Post by Seen & Heard

Seen & Heard has one more episode for you before the summer is out, and it's a good one. Our guest is Andy Pring, a virtual exchange specialist and dialogue facilitator who runs Creative Writing for Social Change, a programme that has quietly grown into something remarkable: six groups running in parallel, hosted from four different continents, with applications from 41 nationalities. The eldest applicant so far? A 99-year-old Indian-American gentleman. The writing that comes out of these groups tackles everything from patriarchal norms in Sri Lanka to loneliness, the impact of climate change in the global south, and life as an immigrant in Italy. Participants describe it as a space to discover themselves without feeling judged, and to find courage and solidarity among people who believe storytelling can make a difference. In this episode, Darko Mareš and Edita Bandur sit down with Andy to talk about: - How creative writing becomes a tool for social change, not just self-expression - What it takes to build a genuinely global learning community across time zones and cultures - Why safe, non-judgemental spaces unlock voices that formal education often silences - What facilitating dialogue across 41 nationalities teaches you about listening This one is for anyone who believes stories can do more than entertain. Watch on LinkedIn or YouTube: https://lnkd.in/ep8Z-JzS And after this one, we're off on our first proper summer hiatus. Back in September.