vivo and UNESCO MAB Bring Young Voices Together in Italy to Capture the Future

PONTREMOLI, Italy, Sept. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- vivo and the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme have brought the 2026 Capture the Future: Global Youth Storytelling Initiative for People and Nature to its final chapter with a five-day Co-Creation Camp in the Appennino Tosco Emiliano Biosphere Reserve, held from August 31 to September 5 and bringing together 15 young creators from around the world.

Selected through the initiative's global open call, the students, young photographers and visual storytellers came together in Italy to explore the relationship between people and nature through immersive field experiences, expert-led sessions and collaborative visual storytelling. Using vivo smartphones, they created original photo essays and short films.

From a global call to a shared creative journey

Launched by vivo and UNESCO MAB in March 2026, Capture the Future invited young people to share visual stories about the relationship between people and nature in UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. The global call received 745 submissions from young people in 98 countries, with stories linked to more than 120 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves across the World Network.

The initiative's reach extended beyond the global call as well. In April, a series of capacity-building workshops brought visual storytelling and the people-and-nature theme to students from Penang Hill in Malaysia to the University of Alexandria in Egypt, before culminating in a session at the University of Milan — engaging more than 600 students.

The Co-Creation Camp marked the culmination of this year-long journey. Guided by a multidisciplinary mentor team including vivo imaging expert Keshav Chugh, UNESCO MAB communication specialist Manoel Giffoni, ZEISS Ambassador Solli Kanani and award-winning film director Marko Roth, the 15 selected creators explored the landscapes, biodiversity, traditions and communities of the Appennino Tosco Emiliano Biosphere Reserve, turning their observations and experiences into original visual stories.

"This experience allowed me to capture my impressions of the past, the present and the future of the Biosphere Reserves. We all found a common meaning within different realities and this connection will stay deep in my heart."
— Lea Meny, Germany

"What touched me most was their curiosity, openness, and strong connection to their own places and communities. Many of their stories are deeply personal, while also connected to bigger questions about nature, culture, and the future."
— Solli KANANI, Co-Creation Camp Mentor

From local stories to a global audience

On September 5, the Camp closed with an exhibition and screening event, during which participants presented their visual works to local audiences. The stories created during the Camp will continue their journey beyond Italy, with selected works to be shared through vivo and UNESCO MAB's global platforms. A documentary will also capture the creative journey and experiences of the young storytellers.

From the global open call and campus workshops to the Co-Creation Camp, Capture the Future has created a platform for young people to observe, create, and share stories about people and nature. As the initiative continues, the work of the visual storytellers will continue to connect local experiences to a global conversation about a more sustainable future.

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vivo and UNESCO MAB Bring Young Voices Together in Italy to Capture the Future

vivo and UNESCO MAB Bring Young Voices Together in Italy to Capture the Future

BEIJING, Sept. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A Report from China Today:

"Cameroon and China lie thousands of miles apart, but the moment the morin khuur strings begin to play, all that distance dissolves in their vibration," said François Tchiegue, an ambassador for China-Africa cultural exchange, in Ordos, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on September 5.

François Tchiegue made the remarks while taking part in the "Warm City • Together with the World" 2026 Ordos International Cultural Visit Program. What struck him most was the 2026 Ordos Cultural and Creative Industry Brand Promotion Week, a flagship local event showcasing the city's cultural and creative sector.

He said he was deeply impressed by the morin khuur performance by artists from the Ulan Muqir troupe of Wushen Banner. "Within the dancing notes live the vast grasslands, the crisp clatter of horse hooves, and even the subtle aroma of milk tea and wild grass — the music holds the very essence of the prairie."

Lawrence Wang, an American international student, was equally captivated. He kept his phone raised the entire time, unwilling to miss a single moment. When khoomei (Mongolian throat singing) resonated like a deep, earthy chant, he described it as "the most enchanting sound in the world." During the intermission, he shared the clips with his parents back in the US — and in that instant, the breeze of the grasslands seemed to drift all the way across the ocean.

Margot Chevestrier, a French expert on the visiting delegation, said she was touched by the unfiltered joy on the dancers' faces. "Everyone was dancing with all their energy and laughing freely. That kind of vitality is incredibly contagious." Beyond superb craftsmanship, she saw in the dance the innate forthrightness, sincerity and wholehearted warmth that define the people of Inner Mongolia.

Sofia Feoktistova, a Russian international student, discovered another layer of delight in the performances. "Our people are also known for song and dance, but the dance performance New Era completely reshaped my understanding of Mongolian dance," she noted. The innovative choreography has infused traditional steps with contemporary flair, and the vibrant spirit of the performers left her with a lasting impression of Ordos as a place both steeped in history and brimming with youthful energy.

Throughout the week-long event, international guests experienced folk performing arts, digital cultural creativity and local specialty products. These immersive experiences are forging bridges of mutual understanding, giving visitors from afar a vivid, firsthand glimpse of Ordos' dynamic cultural identity.

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Ordos Folk Arts Transcend Distance: "Warm City" Cultural and Creative Week Lauded by International Guests