How can we use storytelling to find common ground and lay the foundations for cooperation? From cross-border youth projects in Ireland, new intergenerational initiatives in South Carolina to N4's annual staff retreat: here's where stories took us this November, and where we're going next!

Celebrating Living Legends

We're delighted to share a brand new video of an exciting project that brought together young people from Belfast and Limerick this year. The video was launched at the Creative Ireland Shared Island Conference. Taoiseach Micheál Martin (Prime Minister) delivered a keynote and met the Narrative 4 team.

N4 Ireland's Annual Report

For Narrative 4 Ireland, 2024 was a year of growth, creativity and transformative storytelling projects. With a Story Exchange facilitator in 40% of Ireland’s secondary schools, thousands more young people are growing up with compassion at the heart of their education.

The Annual Report captures N4 Ireland's work with young people, educators, artists and communities across Ireland. It was launched online last week: read more below!

Reaching Every School

Earlier this year, 700 young people from across the island of Ireland gathered with Narrative 4 in Queen's University Belfast to mark 27 years of peace. Senator George Mitchell, one of the architects of the Good Friday Agreement, addressed the students, urging them to sustain the peace process.

As part of the project, N4 partnered with Politics in Action to develop a learning resource designed to educate and equip the next generation of peacemakers. The resource is now on its way to every school in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland!

Intergenerational Wisdom

Over the next five years, Narrative 4 will train community leaders in Story Exchange facilitation, in collaboration with the South Carolina Conference of The UMC, Messy Church USA and the West Virginia Conference UMC. The program aims to increase dialogue between generations and support more connected communities. 

The first training sessions and Story Exchanges have already gotten underway, and we're excited to see where this partnership leads! See what Cari and Constance took from their first Story Exchange below:

Building Next-Gen Leaders

📍 San Diego, USA

N4 Facilitators Dr Leah Flack (Marquette University) and Dr Christine Cusick (Seton Hill University) spoke and delivered workshops for educators at the 2025 Center for Civility Conference in San Diego. The event, co-hosted by UC San Diego and National Conflict Resolution Centre, explored how colleges and universities can teach dialogue, cultivate leadership and foster connections in a divided world.

Narrative 4 Staff Retreat

📍 New York City, USA

Earlier in November, some of our staff from Ireland, Israel, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa and USA met in NYC over three days to align our mission, deepen cross-country collaboration and plan for 2026.

Civic Engagement in the Classroom

📍 Kentucky, USA

Lee Keylock, Vice President of Global Impact and Evan Barker, Programs Manager at Narrative 4, took a road trip around central and eastern Kentucky last week, visiting schools taking part in a new civic engagement pilot project. We'll share further updates as the pilot unfolds!

Expanding Our Impact in France

📍 Grenoble, France

On Friday November 21, 11 staff members at the Université Grenoble Alpes trained as Story Exchange Facilitators. They're excited to roll out the program on campus.

This Giving Tuesday: