About Us
Storytelling is a terribly overused word. But there is no escaping the fact that stories rule our lives. From our love lives to big things like money, religion or politics, our lives are shaped by stories we tell to ourselves and others. These days it often feels like we have lost control of our collective narrative. Who is writing our story? Technology companies? Politicians? Or men and women like us?
ZEG means "day after tomorrow" in one of the most ancient languages in the world: Georgian. Every year we come together in a gathering that is designed to get us out of our silos and put our heads together so that we can shape our own narratives for the future. Zeg is a multi-disciplinary gathering and it does not have a theme. It is designed as a free-flowing conversation that does not shy away from difficult subjects, but aims to delight and inspire.
The festival was born out of a partnership between journalists from Coda Story, a newsroom covering the roots of global crises and Impact Hub Tbilisi, a professional membership organisations dedicated to individuals, enterprises, startups, and organisations making a positive impact in Georgia. We were brought together by our love for storytelling and our shared belief that in our polarized world we need stories and conversations that connect us.
Our team has grown since, and in case you are wondering, yes we are working to address the gender balance issue.
ZEG volunteers are an important part of the festival experience.
For each festival, we recruit dozens of young volunteers, most of them students. Our Volunteers Coordinator thoughtfully matches each volunteer's tasks with their interests, and assigns them as main points of contact to international speakers.
The program has grown into an absolutely unique experience for young Georgians, and an unusual opportunity for our international guests to get to know Georgia through the eyes of the country's future leaders.
The program has led to long lasting relationships, opportunities and collaborations. We are really proud of our volunteers and their impactful contribution to the festival. We are also delighted to see that the experience is helping shape their future too.