What Does Belonging Look Like?

"Isolation is the feeling of sitting alone at the bottom of a well. Connectedness is the feeling of belonging." Kim Samuel

When you hear the word belonging, what images come to mind? What memories, feelings and life experiences have informed your personal sense of belonging? How are young people today fostering a culture of belonging and inclusion within your community?

A sense of belonging is a human need, like the need for food and shelter and who we are is shaped by the people who we are connected to! Our communities thrive when people feel connected, welcomed, accepted for who they are and supported by those around us.

We are interested in reflecting together on the theme of belonging in order to grow a global movement of fostering social connectedness.

In the past, geographic boundaries often defined our identities and communities. In a digital age, people are either feeling hyper connected or excluded from opportunities for meaningful connection.

We invite your imagination, voice and perspective on depicting visual representations on the theme of belonging so that we tackle the issue of isolation together.

Our plan is to curate an online collection and exhibit to showcase at international conferences and events to inspire decision makers in policy making and action. With that in mind, please include a description with the image or video that you submit to provide additional context on the meaning of what you create.

Promote this contest to your networks with the What Does Belonging Look Like Poster

A project of TakingITGlobal and the Samuel Family Foundation.