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Transcript:
When I was a little girl hearing stories from my parents, they often started
with [in Arabic: "It was a place in the old time"], or as you would say in
English: "Once upon a time..."
It suggests a distant place and time, in the land of the imagination...far removed from the ordinary routines we know at home.
Yet, "once upon a time" is also right here, right now, in the stories that are unfolding all around us – the stories of our lives...our experiences...our hopes...our laughter and our tears...and the stories of our families, friends, and neighbors, in which we all play a part.
Sharing those stories is what the "Our Stories" project is all about, as we collect 5 million personal stories from individuals around the world.
Through this oral history, we will be invited into one another’s lives...where the storyteller’s own voice and emotion bring the stories themselves to life. We will build awareness of our shared humanity across borders, backgrounds, and cultures...and create new means for dialogue and mutual understanding. The wisdom of parents and grandparents will be captured for posterity. Young people will be encouraged to give voice to their wildest dreams. And together, we will discover the words that tell us who we are.
For telling a story only has real meaning when someone else is listening. The message of this project is that every human being has a story that deserves to be heard.
And by recording our stories – by recording your story – we can ensure that "once upon a time" is for all time… and for us all.
Thank you.
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