Dare to Become the Hope of a New Tomorrow -
United Nations Summit of the Future Action Days
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Last September Animal Wisdom Speaks was invited to be part of the United Nations Summit of the Future Action Days.
During the event I spoke about the power of storytelling, of making a choice between inducing and introjecting fear or becoming the hope and thus breaking the cycle of attack and provocation, retaliation, reactive abuse and blame shifting step by step, turning pain and old wounding into healing and wisdom, so our world becomes the garden in which the dreamers of tomorrow can set root, blossom and bloom. The title was “Voices of Change – Empowering Communities through Inclusive Dialogue and Storytelling”. Here is my speech: “My name is Kristin Raphaela Otti. I was born and raised in the Lavant Valley in Southern Austria, a province called Carinthia. I am shaman, storyteller and artist. Above all, I love learning and listening to stories. I remember the time, when I was allowed to play cards with my grandma and listen to her stories very fondly. She was a businesswoman and in politics, so our conversations were a never-ending stream of new information, adventures and learning. I am also a change manager, organizational designer and teacher by trade. The past is a teacher not a place to live in or dwell on, the present is the moment, we can shape with our stories. The future is the playground we create for the dreamers of tomorrow, for our children. One might think that there is a contradiction in being a shaman and being in business, but a shaman empowers people by listening and by telling stories and a change manager does the same. We go into organizations and businesses, listen to the stories told and then by telling new stories, we help shape the future of the organizations and businesses. As in everything, the stories told by the people, the individuals coming to us or by the businesses and organizations vary. There are stories of hope that are beautiful. There are stories of despair, demise and fear. There are stories filled with fear of the past and the hurt that was being done and inflicted upon us. In the end, there is no story that cannot be told. There is no story that is not worth being listened to. There is no story that is better or worse, none is bigger or smaller than anybody else’s. 
"Peace, Harmony and Balance", white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2024, Cafe Mülller, Munich)
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"Break the Cycle", pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2005)
Stories and storytelling are the fabric of our world. They have always been used to create either division or unity. Every word spoken bears power. A single word can grow into a sentence, a sentence can grow into judgment and thus become a sword dividing. And yet, a single word can grow into a seed of change, blossoming and blooming, and become an open hand and a guide into a new tomorrow. In working together, in telling our stories in conversation, on social media, in daily life, in business, there is always a choice: We can be the fear that brings division and despair or we can be the hope of a new dawn, a new day, a new tomorrow. Let us choose to be the hope. Let us come together in a circle, listen to each other with open hearts, as equals, standing side by side. Through listening to one another with open hearts instead of trying to seem bigger or better, let us welcome different points of view and diversity in approaching matters and life. Let us turn our stories into hope and whatever we have experienced as individuals, as the children we are, as communities, as people - Let those stories grow into seeds of hope! I have done so in my life and at the moment, I am building and creating three organizations that aim to helping people become healers instead of being victims and to bring change. Animal Wisdom Speaks helps through storytelling to make aware of environmental issues and by having storytelling events at schools aims to empower children and teenagers to stand tall and powerful. The past is a teacher not a place to live in or dwell on, the present is the moment, we can shape with our stories. The future is the playground we create for the dreamers of tomorrow, for our children. Let go of the past, let go of fear. Dare to dream. Dare to be the hope of a new tomorrow. Dare to tell your story. Dare to inspire.” Kristin Raphaela Otti (20 September 2024, UN Summit of the Future) |
