Unity in Action: Şehit Ömer Halisdemir Anatolian High School Builds Belonging

As part of the United Voices initiative by WorldEd Foundation—a global youth movement empowering students to promote inclusion and belonging—the team Beyond Belonging; Unity Crafters from Şehit Ömer Halisdemir Anatolian High School in Ankara, Türkiye created a simple yet powerful activity to strengthen empathy and respect among peers.

United Voices is a global youth project that challenges students to design creative, replicable activities that make inclusion visible in everyday school life. The 2025 theme, “Beyond Inclusion: Building Everyday Belonging,” inspired students to answer: “How might we create a school where everyone feels like they belong—every day?” 

Activity: Inclusion Circle

The team organized an interactive activity called Inclusion Circle. Students stood in a circle and shared one positive quality about the person next to them. At the end, everyone stepped forward and said together:“We all belong here.”

The reactions were heartwarming—students smiled, laughed, and expressed how good it felt to be noticed and appreciated. Even those who were usually quiet became more engaged. The activity created a warm, supportive atmosphere and strengthened empathy and respect within the group.

The team also developed leadership, collaboration, and communication skills while planning and presenting the activity. This simple yet impactful approach showed that belonging can be built through intentional, everyday actions.

Through United Voices, the Unity Crafters proved that inclusion doesn’t require grand gestures—just meaningful moments that make everyone feel seen and valued.