This is the first year I learned of England’s National Storytelling Week (this year, Jan. 30 to Feb. 6), although the event is now in its 10th year. The material about the week at the Society for Storytelling site suggests the week mostly focuses on oral storytelling to and for young people , but the site also says this:
Storytelling stretches from its simplest application in the nursery right through to personal stories and bereavement aids in hospitals, strengthening communication in the business sphere, and as an aid to learning in education. In its sharing between teller and listener it gives and receives time, it empowers, it creates and feeds the imagination from one generation to the next.
On her site storyteller Gemma Hanna explains why National Storytelling Week occurs at this time of year:
This week was chosen because it is not too close to Christmas and coincides with Candlemas, which falls on the 2nd of February. Part of the rituals for this old church festival includes a blessing on the throat, a prime tool in the store of nearly all storytellers of every belief and culture.
I know of several storytelling days that are celebrated in the US and worldwide, but maybe the world needs a whole week dedicated to storytelling.