St John鈥檚 Co-Cathedral Explores Storytelling in 鈥榃here Stories Live鈥� Seminar this May

Event: St John鈥檚 Co-Cathedral Explores Storytelling in 鈥榃here Stories Live鈥� Seminar this May

Date: Wednesday 6 May 2026

Time: 09:00-14:00

Venue: St John鈥檚 Co-Cathedral, Valletta

[ENG]

On Wednesday 6 May, St John’s Co-Cathedral will host a day-long titled Where Stories Live | Narrative in an Evolving Experience at King’s Own Band Club in Valletta, bringing together leading thinkers and practitioners to explore storytelling as a strategic link between heritage, digital transformation, human experience, and future relevance.

A central highlight of the seminar is the keynote address by internationally recognised museologist Dr Caroline Wilson-Barnao, whose work has significantly shaped contemporary thinking on museums in the digital age. A leading voice in global museum studies, her research examines the implications of digital and participatory media for museum practice. She is the author of Museums as Platforms (2022) and co-author of Collecting Social Media: From Object to Content (2025), with widely cited contributions on digitisation, platform logics, personalisation, and algorithmic cultural recommendation. Formerly Director of Museum Studies at the University of Queensland, she continues to play an active role in international research communities, contributing to initiatives such as the CPRA Australia Board and critical heritage and digital culture networks.

The seminar will also feature a series of panel discussions and workshops led by a diverse line-up of local and international speakers. Among the contributors is Dr Sandro Debono, a Malta-based academic and museum advisor, and executive board member of the Network of European Museum Organisations (NEMO), where he leads the Think Tank for Museum Futures. International perspectives will be further enriched by Dr Annalisa Banzi, an art historian from the University of Milan whose research focuses on the intersection of psychology, neuroscience, and visitor experience in museums.

The programme also includes contributions from John Mallia, Simone Spiteri and Alex Zammit. Mallia is a highly experienced trainer who has been active since 1998 and specialises in motivational training for personal development, communication, and workplace effectiveness across a wide range of public and private sector organisations. Spiteri, an award-winning playwright and founder of theatre company Dù, brings a strong narrative and performative dimension, with works staged internationally and recognised by national awards, including the National Book Prize for Drama. Zammit’s interdisciplinary work bridges theology, psychology, art, and cultural engagement, focusing on how art functions as both a reflection of culture and a vehicle for meaning.

The seminar offers a unique platform for dialogue across disciplines, inviting participants to consider how storytelling can shape more meaningful, inclusive, and future-oriented cultural experiences.

For more information, visit the . Tickets are available .

[MLT]

Il-Konkatidral ta’ San 臓wann se jorganizza Seminar f’Mejju bit-titlu ‘Where Stories Live’

Nhar il-Erbg魔a 6 ta’ Mejju, il-Konkatidral ta’ San 臓wann se jkun qed jospita seminar ta’ 摹urnata bit-titlu ta’ Where Stories Live | Narrative in an Evolving Experience 摹ewwa il-King’s Own Band Club fil-Belt Valletta. Dan l-avveniment se ji摹bor flimkien 魔assieba u prattikanti ewlenin biex jesploraw ir-rakkont tal-istejjer b魔ala rabta strate摹ika bejn il-wirt, it-trasformazzjoni di摹itali, l-esperjenza umana, u r-rilevanza futura.

Punt ewlieni f’dan is-seminar huwa d-diskors mill-mu偶eologa rikonoxxuta internazzjonalment Dr Caroline Wilson-Barnao, li x-xog魔ol tag魔ha sawwar b'mod sinifikanti l-魔sieb kontemporanju dwar il-mu偶ewijiet fl-era di摹itali. B魔ala vu膵i ewlenija fl-istudji globali tal-mu偶ewijiet, ir-ri膵erka tag魔ha te偶amina l-implikazzjonijiet tal-midja di摹itali u parte膵ipazzjoni prattika fil-mu偶ewijiet. Hija l-awtri膵i ta' Museums as Platforms (2022) u ko-awtri膵i ta' Collecting Social Media: From Object to Content (2025), b'kontribuzzjonijiet ikkwotati dwar id-di摹italizzazzjoni, il-lo摹ika tal-pjattaformi, il-personalizzazzjoni, u r-rakkomandazzjoni kulturali algoritmika. Kienet Direttri膵i tal-Istudji tal-Mu偶ewijiet fl-Università ta' Queensland, u b魔alissa tokkupa rwol attiv fil-komunitajiet ta' ri膵erka internazzjonali, billi tikkontribwixxi g魔al inizjattivi b魔all-Bord tas-CPRA Australia u netwerks o魔ra li joperaw fil-wirt kritiku u l-kultura di摹itali.

Is-seminar se jinkludi wkoll diskussjonji f’panel u serje ta’ workshops immexxija minn firxa diversa ta’ kelliema lokali u internazzjonali. Fost il-kontributuri hemm Dr Sandro Debono, konsulent akkademiku tal-mu偶ewijiet ibba偶at f’Malta, u membru tal-bord e偶ekuttiv tan-Network of European Museum Organisations (NEMO), fejn imexxi t-Think Tank fuq il-futur tal-mu偶ewijiet. Il-perspettivi internazzjonali se ji摹u esplorati aktar minn Dr Annalisa Banzi, storika tal-arti mill-Università ta’ Milan li r-ri膵erka tag魔ha tiffoka fuq l-intersezzjoni tal-psikolo摹ija, in-newroxjenza, u l-esperjenza tal-vi偶itaturi fil-mu偶ewijiet.

Il-programm jinkludi wkoll kontribuzzjonijiet minn John Mallia, Simone Spiteri u Alex Zammit. Mallia huwa trainer esperjenzat li ilu attiv fis-settur mill-1998 u jispe膵jalizza fi training motivazzjonali g魔all-i偶vilupp personali, il-kommunikazzjoni u l-effettività fil-post tax-xog魔ol f'firxa wiesg魔a ta' organizzazzjonijiet fis-settur pubbliku u privat. Spiteri, kittieba fis-settur kreattiv u fundatur tal-kumpanija teatrali Dù, i摹ib mag魔ha dimensjoni unika mill-aspetti ta’ narrattiva u performattiva. Ix-xog魔ol tag魔ha itellg魔a internazzjonalment u 摹ie rikonoxxuti b’bosta Premji nazzjonali, inklu偶 il-Premju Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb g魔ad-Drama. Ix-xog魔ol interdixxiplinari ta’ Zammit jg魔aqqad it-teolo摹ija, il-psikolo摹ija, l-arti, u l-involviment kulturali, billi jiffoka fuq kif l-arti tiffunzjona kemm b魔ala riflessjoni tal-kultura kif ukoll b魔ala mezz g魔at-tifsira.

Is-seminar joffri pjattaforma unika g魔al djalogu li jimra魔 minn dixxiplina g魔all-o魔ra u jistieden lill-parte膵ipanti jikkonsidraw kif ir-rakkont tal-istejjer jistg魔u jiffurmaw esperjenzi kulturali sinifikanti, inklu偶ivi, u orjentati lejn il-futur.