"Education Through Stories": the premiere of the Open Lecture Hall about the future was held at the National Centre RUSSIA

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The premiere of the Open Lecture Hall "Inventing the Future: Plots and Stories" was held on 7 February at the National Centre RUSSIA. It is a series of meetings with scientists, futurists and experts from different countries devoted to the art of storytelling in advertising, cinema and video games. The ability to present material in an engaging way is increasingly becoming a tool of education, marketing and entertainment, helping to build emotional connections and deeper immersion in stories about the past, present and future.

The Open Lecture Hall opened with the theme "Education Through Stories". It was launched by the Director General of the National Centre RUSSIA, Natalia Virtuozova. 

"The National Centre RUSSIA was created by order of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. Here we conduct an open dialogue about the future and strive to ensure that everyone becomes its co-author. Talking about what it will be like is our key task, because the future is shaped by what we create and tell. Today marks the premiere of the Open Lecture Hall 'Plots and Stories', which emerged as part of a symposium held this autumn. During discussions with participants from different countries, we realised that this format is in demand. The symposium became part of a broader Open Dialogue, which we invite everyone to join — an honest, vivid, bold and engaging conversation about our future. We clearly understand that in order to move forward, it is not always necessary to invent something new — it is important to rethink experience we already have," said Natalia Virtuozova.

She noted that historical heritage is a "launch pad" for moving into the future. Natalia Virtuozova stressed that many storylines around the world are similar, and that the time has come to retell them through one’s own traditions and meanings. As an example, she referred to the exposition "Book of Fairy Tales" at the National Centre RUSSIA. It is not simply an exposition, but a "journey" in which visitors live through a fairy-tale path — with a choice between good and evil — and emerge transformed, becoming co-authors of what unfolds.

"Visual elements are playing an increasingly important role in storytelling today. Visualisation is emotion, imagery, a picture that helps people feel and understand. This is precisely where difficulties still arise. From early childhood we are taught to write, but in modern storytelling it is especially important to learn to think in images and convey meaning through visuals. To truly tell a story, you need to be able to see it and show it. At the same time, what remains unchanged, in my view, is what is set out in the Bible — biblical truths. Everything else is new retellings and reinterpretations," Natalia Virtuozova added.

In today’s world, storytelling plays an enormous role. Because of the complexity of ongoing events, many people find it difficult to make sense of what is happening, which is why the need for those who can explain complex things simply and clearly continues to grow. This view was shared by the US producer, screenwriter and director, Mehret Mandefro.

"Storytelling has always been about understanding the world and our own lives. We need to pay attention to who is telling us about the world and from what perspective. Only then do we create our own 'frame' — the way through which we see the world. Everyone needs to learn how to manage their own frame. In the past, we could trust experts, but today facts are no longer always convincing, while fiction can sometimes feel more persuasive. The internet is filled with viral videos, and this confuses people. I call this the 'holy trinity' of storytelling. At the top is the story and your voice. In the middle is perception, which is always subjective. At the bottom is behaviour — action or inaction. The most critical point is bringing the external world closer to the inner voice. Each of us must become a storyteller, able to speak clearly and simply about ourselves and our lives. If we do not learn this, we will be ignored — we will become invisible," she said.

The author of the YouTube channel "History by Cherny", Alik Cherny, suggested that in the future storytelling may move away from reading and retelling texts towards a technology of "genetic immersion". Using nano-doubles and the reading of genetic memory, people could synchronise with the experiences of their ancestors.

"In the near future, an 'avatar' will appear that is fully infused with our feelings and emotions. It will be a hologram that cannot be harmed and cannot influence anything. It can be sent into a specific historical time or event — Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Ancient Rus’. And when the hologram is there, we will be able to feel the breeze, touch the Nile, sense everything in our hands. We will be able to walk through a market and smell freshly baked bread," Alik Cherny explained.

He added that future technologies and neural mechanisms could transform the very understanding of history — allowing people not just to memorise dates and rulers’ biographies, but to immerse themselves more deeply in the past, understand the languages and contexts of ancient cultures, and even live through the experiences of ordinary people rather than only famous figures. According to him, it will be essential to interpret and convey such experiences through storytelling, clearly understanding what the story is about, who it is for and what its purpose is.

Throughout the day, Russian and international experts discussed how stories and storytelling are transforming education, advertising, cinema and games. The speakers’ visions of the future were visualised in AI-generated videos accompanied by the storyteller character Alice from the future. She was created by the team of KROLIKI at the First Neurocontent Cup and became the symbol of the project "Inventing the Future".

As part of the Open Lecture Hall, the National Centre RUSSIA also presented the exposition "Once upon a time I…", dedicated to the practice of storytelling and collective narrative. Guests can continue the phrase "Once upon a time I…" in the form of text or drawing, sharing personal stories, ideas and visions of the future in order to create a shared picture of tomorrow together.

The Open Lecture Hall "Inventing the Future: Plots and Stories" is an original project of the National Centre RUSSIA that emerged within the framework of the II International Symposium "Inventing the Future". Owing to strong audience interest, the lecture series was decided to be developed as a standalone format.

The National Centre RUSSIA invites everyone to become co-authors of our future at the III International Symposium "Inventing the Future", which will take place in November 2026 and will focus on the unity of peoples in science, culture and art.

The Open Lecture Hall can be watched on the website russia.ru in the "Livestreams and Videos" section, as well as on social media and video platforms of the National Centre RUSSIA.