About the conference | The Power of Storytelling

The Power of Storytelling (PoS) is an award-winning conference built on the idea that well-crafted stories can bridge divides, heal wounds, inspire action and create change.

This is a one of a kind event in Eastern Europe. Since 2011 it has brought to Bucharest more than 80 storytellers in all fields – from media, to arts, to activism, to business – for inspirational talks meant to foster belonging, empathy, and revive hope in a better society.

After a five-year hiatus brought on by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, PoS is returning for its 10th anniversary edition, with fresh energy and a renewed commitment to bringing people together through compelling storytelling.

This year’s overarching theme is Connect. Change – whether personal or societal – needs us working together, but these days it often feels like we’ve forgotten how to do it. Many of us feel lonelier and more isolated, the world seems scarier and more polarized. We hope the conference can be “a reset button for the heart”, and a place where we’re reminded of how to connect through stories and why it’s worth doing it.

The Power of Storytelling was created and organized by the team behind Decât o Revistă (DoR), which closed down in 2022. None of the past editions would have been possible without the fierce support and dedication of our alumni, partners and sponsors. – THANK YOU!

Past Speakers

Over the years, our speakers have included multiple winners of Pulitzer Prizes, National Magazine Awards, Emmys, and many other accolades. They were writers, editors, producers, digital innovators, filmmakers, entrepreneurs, and musicians, all among the best in their respective fields.

Cheryl Strayed

Cheryl Strayed is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling memoir Wild, the New York Times bestsellers Tiny Beautiful Things and Brave Enough, and the novel Torch.

Wendy MacNaughton

Her work appears in places like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Print Magazine. She lives in San Francisco with two cats, one dog and her partner, writer Caroline Paul.

Colin Meloy

Colin Meloy is the singer/guitarist and songwriter for the Portland, OR band The Decemberists. He is also the author of the New York Times bestselling Wildwood Chronicles, a trilogy of novels for middle-grade readers.

Jacqui Banaszynski

Jacqui is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, editor, and globetrotting coach.

Chris Jones

Chris is an award winning writer-at-large for Esquire and a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine.

Lisa Pollak

Lisa is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and radio producer who specializes in narrative stories about ordinary people.

Jonah Sachs

Jonah is the Co-Founder and CEO of Free Range Studios and an internationally recognized storyteller, author, marketer, designer and entrepreneur.

Tom Junod

Tom has been a writer-at-large for Esquire for 16 years. He got his start writing for Atlanta Magazine.

Monica Nicoara

Documentary film director, producer and writer, Mona was born in Communist Romania and, until 1989, dedicated her early years to becoming a poet.

Tudor Giurgiu

Tudor is a director, as well as the founder and President of the Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF).

Alex Tizon

Alex is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and faculty member at the University of Oregon.

Evan Ratliff

Evan is founder and editor of The Atavist, a storytelling platform for the digital age.

Pat Walters

Pat is editor of Pop-Up Magazine. Before that he was a producer at the public radio show Radiolab.

Michael Paterniti

Michael Paterniti is a longtime GQ contributor, winner of a National Magazine Award and author of two New York Times bestselling books.

Leslie Jamison

Leslie Jamison is the author of The Empathy Exams, an essay collection, and of Gin Closet, a novel.

Robert Krulwich

Robert Krulwich is co-host of Radiolab, WNYC’s Peabody Award-winning program about “big ideas”, now one of public radio’s most popular shows.

Nikole Hannah-Jones

Nikole Hannah-Jones is an award-winning investigative reporter at The New York Times Magazine covering racial injustice and segregation.

Thomas French

Tom French is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, writer and teacher, who has taught at the Poynter Institute for more than 25 years.

Diana Markosian

A Magnum photographer, and artist whose work explores the relationship between memory and place.

Elspeth Reeve

A Peabody-winning correspondent for Vice News Tonight on HBO, covering national issues and political movements.

Mila Turajlic

Award-winning documentary filmmaker, an archive junkie, and a scholar of cinematic storytelling and memory.

Andy Mills

Audio wizard, producer of The New York Times podcast hits: The Daily, and Caliphate.

Anna Rosling Rönnlund

Swedish designer, and founder of Dollar Street, who uses visuals to help explain the world and its inequalities.

Brian Reed

Host and co-creator of the international sensation, S-Town, a podcast narrative with over 70 million downloads.

Team

Cristian Lupșa

Cristian is the host of The Power of Storytelling, a conference he started alongside his colleagues from DoR, a now defunct magazine devoted to narrative journalism and storytelling.

Ioana Gonțea

Ioana Gonțea is the Manager of The Power of Storytelling. She likes to sleep, and when she doesn't, she fights with the bureaucracy. She is obsessed with excel & Gantt charts.

Sorana Stănescu

Sorana Stănescu is the conference technical producer and participants’ coordinator. That means she will know all the names in the audience, and all the speakers’ technical preferences. At least.

Carla Lunguți

Carla is a journalist and fundraising coordinator. She helps independent journalism projects become more sustainable. This year, she runs the commercial partnerships, making sure that sponsors, partners and participants have memorable experiences. She's watched Grey's Anatomy four times. All seasons. (Don't judge.)

Andreea Vîlcu

Andreea is our speakers’ coordinator, making sure everyone feels at home and has an unforgettable experience. She's obsessed with the Friends series and has a matchbook with the name of her hometown tattooed on her arm.

Ioana Burtea

Ioana is the communication coordinator, former DoR alumni and published author. She's been working with the conference since 2015, making sure it makes a proper splash around the world.

Alina Cristea

Alina is Ioana’s sidekick on the communications team. She writes content for the website and spreads conference buzz far and wide. That is, unless her feline overlords are calling.

Vanesa Panait

Vanesa is our new Social Media Specialist and she’s here to bring storytelling magic to your feed. Off-duty, she’s out in nature or chilling with her dog.

Ruxandra Neagu

Ruxandra is the Venue Manager. With a background in organizing corporate and private events, she will do the magic ‘behind the scenes’ so that you can have a great experience next to the conference stage. :) She is a food enthusiast who loves coffee, yoga and everything about summer.

Tuan Nini

Nini is the illustrator and animator of our visuals. Hailing from Kuala Lumpur, a series of happy coincidences led her to study, live and love in Bucharest. As a child, she wanted to be a stewardess–but she now sees that the work of a visual storyteller is also an act of hospitality.

Policromic

Special thanks to our friends at Policromic studio for the art direction and graphic design.

Mihai Ciobanu

At PoS as well as in his real life, Mihai is a photographer and web developer. He’s also passionately into all things bikes.