A 60-minute discussion with journalist, author, and specialist in Korean studies Nina Špitálníková followed by an immersive workshop that works with the Narrative 4 methodology focused on building empathy through story sharing and images from current exhibitions.

School groups have a unique opportunity to participate in discussions with selected Czech and foreign writers who will share how their own lives find echo in their work. The conversation with the writer will be followed by an educational workshop inspired by the methodology of the global project Narrative 4 - developing empathy through story exchange. Storytelling, as Narrative 4 and DOX’s educational programmes work with it, allows us to experience the sharing of stories with another person in a way that seems simple at first glance – listen and retell. And there is power in simplicity. Colum McCann, world-renowned Irish writer and founder of Narrative 4, has named this concept “radical empathy”. 

Participants are invited to share their own authentic stories (no more than five minutes long) on the topic of “light and darkness”. And because the story is meant to be shared, each participant can decide whether to choose a sad, happy, serious, or light-hearted story. Participants will prepare their stories in advance. 

The discussion will be hosted by Karolína Kočí. 

Nina Špitálníková is a journalist, author, and specialist in Korean studies. Her work has long focused on the themes of totalitarianism, propaganda, and human rights. While earning a degree in Korean studies from the Faculty of Arts of Charles University, she completed two study visits in Pyongyang. Her book Between Two Kims (Mezi dvěma Kimy, 2016) provides a personal account of daily life under a totalitarian regime. Her second book, Testimonies of Life in the DPRK (Svědectví o životě v KLDR, 2020), captures the stories of North Korean refugees through personal interviews. The book was nominated for a Magnesia Litera award, was translated into several languages, and became recommended reading for secondary school students. The author further developed this theme in her novel North Star (Severka, 2023). She is currently preparing a sequel to Testimonies of Life in the DPRK as well as a children’s book about totalitarianism titled Tota lítá (which translates literally as “Tota flies” but is also a play on the Czech word for totalitarianism).