Milda Varnauskaitė is one of the lecturers of the CAMINO developed course "Intercultural Awareness in Central and Eastern European Context". Having developed the course module "Stereotypes and Prejudices", she challenges biases and teaches strategies to counter stereotypes and discrimination, particularly in the Central and Eastern European context. Milda believes that storytelling is a powerful way to connect with oneself and others: "We are all hard-wired to tell stories".

In the summer of 2015, on a sweltering day in Amsterdam, Milda Varnauskaitė stood before a small audience of twelve and shared her story aloud for the first time. Although terrified, this pivotal moment set her on a new path. She decided to leave behind her job, family, and friends in Lithuania and move to the Netherlands to pursue a career in storytelling.

Her journey began with a course at Mezrab Storytelling School, which she completed in 2017. By 2019, she was a full-time storyteller, participating in international events, creating five storytelling shows, and contributing to a storytelling film. Milda began teaching storytelling at Vilnius University in 2018 and has since shared her expertise with a diverse range of students—from first-timers to professional performers. She also curated and produced events for institutions like Mezrab Cultural Centre and the National Museum of Lithuania, film festival Inconvenient Films and other.

Milda’s goal is simple: to inspire others to tell stories in their daily lives. Her storytelling fuses Baltic folklore, personal experience, and comedy, and she regularly performs across Lithuania and Europe, including at festivals The Oerol Festival of Terschelling in the Netherlands, ‘Amsterdam International Storytelling Festival’, MIX UP festival in Paris, FESTival in Denmark, and La Nombril du Monde in France. Milda emphasizes the importance of using storytelling as a tool for connection in professional and personal settings. Whether it’s in a corporate team-building exercise or at a wedding, storytelling fosters vulnerability, empathy, and a sense of community. She offers her services as a storyteller, trainer, and event host, helping others unlock their own stories and strengthen their storytelling skills.

Reflecting on her journey, Milda notes that her passion for storytelling was ignited unexpectedly, but the art form quickly became a calling. She feels storytelling is an essential part of human existence, connecting us to our ancestors and to each other. "Spend a few hours telling stories with someone, and you'll leave as close friends," she says.

Milda’s storytelling style is rooted in authenticity. She believes that the best stories come from a place of emotional truth and vulnerability, and she encourages her students to embrace their full range of feelings, from anger to joy. She sees storytelling not just as a performance but as a dialogue between the teller and the audience, where true connection happens.

For Milda, storytelling is a powerful, almost primal, experience. She reminds us that telling and listening to stories releases oxytocin—the "bonding hormone"—which fosters trust and intimacy. To her, storytelling is not just a form of entertainment but a way of building deep, meaningful relationships. Milda continues to share her passion for storytelling, teaching others to embrace their stories with Storytelling Night‘s at Vilnius University: https://www.kultura.vu.lt/en/student-art-groups/com-newsfeeds-feeds/storytelling-nights

The course "Intercultural Awareness in Central and Eastern European Context" is developed within the framework of project CAMINO, with the leading partner University of Opole. Funded by the EU, CERV programme.

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