Our theme for the 38th edition is ‘The Power of Stories’, as we hope to explore the common stories that appear in children’s literature across countries, cultures and educational systems. We will compare and share our stories, and discuss on what we can learn from each other’s stories and how stories can help us understand each other’s role, identity, approaches and challenges. We also hope to explore how stories can be a powerful tool for shaping our beliefs and behaviours; for advocacy, change, building bridges; and help in making sense of our world.