Stories, and the tradition of storytelling, are a central component of Scotland’s rich culture and history. But they also represent something much bigger: they form a fundamental part of who we are and, from a young age, shape how we understand the world around us, and how we relate to others. To celebrate the Year of Stories, Edinburgh International Book Festival will deliver a mass participatory event: Scotland’s Stories Now. This will see people of all ages and from all backgrounds creating and telling stories about Scotland today – proving that everyone has a story to tell, and empowering them to share it. Stories will be gathered at community events and projects throughout 2022, and will be shared in a flagship series of events during the 2022 Edinburgh International Book Festival. We’ll encourage our storytellers to draw inspiration from uniquely Scottish sources, such as the landscape and existing myths and legends, but we’ll also ask them to think about major current issues which matter most to them – including climate change, wellbeing and how Scotland navigates a post-Covid landscape. Our event will celebrate and make sense of Scotland today, through a series of fresh, contemporary stories as told by diverse voices.