ORIGIN

​

TORII - Creative Writing was born on a ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. There were 240 young leaders from 11 countries traveling between Japan and Mexico, in a unique multicultural experience, called SWY (Ship for World Youth). Amid this cultural melting pot, the idea of creating a moment to write together came up.

 

Ivan Nisida, Founder of TORII- Creative Writing, narrates how it all started:

​

"I remember going up on that ship's stage to announce I was organizing a writing workshop. It was the first of my life. I was feeling very nervous.

 

I placed a sign up sheet on the panel and I waited. If 5 people had come, I would have been already very happy. When I went back to check the registrations, I experienced a shock, a mixture of enthusiasm and fear: 33 people had signed up. On that moment, I just froze.

 

Later, when anxiety faded away, I saw it as a great opportunity offered by life.

​

I was scared, still I went for it."

 

We needed to write."

 

There were 3 memorable workshops on board of the ship Nippon Maru.  Participants opened their minds and hearts. They wrote, they discovered themselves and shared their emotions. 

 

Many portals were built, many connections were made and even a book was published.

​

TORII - Creative Writing was born already connecting people.  After SWY32, the workshops continued. They evolved. They adapted to social isolation, creating deep bonds, revealing creative writing as a powerful way to build connections.

​

"Sometimes you have to go to understand why you left."

 

Ivan Nisida