As we marked International Albinism Awareness Day on 13 June, advocates, community leaders and partners came together in Malawi to sign the Global Charter for Belonging. This coincided with the launch of new joint research from Human Rights Watch and the Africa Albinism Network on the economic exclusion of people… view full article >>
The Walrus Talks Power and Belonging Every year, new studies show continual erosion in the public trust in institutions and society in Canada. Democracy feels fragile, and many people feel… view full article >>
Diego is a researcher with the Belonging Research Lab who completed the MPhil in Development Studies at the University of Oxford. His research focuses on socio-environmental conflicts in Latin America,… view full article >>
The Belonging Form has convened two conversations on a question that is becoming increasingly urgent: what does belonging mean for young people in a screen saturated age? This is particularly… view full article >>
The Belonging Forum is partnering with Sightsavers on an inclusive sensory garden that has been chosen for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026, which takes place in London in May.… view full article >>
Thank You for a Year of Building Belonging As this year comes to a close, I find myself holding two important truths at the same time. The global situation is… view full article >>
What happens when you combine four brilliant comedians, a room full of strangers, and a spotlight on belonging? A lot of laughter—and a bit of magic ✨ Across every set—from… view full article >>
The Walrus Talks at Home: Aging and Belonging How do we foster belonging across generations? What does it mean to age — and thrive — in a world that often… view full article >>
Last week, the Belonging Forum continued its series of community visits, travelling to Watford in the UK to explore the realities of social connection in a town that presents a… view full article >>
At the 2025 Global Symposium on Belonging in Toronto, we wanted to create something that would not only inspire reflection but help participants feel the principles at the heart of… view full article >>
The Walrus Talks at Home: Place and Belonging Reimagining the spaces that bring us together How do the places where we gather shape how we connect? From housing to green… view full article >>
This month, we gathered for our fifth Global Symposium – a week devoted to connection, reflection, and shared action. This year’s theme, “Bridges to Belonging,” invited us to explore how… view full article >>
This autumn, the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness (SCSC) will officially become the Belonging Forum. Since 2017, SCSC has been a home for research, advocacy, and convenings – including four… view full article >>
This Loneliness Awareness Week, we welcomed advocates, community leaders, and changemakers to our third annual Belonging Forum breakfast reception to explore one of the most vital questions of our time:… view full article >>
By Caroline Naluwemba, 2024 Social Connectedness Fellow Caroline is a 2024 Social Connectedness Fellow, working with Harvard Law School Project on Disability. She is a dedicated self-advocate from Inclusion Uganda,… view full article >>
By Méliss Desmond, 2024 Social Connectedness Fellow Méliss is a 2024 Social Connectedness Fellow working with Special Olympics. They are building a career in public health, focused on creating equitable… view full article >>
by Fionn Crombie Angus, 2024 Social Connectedness Fellow Fionn is a 2024 Social Connectedness Fellow, working with Harvard Law School Project on Disability. Fionn is a passionate advocate, and an… view full article >>
Samantha is a 2024 Social Connectedness Fellow, working with Partners in Health Malawi, known locally as Abwenzi Pa Za Umoyo (APZU). She has recently completed her Bachelor of Science Degree… view full article >>
The Walrus Talks Reimagining Volunteerism The growing trend of social isolation is one of the major challenges our world faces today. Studies show that the “loneliness epidemic” is causing significant… view full article >>
Last month, the Belonging Forum continued its series of community visits, which began in Hexham, with a local roundtable in Western Scotland. We co-hosted our second roundtable in the constituency… view full article >>
Reflections on Anthropy: Rebooting Britain by Belonging This March, we joined Anthropy at the Eden Project in Cornwall. A gathering of over 2,000 people, Anthropy’s mission focuses on how to… view full article >>
Stanford is a 2024 Social Connectedness Fellow, working with Synergos South Africa. With degrees in Education and Teacher Development from the University of Pretoria, he advocates for quality education and… view full article >>
This week, the Belonging Forum held its first community visit to Hexham, located in the North East of England. The purpose of the visit was to inform the world’s first Charter… view full article >>
How can Indigenous knowledge, traditions, and practices help us understand the essential human experience of belonging? The world is facing a crisis of belonging. Leading public health authorities have declared… view full article >>
Public debates play a crucial role in shaping policies and addressing the most pressing issues of our time. The Battle of Ideas festival does just that, by bringing together policymakers,… view full article >>
Dorothy is a 2024 Research Fellow with over 20 years of experience living in shared homes. She has poured her passion for this lifestyle into founding Golden HomeSharing Connections, an organization dedicated… view full article >>
Exploring the power of social prescribing to build connections, improve well-being, and foster belonging The evidence is clear: social isolation and loneliness can be as harmful to our health as… view full article >>
Suad is a 2024 Research Fellow working with the Coastal Research, Education, and Advocacy Network (CREAN) and a community-based researcher with a passion for advancing social justice knowledge. Rooted in her Somali… view full article >>
Maya is a 2024 Social Connectedness Fellow working with Indigenous Climate Action (ICA). for the Summer. Maya is pursuing her Masters of Social Justice at Lakehead University while completing a creative thesis… view full article >>
During this year’s Loneliness Awareness Week, the Belonging Forum hosted its annual breakfast reception, bringing together a group of friends, colleagues and partners from many walks of life. The aim was to… view full article >>
A Year-End Message by Kim Samuel I’ve always loved the symbolism of this time of year. In the Northern Hemisphere, where I live, this is the time when we move… view full article >>
Last month, Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness Founder and Chief Belonging Officer Kim Samuel brought her message of belonging and social connection to South Africa. The two-week tour, which included… view full article >>
NEWS 24 | SCSC Founder and Chief Belonging Officer Kim Samuel answers questions about the journey to publishing her book, On Belonging: Finding Connection in an Age of Isolation. READ view full article >>
History tells us that we’re in trouble if we prioritize efficiency and growth over values like equity and social connectedness. By Kim Samuel Recently, the renowned venture capitalist Vinod Khosla… view full article >>
Imagine if you could: These are just some of the many benefits of an urban planning concept that’s rapidly entered mainstream public discourse in recent years: the 15-minute city. The… view full article >>
The Big Issue | SCSC Founder & Chief Belonging Officer Kim Samuel lays out three tangible steps policymakers can take to support caregivers in the United Kingdom. READ THE ARTICLE view full article >>
Happy International Women’s Day! To celebrate the difference women make every day around the world, the team at the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness is sharing a list of some of the… view full article >>
The Catholic Herald | The Catholic Herald writes about SCSC Founder Kim Samuel’s discussion with +Father Erik Varden at the Sheldonian Theatre, University of Oxford. Their discussion explores the topic… view full article >>
Three years ago, the field of social connectedness was populated by a much smaller group of actors, working on an area of study that seldom made the press or public discourse. While… view full article >>
SCSC recently hosted its 2022 Global Symposium, Imagination and Action: Building Systems of Belonging, in Toronto, Canada. Bringing together more than 150 stakeholders from across the world, the Symposium provided a space… view full article >>
Chatline | Feeling lonely is more than just a bummer—researchers are increasingly sounding the alarm about its significant health ramifications. Our bodies send us signals when we’re thirsty or hungry,… view full article >>
By Esther Kim, 2022 Social Connectedness Fellow. Esther is partnered with Human Rights Watch, Disability Rights Division The term “vulnerable” comes at a cost. Used to describe “individuals who are at… view full article >>
Globally, Canada comes in 8th for the total number of foreign born residents (immigrants) residing in a country. However, accepting immigrants into a country does not guarantee a sense of belonging, or… view full article >>
Synergos | Synergos hosted a live event in New York to discuss Kim Samuel’s new book ON BELONGING: FINDING CONNECTION IN AN AGE OF ISOLATION WATCH view full article >>
Laura Murphy, 2022 Social Connectedness Fellow. For perhaps many of us, we can recall fond spots in our backyards or neighbourhood parks that held special meaning to us as children,… view full article >>
Written by: Unathi Mabena, 2022 Social Connectedness Fellow. On the 7th of February 2022, children in South Africa officially returned to full-time schooling for the first time since the onset of… view full article >>
Written By: Fairuz Karim, 2022 Social Connectedness Fellow. International student enrollment in Canadian post-secondary institutions has risen in the past several years. Looking back at 2018-2019 and 2019-2020, international students accounted… view full article >>
Written By: Emily Mullins, 2022 Social Connectedness Fellow. We’ve all likely encountered the occasional dreaded message “Your internet connection is unstable” during a zoom meeting, or experienced buffering when watching… view full article >>
Written By: Paarth Mittal, 2022 Social Connectedness Fellow ** Trigger warning: mention of residential schools, racism, and violence** Since the unmarked graves of 215 Indigenous children were uncovered at a… view full article >>
Written By: Diana Mairose, 2022 Social Connectedness Fellow. When I was young, speech therapy was a crucial part of my life. I have a cleft palate. My voice is soft… view full article >>
Written By: Tony Phillips, 2022 Social Connectedness Fellow. It all started on January 10th, 2020, when I went to Bellevue Hospital. I had fainted in my apartment in Manhattan. While… view full article >>
Written By: Aida Mohajeri, 2022 Social Connectedness Fellow & Margaret Turley, Special Olympics Athlete Leader Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the families of persons with disabilities (PWD) in similar… view full article >>
Written By: Ashli Au 2022 Social Connectedness Fellow In 2014, conflict erupted between Ukraine and Russia following Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula. Though efforts were made to put an… view full article >>
Written By: Ariana Seferiades Prece, 2022 Social Connectedness Fellow More than two years into the global pandemic that has disrupted our lives on an unprecedented scale, we are at a… view full article >>
Written by: Waghma Ahmadzay, 2022 Social Connectedness Fellow This World Refugee Day, Let’s Hold Canada Accountable. Waghma (she/her) is a 2022 Social Connectedness Fellow, and is passionate about human rights… view full article >>
If there’s one theme that emerged from 2021, it’s hope amidst adversity. Young activists in the streets of Glasgow demanded action from leaders at the UN’s global climate summit, driving a… view full article >>
On International Human Rights Day, what does it mean to find belonging at home, in our local communities, in our parks, our neighbourhoods, and even in our half-vacant downtowns? Kim… view full article >>
The Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness (SCSC) and founding partner Fulbright Canada, are proud to announce the Honouring Nations Canada (HNC) program. This program will celebrate Indigenous people’s accomplishments and… view full article >>
Written by: Jessica Farber Strategic Initiatives Coordinator & Project Manager, Common Threads, Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness Today — December 18 — marks International Migrants Day. The number of international… view full article >>
Event Details:Time: 6-8:30pmVenue: Kin Co-Working. 397a Saint-Catherine St. W, Montreal, QC Through firsthand testimony from humanitarian aid workers, researchers, and activists, this event will raise awareness of the impacts of… view full article >>
As part of his SCSC fellowship this summer, Noah Powers chose to produce a podcast titled ‘Queer Here, Queer There’ with the goal of making his research more accessible to the wider… view full article >>
This summer, Social Connectedness Fellow Priya Nair is conducting an oral history series titled “What We Leave Behind.” Priya is working on SCSC’s Common Threads project, which was created in… view full article >>
On February 1st, 2019, founder of the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness, Kim Samuel, was presented with a degree of Doctor of Letters from Vancouver Island University. Ms. Samuel’s achievements… view full article >>
We are very pleased to announce that Founder of the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness, Ms. Kim Samuel, will be receiving an honorary degree from Vancouver Island University, today at… view full article >>
On October 15th and 16th in Montreal, the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness hosted a workshop on “Supporting the Whole Student”. The gathering included a diverse group of thought leaders and changemakers… view full article >>
Written By: Jessica Farber, Ana Sofia Hibon and Celine Thomas | Strategic Initiative Coordinators, Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness This week, public outrage over the separation of Central American parents and children… view full article >>
Written By Valériane Buslot Social Connectedness Fellow 2018 On May 10th 2018, the Samuel Center for Social Connectedness (SCSC), Data-Driven Yale (DDY) and MTLGreen organised “Measuring What Matters: Pathways to Inclusive Climate Action.” The purpose of… view full article >>
Written By: Kim Boucher Morin | Project Coordinator, TakingITGlobal Social Connectedness Fellow 2017 On May 9th, 2018 over 200 people gathered in person and connected via live stream for the… view full article >>
Written By: Eloïse O ‘Carroll, Social Connectedness Fellow 2018 This March, Bethany Brown, Older People’s Rights Researcher at the Health and Human Rights Division at Human Rights Watch (HRW) and… view full article >>
Written By: Madeleine Andrew-Gee, Social Connectedness Fellow 2017 In September of 2015, the world awoke to the image of young Syrian refugee Aylan Kurdi, lifeless on a beach in Greece,… view full article >>
Written By: Emma Harries, Social Connectedness Fellow 2017 Developers are beginning to understand the importance of designing with community in mind, yet soaring prices mean the spaces are only available for… view full article >>
Written By: Jeremy Monk, Social Connectedness Fellow 2017 In 2015, Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission issued its final report, along with 94 calls to action. These calls to action urged governments, Indigenous… view full article >>
Written By: Ilinca Gradea, Social Connectedness Fellow 2018 In most countries today, children are significantly less active than their parents were growing up. The causes for this are multiple and… view full article >>
The tree above is symbolic of the transformation of a young woman who found the courage to overcome obstacles in her life supported by the Wraparound Intervention Model. She was… view full article >>
I have been thinking about something Dr. Ralph Nilson, the President of Vancouver Island University, recently said to me: The core purpose of postsecondary education is to help every student… view full article >>
Written By: Eric Lindsay, Social Connectedness Fellow 2018 In 2015, the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs concluded that “population aging—the increasing share of… view full article >>
Written By: Paul Berthe, Social Connectedness Fellow 2018 “When there is violence, it is mostly the prostitute’s fault. See, I am going to buy something. If I am satisfied with… view full article >>
Written By: Madeleine Andrew-Gee, Social Connectedness Fellow 2017 In the era of #MeToo, growing awareness of long-ignored injustices is being transformed into concrete solutions. Actions are already being proposed from… view full article >>
Written By: Ana Sofia Hibon, Social Connectedness Fellow 2017 & Kim Boucher Morin, Social Connectedness Fellows 2017 How do people, communities, or nations move forward and heal in the aftermath… view full article >>
Written By: Ana Sofia Hibon, Social Connectedness Fellow 2017 On April 9th, the first edition of Rising Tide: Surfacing POC Artists was held at Toronto’s Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. At this event,… view full article >>
Written By: Emma Harries, Social Connectedness Fellow 2017 Planes, trains and automobiles – it has never been easier to travel from one side of the world to the other. Journeys… view full article >>
Written By: Ilinca Gradea, Social Connectedness Fellow 2018 Today, approximately 300,000 people living with a disability are unemployed in Romania. This is an astounding figure representing more than 50% of disabled persons… view full article >>
Written By: Eloïse O ‘Carroll, Social Connectedness Fellow 2018 This February marked the 100th anniversary of the Representation of the People Act of 1918 in Great Britain and Ireland. This Fourth… view full article >>
On March 27th, The Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness (SCSC) convened an event in Montreal, entitled From Integration to Inclusion: A Roundtable on Refugee Reception. As millions of people around the… view full article >>
Written By: Jeremy Monk, Social Connectedness Fellow 2017 I remember being seated in my high school’s cafeteria, waiting to leave for an information session at a local technical and career… view full article >>
Written By: Eden Beschen, Social Connectedness Fellow 2017-2018 Last month, I watched my favourite football team, the Philadelphia Eagles, win their first ever Super Bowl. After the game, my social… view full article >>
In the wake of International Women’s Day on March 8th, there are many reasons to celebrate the incredible progress that has been made by the women that have come before… view full article >>
Ten years ago, the global financial crisis set then-French President Nicolas Sarkozy on a personal mission. To him, the crisis was in part caused by the international community’s fixation on… view full article >>
Written By: Claire Chauvel, Social Connectedness Fellow 2017 What would happen if all businesses knew how to value and leverage all of society’s talents? Unparalleled progress. While people with disabilities… view full article >>
Written By: Anica Lanzi, Social Connectedness Fellow 2018 During my fellowship at the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness, I had the opportunity to conduct research on the subject of health… view full article >>
Written By: Ignace Nikwivuze, Social Connectedness Fellow 2018 I would like to acknowledge the bravery and resilience of the women survivors of the 1994 genocide against Tutsis and moderate Hutus… view full article >>
Echos of kids screaming “encore, encore,” ring through Ignace Bourget Park in Montreal on a chilly Saturday afternoon in the middle of winter. These kids are excited to be skiing,… view full article >>
Written By: Claire Chauvel, Social Connectedness Fellow 2017 “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so… view full article >>