UNESCO and VIVO launch youth storytelling project in Italy

The first edition of ‘Capture the Future – Global Youth Storytelling Initiative for People & Nature’ has launched in the Appennino Tosco-Emiliano Biosphere Reserve. This international project, promoted by UNESCO and the technology company VIVO, brings 15 young storytellers to the region for a week-long intensive program.

The participants were selected from 745 applicants representing 98 countries linked to over 120 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves worldwide. The initiative functions as an open-air laboratory in areas such as Pontremoli, combining training, creativity, and direct experience to document the relationship between people, nature, and local landscapes.

Guided by international mentors including Keshav Chugh (VIVO), photographer Solli Kanani, UNESCO MAB specialist Manoel Giffoni, and director Marko Roth, the youth will produce photographic stories and short films. The goal is to capture the territory's biodiversity and the personal stories of its inhabitants through masterclasses and field activities in locations ranging from beech forests to local farms.