Suggestions
Euloge Ishimwe
Head of Communications, Africa Region at International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Euloge Ishimwe is a seasoned multilingual communicator and strategist with over 19 years of experience in helping international organizations gain visibility, credibility, trust, and funding through digital strategies, media engagement, diplomacy, and advocacy.
Currently serving as the Head of Communications for Africa at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Euloge has previously held senior roles at SOS Children's Villages International and WOSM.
With a strong academic background in languages, journalism, sociology, and international relations, Euloge is known for building and leading world-class teams, establishing relationships with major international media outlets, and teaching audiovisual production and journalism.
He has authored 'Declassified Verses' and is a passionate opinion article writer, reader, poet, photographer, event MC, panel discussion host, and public speaker.
Euloge's curiosity about global cultures and international relations has been fueled by extensive work-related travels across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the USA.
Follow Euloge Ishimwe on Twitter @EulogeIshimwe for more insights and updates.
Highlights
WHY ARE STORIES OF STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE?
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We think in stories: Thinking leads to understanding, and ultimately to action. Yuval Noah Harari wrote “Homo sapiens is a storytelling animal that thinks in stories rather than in numbers or graphs and believes that the universe itself works like a story, replete with heroes and villains, conflicts and resolutions, climaxes and happy endings. When we look for the meaning of life, we want a story that will explain what reality all is about and what my particular role is in the cosmic drama. This role makes me a part of something bigger than myself and gives meaning to all my experiences and choices.”
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Stories are easy to remember: Psychologist Peg Neuhauser found that learning which stems from a well-told story is remembered more accurately, and for far longer, than learning derived from facts and figures. Similarly, psychologist Jerome Bruner’s research suggests that facts are 20 times more likely to be remembered if they’re part of a story.
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Stories create empathy – hence action: Stories help us understand others and ourselves. They create a human connection. We feel empathy with the characters we encounter in stories. Some studies have shown that audiences build “parasocial relationships” with characters in media and social media stories.
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Stories breathe life into facts, metrics: Stories connect the data to people's experiences, simplifying complex topics, and making concrete the abstract. Data and information can only do so much. It’s up to us to interpret that data into opinions and beliefs that prompt actions and behaviour.
I shared this and other inputs today at the East Africa PR Week #EAPRW2022. #pr #media #storytelling #data #communications
