What happens when customs that have been practiced for centuries run the risk of being lost forever? Every day, languages, crafts, and habits disappear from all across the world, taking with them priceless cultural knowledge. However, storytelling has long been used as a preservation mechanism; family lore, oral histories, and customs preserve history for future generations. Storytellers who not only preserve cultural practices but also make sure they continue to be alive and relevant are recognized with the Legacy Award. Experts emphasize how storytelling may unite the past and present in the insights that follow, reviving endangered customs and enhancing local communities and audiences around the world.

Sustainable Tourism Revives Endangered Cultural Heritage Traditions

Our storytelling mission preserves endangered neighbourhood customs, capturing oral artisan traditions and family lore that would disappear without contributions to the local economy from ground-breaking cultural tourism. When a Florence guide offered her grandmother’s centuries-old silk-weaving secrets to guests through the platform, the tale attracted overseas visitors who snatched up private workshop reservations. It was enough money for the family to buy new looms and teach the next generation — an endeavor that not only preserved a 400-year-old tradition of craft, but also transformed travelers who engaged with hands-on, real techniques hidden within static exhibits in museums.

The greatest victory in our work of heritage preservation is partnering with elderly master artisans to protect extraordinary and irreplaceable techniques from dying out with the artisans themselves. We fund the transfer of those skills into the communities, utilizing the travelers interest. For example, an 89-year-old pottery master in Kyoto used our storytelling platform to bring in workshop participants to launch an official apprenticeship program for local youth. This program is preserving traditional glazing methods as well as providing a livable wage for cultural education work. We focus on where storytelling drives new economic opportunities for cultural heritage as opposed to just documenting tradition as historical novelty, to make sure our narrative work delivers actual outcomes for the communities working to keep real and traditional practices alive.

Perhaps the greatest acknowledgment is seeing age old customs live on with sustainable cultural tourism that does not damper local communities and at the same time allows travelers to still receive real life glimpses into heritage conservation efforts. It’s a life-changing experience that makes them cultural ambassadors many years after they’ve returned home.

Sample story: https://www.cityunscripted.com/travel-magazine/hidden-gems-kyoto

Yunna Takeuchi, Co-founder & CXO, City Unscripted

Spotlyts Awards

The above story/stories or storyteller(s) won the Spotlyts Award.

At Spotlyts Magazine, we believe that every story—whether written, visual, or digital—has the power to move, inspire, and connect us. The Spotlyts Awards honor outstanding storytelling across diverse formats and genres, recognizing the creators and voices behind impactful narratives that deserve to shine.

Request for a review of your book and have it nominated for the award here.

To nominate for a non-book category of the award or to know more about the award, click here.

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