"Children know perfectly well that unicorns aren’t real, but they also know that books about unicorns, if they are good books, are true books."
- Ursula K.Le Guin
“La notte del racconto” is an initative that started out in 1991 and has now spread across Switzerland. “The night of the narrative” is based on a simple concept and yet brilliant: tell, read aloud, in all of Switzerland the same night. Children and adults can enjoy a special time, full of mysterious charm of listening. In addition to the natural pleasures of narrative, it also allows to merge several generations with a festive event. Telling, reading aloud , listening, ... actions that acquire a special value and are precious in our time dedicated to image, speed, fragmentation, disintegration, and impatience.
On November 12th the children are invited to spend 2 hours after dark at their school to listen to stories read by volunteers. The organizers (usually some of the parents) create a cozy atmosphere throughout the school house with lanterns, candles and sparkling lights. The classrooms are equipped with blankets and cushions. The children gather at around 8pm with their favourite soft toy and their little faces are full of excitement at being allowed out after dinner and anticipation in waiting for the “tour” to start. This years’ theme is “A forest full of stories”, perfect subject for decoration, don’t you agree?
Over the next 2 hours groups of children follow their “leader” from one room to the next where stories are read by parents or grandparents with the help of pictures, photos, slideshows, music, flashlights, candles or anything else the reader has thought of in order to create the right atmosphere. Some mesmerized, some sleepy, some chattering with friends but none of them wanting to miss a single moment enjoy a magical evening of story-telling before heading back home to beddy-byes and sweet dreams.
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