Giorgiana Elena Popan is from Arad, a small town in Romania near the border with Hungary. She has been a storyteller since 2011 and an actress since 2008. She discovered the art of storytelling from her friend and fellow storyteller Mihaela Blaga from Arad’s County Library. Giorgiana has been telling tales in schools, kindergartens, companies, hospitals, churches, parks as well as care homes for the elderly.

In 2012 she participated in The International Storytelling Festival in Kanoon in Iran. Since then she has also performed in Kenya, Thailand, Canada, India, South Korea as well as all over Europe.

In 2012 Giorgiana and Mihaela began the first International Storytelling Festival in Arad, known as “The Magic of the Word” which has become an annual event. They have also opened a Storytelling Centre for Children aged five.

She says she is particularly proud of Romania’s folktales, costumes and its Orthodox Christian tradition.