BUILDING BOLD SPACES FOR
BRAVE CONVERSATIONS
Why healing Palestine heals the World
Ahmed's story
In a conflict-ridden sky devoid of stars, Ahmed Mortaja, a Global Shaper like us, clung to a dream of global travel through his involvement with Global Shapers. A passionate advocate with a psychology degree, he focused on education in Gaza before his dreams were shattered by destruction. Cut off from the world amidst airstrikes, Ahmed found solace and devastation in his phone, discovering the loss of childhood friends. Sharing his story with fellow Shapers globally, Ahmed emphasized that he was more than a statistic — a person with dreams and a vanishing home. His narrative echoes the untold stories of countless lives in Gaza, culminating in the collective response of Shapers worldwide under the banner "One Heart, One World," showcasing the healing power of shared conversations.
Our Story & Mission
Covering all continents, we are a large team from the Global Shapers Community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum.
Inspired by the personal stories of numerous Shapers from Gaza, we were moved to create One Heart, One World, born out of our understanding of today's world capitalist and extractive systems. These systems were built on a foundation of colonialism, grave injustices, and systemic inequities.
Our goal is to educate minds, unite hearts, and ignite solutions for change.
We are building a world where our fellow Global Shapers don't experience these inhumane atrocities.
We need new systems, fit for the 21st century !
Our Mission is to create safe spaces for a new bold leadership needed in the 21st century.
We can't change what we can't talk about. Our theory of change is when we create brave spaces to converse, we create bold spaces to reconstruct, starting with the story of Palestine. The story of Palestine offers a pinnacle for such a bold endeavor.
Moved by direct stories from fellow Shapers in Gaza and based on the Global Shapers Millennial Manifesto, we are moving beyond the paralysis and polarization.
Our initiative, One Heart One World, provides a kit to guide groups to have bold, honest, constructive and empathetic conversations around the story of Palestine and Israel.
Our goal is to lead change that results in justice and liberation for Palestinians and follow the example of previous human stories of truth and reconciliation, such as Ireland and South Africa.
Our approach is trauma-informed, historical and factual, and leads with love.
Conversations Sparked
The Watermelon Challenge is a challenge extended to Global Shapers to create bold spaces and facilitate brave conversations to bring people together and seed novel solutions. We can be the change we want to see in the world. Are you up for it?
The challenge is named after the Palestinian symbol of resistance and persistence: "watermelon". Palestinians used watermelons in public to represent the colors of their flag when public displays of the Palestinian flag was made a criminal offense in Gaza and the West Bank in 1967.
Our Blueprint for Change
Beyond One Heart One World
Explore our array of current initiatives and be a part of our journey towards a better future. We are constantly evolving and expanding our efforts, and we invite you to stay updated with our latest projects. Your support is pivotal in making a lasting impact. Together, we can create a world filled with hope and resilience.