Founder of the Food For Thought Network (FFTN), Varvara Ioannou has been acknowledged by Whitehorse Manningham Libraries as part of its initiative Here’s to the Story Makers.
Selected as one of ten storytellers who will be featured through social media over ten days, the project is part of the Our Community Stories program aimed at helping people to connect with their history, heritage, and community.
Given Ms Ioannou’s role in supporting women to tell their own stories through FFTN, the educator and mentor is a fitting choice and says she is delighted to have been selected to take part.
“Once you are able to articulate your own story, you see stories from others in similar ways,” she said.
“That creates the history, the heritage, the pride and the connection; through this deep reflection that storytelling is so powerful.
“This is not only a gift to you and those around you but to future generations.
“It makes a more human and understanding world.”
Joining Ms Ioannou are poet and journalist Joan Webster OAM, Woiwurrung language specialist Mandy Nicholson, author Joy Dettman, comedian Dave O’Neil, Muslim educator Saara Sabbagh, ABC broadcaster Terry Lane, and screen writer and newspaper editor Cliff Green.
“We’ve profiled storytelling in all its forms through this project – writing, comedy, art, public speaking, broadcasting, and linguistics,” said Lara McKinley, Whitehorse Manningham Libraries’ Community Stories Project Officer.
“The ten local story tellers have helped make our community so much richer, and we are delighted to be able to promote their stories through this project.”
The initiative is part of the National Trust of Australia’s 2017 Australian Heritage Festival. Find out more at wml.vic.gov.au/Thank_the_Story_Makers