Karim Vatvani to share his passion for telling stories

Karim Vatvani shares his most recent publication, Marathon Vat, a story promoting multiculturalism and navigating differences in language barriers and cultures to help each other globally. Karim told Chronicle Reporter Eyleen Gomez about his passion for telling stories via children’s books. Karim will be taking part in this year’s Gibraltar Literary Festival school programme.

Q:Marathon Vat explores multiculturalism and overcoming language barriers, what inspired you to write a story centered on these global themes?
A: As both a school teacher and children’s author, I’ve always believed that stories are one of the most powerful tools for teaching empathy and understanding and for teaching important lessons that are better understood in child-friendly story, particularly for my younger classes who still only see magic and wonder in the World. My first three books focused on sustainability and caring for our planet — lessons in responsibility and stewardship. With Marathon Vat, I wanted to explore another kind of sustainability: the emotional and cultural kind, the bonds that keep communities strong even when we come from different worlds.
The idea came to me during a period of global uncertainty, when so much of the news is filled with division and conflict. Gibraltar being a place where multiple cultures, languages, and beliefs have always lived side by side, I felt compelled to write a story that celebrates how kindness and cooperation can transcend words. I wanted children to see that even when we don’t speak the same language, we can still understand and help one another through compassion, teamwork, and shared goals.

Q: How did you approach portraying different cultures authentically while maintaining a universal message about human connection?
A: Authenticity starts with respect and curiosity. I drew on my own experiences living and teaching in multicultural communities, both in Gibraltar and Dubai, where every classroom feels like a miniature version of the world. I also did research and spoke with friends and colleagues from different cultural backgrounds to ensure that even small details felt genuine - I am fortunate to be able to draw from a great pool of friends, for example I play futsal with a couple of lads from Switzerland who advised me on the specific type of cow and dialect most synonymous with their country!
At the same time, I wanted the story to rise above any single culture and show what connects us all — our capacity for kindness, cooperation, and courage. By focusing on shared emotions and universal values, I hoped to create something that feels both deeply rooted in diversity and accessible to every reader - the hard bit is now when I have to read the story and shuffle from accent to accent!

Q: The title Marathon Vat could you share its significance and how it relates to the journey of the characters or themes of endurance and understanding?
A: The title Marathon Vat is deeply personal to me (“Vat” is me!) The story was inspired by my own experience running the London Marathon this year. During the race, I met so many incredible people from all around the world, each with their own language, story, and reason for running. What struck me most was how easily we connected through encouragement, shared struggle, and simple kindness, no words were really needed. That experience became the heart of the book.

The “Marathon” represents not just physical endurance, but emotional and cultural endurance too. Just as every runner supports one another to reach the finish line, nations and communities must learn to be patient, tolerant, and understanding with each other if we’re to move forward together. Ultimately, Marathon Vat is a metaphor for the long race we all run together as human beings, one that we can only truly finish when we listen, help, and carry each other along the way.

Q: In today’s world, where cultural divides often make headlines, what do you hope readers take away from Marathon Vat about empathy and communication?
A: I hope readers (especially my young ones) come away with the belief that communication is about much more than words. It’s about gestures, kindness, patience, and the willingness to understand. In a world that today so often feels fractured, Marathon Vat is my small way of showing that bridges can still be built — and often by the smallest hands. As with the previous books, I want to empower my young readers to be the catalyst for a better World.
Empathy doesn’t require translation. A smile, a helping hand, or standing beside someone in their struggle can speak louder than any shared language.

Q: Have you received any surprising reactions from readers from different cultural backgrounds?
A: So far the token response I receive from students is how much they love the interaction with the chorizo monster at the beginning of the story, the llanito dialogue feels close to home and relatable to the language that they hear in their day-to-day life and I think for them it’s novel and fun to see and hear it in an actual story. They take pride in it and it’s for sure the highlight of the story for them, also it’s not every day that your teacher reads you a story about themself running a marathon and meeting a Portuguese speaking goat along the way.
An interaction that really stayed with me, though, was from a parent of a child who only recently moved to Gibraltar: she mentioned how her child loved the story and felt inspired to talk about her own culture with pride and felt the story was similar to the kindness her classmates showed her when she moved to Gib and how they helped her feel included.
Those responses remind me why I write, to spark those conversations that bring people a little closer together.

“Q: What does participating in this literary festival mean to you, and how do such gatherings contribute to cross-cultural understanding through literature?
A: As ever, it’s a real privilege to be part of this festival. Events like these remind us that literature is not just about telling stories — it’s about sharing perspectives. Every writer brings a piece of their world, and when we come together, we create a tapestry of human experience.
For me personally, as both a teacher and author, this is what storytelling is all about: creating moments of understanding between people who might otherwise never meet. In that sense, festivals like this are living examples of the message at the heart of my book, that words, stories, and shared humanity can connect us across any divide.