five short years, has become a story in itself! This wonderfully unique entity brings storytellers and their tales into homes from all over the world. The benchmarks set by this company, despite the pandemic, leave one spellbound. They hold the world record for the longest confluence of participants in a multicultural storytelling event, spanning 140 countries and involving over 20,000 people worldwide. They also hold the world record for 24-hour non-stop storytelling, with participants from 54 countries, touching 140 nations.

This is just the beginning of their amazing journey:

✼ 740 free international storytelling webinars for the public.

✼ 12 free international storytelling workshops for teachers in partnership with TNTEU, benefiting over 1,00,000 teachers so far.

✼ Over 400 teachers from SCERT & DIET were trained in online workshops over 7 days.

✼ 12 international storytelling workshops for schoolchildren, reaching more than 150,000 children.

✼ 9 international workshops for college students.

✼ Nearly 800 free, one-hour story-time sessions delivered to schools worldwide.

✼ Reached 181 countries to date, and the list keeps growing.

✼ Connected with over 3,000 storytellers globally.

✼ Conducted the world’s first World Storytelling Championship online in 2021, free of cost, with overwhelming registrations: 6 age categories (ages 3 to 103), 131 countries, 33,400+ entries, 400 judges, and 60 finalists. The finals were held on Zoom, featuring judges from around the world and 6 world champions from India, South Korea, Nigeria, Iran, and Taiwan. The Grand Finale was on December 27, 2021, on the 10 Times Platform. India's youngest storyteller hoisted the WSTC Flag, and the world champions were crowned by Dr. Jagdish Krishna, Minister for Health, Government of Western Australia, with Walter Ritter—writer, poet, producer, entrepreneur, and storyteller—serving as the Guest of Honour.

The Second World Storytelling Championship took place on December 31, 2022, with 58,800+ registrations from 137 countries, 600 judges, and 71 finalists participating in the online event.

ACEnovation signed an MoU with the Government of Tamil Nadu to bring stories to children in government schools. It conducted nearly 365 free storytelling sessions—thus creating another story! They were also the storytelling partner for the Times of India’s "Happy Streets" initiative, spreading happiness through stories in Chennai, Coimbatore, and Bangalore.

Stories for special people: An initiative to give a platform to those who deserve to be heard. This has extended beyond India to Malta, Malaysia, and Africa. ACEnovation continues to bring weekly stories to the underprivileged and physically challenged.

ACEnovation also shared stories of India’s culture at the Marrakech Storytelling Festival in Morocco with a focus on the "Tribes of Nilgiris" and "Kolam Kadhaigal."

Fifty workshops were conducted for teachers in government schools in Coimbatore and Ooty, as well as for Anganwadi workers in Tamil Nadu.

Turn to Turkey – ‘Rebuild Through Stories’ – it was called! There were 195 stories from as many countries, and the event featured 24 hours of non-stop storytelling. ACEnovation partnered with Rotary International to raise funds for the people of Turkey—the first in the world to use storytelling for a global humanitarian cause. Almost every country participated. Stories flowed, and so did the funds—funds to rebuild a beautiful country called Turkey. Seeds of love, world peace, and unity were not only sown but also watered, nurtured, and tended. These bonds blossomed into beautiful connections that are difficult to break. It was a spectacular, one-of-a-kind, trendsetting event!

Recognising that storytelling is a skill everyone should possess, ACEnovation made storytelling a subject for university and college students in Tamil Nadu under the aegis of TNSDC's skill development initiative, ‘Naan Mudhalvan’. To date, nearly 30,000 students have been trained. The students’ inherent talents are identified, and opportunities are created for them to earn a living. ACEnovation is working to build an ecosystem where rural Indian students can learn and earn from their homes, with many girl students benefiting from this initiative.

The 2023 World Storytelling Championship saw 70,342 registrations from 181 countries. There were 600 judges. This massive event received much applause. Champions in the six categories hailed from Argentina, Paraguay, South Korea, Malaysia, Malawi, Cuba, and India. Judges were eminent storytellers from each of the five continents. The grand award ceremony, held online, had the President of Mauritius give away the prizes.

ACEnovation now offers ‘Saturday Stories’ at the Anna Centenary Library and ‘Sunday Stories’ at the Kalaignar Centenary Library. Storytelling workshops were organised for senior civil servants, and similar workshops and seminars were held for entrepreneurs, focusing on storytelling.

World Wildlife Week was celebrated at Guindy Zoo, where 15,000 visitors benefited from storytelling sessions about wildlife preservation.

‘TN Talks’ is an initiative of the Directorate of School Education, Directorate of Public Libraries, and ACEnovation. It highlights the stories of individuals who have made a significant impact in their fields, inspiring, informing, and transforming the public.

Value additions through storytelling at the ‘Anna Centenary Library’—Asia's second-largest library—and the ‘Kalaignar Centenary Library’ in Madurai include:

✼ ‘Kural Connections’: Bringing Thirukural to libraries worldwide through stories.

✼ ‘Saturday Stories’: Free storytelling sessions for the public every Saturday at the Anna Centenary Library.

✼ ‘Twilight Stories’: Stories for Tamil Nadu, broadcast online every day from 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm, aimed at promoting social cohesiveness through storytelling.

Through all these programs, ACEnovation ensures that storytellers not only get a platform to showcase their talents but also have pathways to earn a living.

This illustrates what ACEnovation is doing through stories, storytelling, and storytellers.

ACEnovation presents a wonderful example of the Nexus of Good. The model is already scaling and can be replicated in other parts of the country through public-private partnerships.

Views expressed are personal