Global Belonging Collaborative Global belonging,
beyond borders.

Global Belonging CollaborativeMuseum

The Belonging Museum.

A collection of the initiatives, groups, actions and objects that build belonging, shared by the services and communities who make them happen.

Add your exhibit @thebelongingmuseum
Illustration by Gwen Stok of children on an island, arms linked by coral ribbons.
Illustration byGwen Stok

About the Museum

Every photo is an exhibit.

Belonging is built by people doing things together. A community lunch, a welcome kit for new families, a walking group, a mural painted by a whole street. The Belonging Museum invites services and community groups to photograph an initiative, group, action or object that builds belonging and to write the label that hangs beside it.

Each exhibit names the organisation behind it, where it happens and how it helps people belong, so that others can learn from it and do the same.

Now showing

The collection.

Exhibits sent in by the services and communities who build belonging, in their own words.

  • A mother embraces her son as he returns home from hospital in Kampala, while a YouBelong social worker smiles nearby.

    Exhibit 001

    Decongesting Butabika National Referral Mental HospitalYouBelong Uganda
    Kampala, Uganda    Family members embrace their loved one recovering from severe mental illness, overjoyed to welcome him home after a long stay in the national mental hospital. Nearby, a YouBelong social worker who helped prepare him for return home looks on.At the center of the photo, the embrace by the family makes belonging an intentional act of inclusion. This is a powerful cultural symbol of belonging. He is received by his family, not simply returned to them. The home around them situates belonging at a family home and not in an institution which he left behind. The social worker's look frames the family's warmth and acceptance. This act of recognition of human dignity and being a valued member of the family is a crucial symbol of belonging.Photo by Kenneth Ayesiga, Team Leader, YouBelong Uganda
    youbelongcommunity.org
  • A caregiver holds hands with a YouBelong social worker and mental health nurse in orange shirts beside the YouBelong bus.

    Exhibit 002

    Strengthening Care in Collaboration with People with Lived Experience of Psychosis in Uganda (SCAPE-U)YouBelong Uganda
    Kampala, Uganda    A YouBelong social worker and a YouBelong mental health nurse with the caregiver of a person with lived experience of severe mental illness. The team had just finished a home visit offering psychosocial support, and the caregiver was thanking them.The photograph builds belonging as a connection. The caregiver's hands reach both workers at once, making a chain of three rather than a private exchange. As the caregiver and one worker lean toward each other, smiling, belonging appears as mutual approach rather than a one-way message of gratitude. The second worker's laughter adds ease. The relationship is warm rather than remote or only clinical. Here, belonging is built on the experience of trust, mutuality and equality.Photo by Jacob Mudduawulira
    youbelongcommunity.org
  • Secondary students sit beneath trees at Chigumukile Community Day Secondary School while a Mthunzi Minds facilitator speaks.

    Exhibit 003

    Belonging Under the Trees. Bringing Mental Health Conversations to Rural MalawiEsther Jiya, Mthunzi Minds
    Rural Blantyre, Malawi    Students gathered beneath the shade of trees at Chigumukile Community Day Secondary School in rural Blantyre, Malawi, during a mental health awareness session facilitated by Mthunzi Minds.Sometimes, belonging begins with something as simple as gathering under a tree and knowing that your voice matters. In rural Malawi, where conversations about mental health can be limited by stigma and lack of resources, Mthunzi Minds brings young people together to learn, connect, and talk about their mental wellbeing. Through school-based awareness campaigns, we create spaces where students feel included, supported, and reminded that they are not alone. For us, belonging means ensuring that no young person is left out of the conversation about mental health, regardless of where they live.Photo by the Mthunzi Minds team
    mthunziminds.org
  • Dog owners and their dogs gathered for a group photo on the grass at Bradshaw Street Reserve, Essendon.

    Exhibit 004

    Community Dog GroupBradshaw Street Dog Community
    Bradshaw Street Reserve, Essendon, Victoria, Australia    The community group for dog owners who live within walking distance of the park.During Melbourne's lockdowns, when every other social structure was under pressure, the dogs kept people outside. Same park. Same time. Same strangers. Repeated proximity created familiarity, familiarity created trust, and trust created community. Nobody designed it. Nobody scheduled it. The park was always there. The animals made it inevitable. That group in the photo did not form because the people had anything in common. They formed because their dogs did. The pet was the shared identity that dissolved the barrier between neighbours who had lived metres apart for years and never spoken. That is not a lifestyle observation. That is belonging infrastructure, built from the ground up, at zero cost, by animals.Photo by Jim Schuman
  • Children, families and the Yein Udaan team cheer around a cake at the Annual Day 2026 production in Chennai.

    Exhibit 005

    Annual Production, Vanakkam (Welcome) Chennai 2096Yein Udaan
    Chennai, India    A joyful moment of celebration at Yein Udaan's annual production, with children cheering, laughing and gathering around the cake to mark nine years of Yein Udaan. The photograph brings together the people who have shaped and grown with the organisation, our founders, core team, children, families and community members. Some of the young people who once came to Yein Udaan as students are now part of the team and contributing to the community that supported them.Yein Udaan creates a stage where children from Chetpet Dhobighat (washerman community), Chennai, can come together, discover their talents and have the confidence to perform in front of their community and supporters. Vanakkam Chennai 2096 brought 100+ children together as actors, singers, dancers and directors, giving each of them a role in creating and telling a story about the future of their city. For many children, the stage is an opportunity to step beyond what they may be known for academically and be recognised for their creativity, voice and talent. It creates a space where children cheer for one another, families come together, and the wider community celebrates what their children can do. At its heart, the production is about belonging defining our childhood. Having a place, having a voice, and knowing that your community is proud to see you on that stage!Photo by MK Prathap and Sujitharan Chandra Sekar, Kayak Films
    yeinudaan.org
  • Two women smile and hold up squares of chocolate during a Chocolate and Coffee Day encounter.

    Exhibit 006

    Chocolate and Coffee Day for Religious HarmonyAndrea Putting, Founder
    Melbourne, Australia, and anywhere in the world    A selfie taken during a Chocolate and Coffee Day encounter. Two women sharing chocolate and a moment of connection.Chocolate and Coffee Day for Religious Harmony began in 2015 with a simple invitation: share chocolate, coffee and conversation with someone whose beliefs, culture or life experiences differ from your own. What began as one day has grown into a movement encouraging Chocolate and Coffee Breaks any day, anywhere. It's about moving beyond labels and assumptions, getting to know the person behind the differences and recognising our shared humanity. We don't have to agree or become alike to accept one another. Belonging can begin with something as simple as two people sitting down together and sharing a conversation.Photo by Andrea Putting (selfie)
    chocolateandcoffeebreak.com · @chocolateandcoffeebreak
  • A montage of smiling guests from the Chocolate and Coffee Break television program, with host Andrea Putting holding a mug at the centre.

    Exhibit 007

    Chocolate and Coffee Break: A Compassionate PropositionAndrea Putting, Creator and Host
    Melbourne, Australia, with guests internationally    A montage of genuine screenshots from the television programme, featuring conversations with guests from different backgrounds, cultures and lived experiences.Chocolate and Coffee Break: A Compassionate Proposition brings people from different backgrounds, cultures and life experiences together through honest, human conversations. Each episode creates space for someone to share their story, inviting audiences to look beyond labels, question assumptions and discover the person behind the differences. Through television and digital platforms, these one-to-one conversations reach people who may never otherwise encounter these perspectives. The show is part of a wider movement encouraging people to create their own Chocolate and Coffee Breaks, building compassion, understanding and belonging through everyday human connection.Image by Andrea Putting, using screenshots from Chocolate and Coffee Break episodes
    chocolateandcoffeebreak.com · @chocolateandcoffeebreak
  • Children running across a park, seen side-on, under the title Belonging, with a short description of the documentary.

    Exhibit 008

    Belonging (documentary)Ruth Thomas Suh, Director, Golden Rule Films, New York
    Filmed in Oklahoma, USA    The film's social media image, drawn from its official poster, "Joining In".Belonging follows Miss Varnell and her kindergarten students in Oklahoma as they work together each school day to build a classroom where every child feels seen, connected and valued. The class lives by one simple rule, "You can't say you can't play." The film puts theories of belonging into practice in a kindergarten classroom, showing how kindness and acceptance change what is possible for a five-year-old who arrives after being suspended from his previous school. Teachers, parents and the children themselves describe what this learning community has meant in their lives.Photo by Bryan Sarkinen, cinematographer · @bryansarkinen
    belongingfilm.org · @belonging_film
  • An older resident in a protective gown and mask spray-paints a canvas on an easel, while smiling younger volunteers stand beside her.

    Exhibit 009

    Social Friday: Creating Across GenerationsFikret Zendeli, Founder of Social Friday
    Dabeski Residence and Acanthus Gallery, Skopje, North Macedonia    A resident at Dabeski Residence creates an artwork with spray paint, supported by younger participants during a Social Friday afternoon. The accompanying photographs show residents and visitors coming together at Acanthus Gallery in Skopje, where the artworks were exhibited and offered for sale.At Dabeski Residence, a Social Friday afternoon brought generations together through spray-painting. Initial scepticism gave way to creativity, conversations and life stories exchanged across generations. The artworks were later exhibited and offered for sale at Acanthus Gallery in Skopje, raising awareness of older people’s lives and recognising their talent. All proceeds went to the home to fund an outing for the residents. From creating art together to sharing it with the public, the project gave people opportunities to connect, express themselves and have their contributions recognised.Photo by Dimitar Popov. Copyright © Social Friday
    socialfriday.org · @socialfridayactivity
  • A girl, seen from behind, sits in an armchair reading an open copy of Future Dusk.

    Exhibit 010

    Future Dusk; a story about the search for belongingDavid Goff, writing as D Willis Jr
    Greenville, United States of America    A girl reading the book, Future DuskFuture Dusk was written to inspire those who have ever felt invisible, different, or as though they don't belong. Through the fictional journey of Mildred, a seventeen-year-old girl who finds herself disconnected in a world where everyone else belongs, the story explores the deeply human need for acceptance and connection. Mildred's journey reminds us that our differences don't diminish our worth, and that belonging shouldn't require us to change who we are. Future Dusk encourages readers to recognize those who feel unseen, embrace individuality, and help create a more compassionate and inclusive world where everyone has a place.Photo by David Goff
  • Staff photo of Ed, a receptionist at Corley Academy, smiling and wearing a rainbow staff lanyard.

    Exhibit 011

    Leading into School Belonging Video SeriesDom Aquilina, Associate of The Art of Possibilities
    Coventry, UK    The staff photo of Ed, who we met and interviewed as part of the Leading into School Belonging video series. Ed was previously a pupil at Corley Academy, a specialist school for children with complex communication needs. He has gone on to become a valued member of staff working in the school office.Through filming the series we came across many wonderful examples of belonging in action. In Ed's own words: "Hi there, my name is Ed and I have worked at Corley Academy for over 3 years as a Receptionist. I used to be a student at Corley from 2008 until 2013. My sense of belonging at Corley Academy has been very strong, going from starting a student in 2008 up until this very day. Staff have supported me physically and emotionally to be the very best person I can be and have pushed me to keep aiming high. I have benefitted so much from being at Corley. I am aiming to help students with the guidance and wisdom I've received so they can find their sense of belonging and be the best person they can be."Photo by Dom Aquilina
    theartofpossibilities.org.uk · Watch the video series

Step inside to see more at @thebelongingmuseum

Add your exhibit

How do you build belonging?

If your service, organisation or community group runs something that builds belonging, we would love to exhibit it. Take a photo of the initiative, group, action or object, fill in the label and email it to us with the photo attached.

Email your exhibit

Please send photos your organisation owns or has permission to share, and only include people who have agreed to appear. We do not show identifiable children.

Exhibit label

Name of the initiative
Organisation or group
Where it happens
What is in the photo
How it builds belonging
Website or social media
Up to 100 words on how it builds belonging.

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The artist

Illustrations by Gwen Stok.

Every illustration across the Global Belonging Collaborative is drawn by Gwen Stok. Her people are bound by ribbon, reaching for one another and holding on. It is belonging drawn rather than described.
Visit Gwen Stok's website

  • Illustration by Gwen Stok of children on an island with linked arms and coral ribbons.
    Illustration byGwen Stok
  • Illustration by Gwen Stok of people bound together by coral ribbons in a starry sky.
    Illustration byGwen Stok
  • Illustration by Gwen Stok of one hand reaching through coiled ribbon to clasp another.
    Illustration byGwen Stok
  • Illustration by Gwen Stok of two hands holding a heart wrapped in ribbon.
    Illustration byGwen Stok
  • Illustration by Gwen Stok of a hand of woven leaves crossed by coral ribbons.
    Illustration byGwen Stok
  • Illustration by Gwen Stok of a figure wrapped in ribbon holding a sign that reads I can help.
    Illustration byGwen Stok