PHILOSOPHY
Together we can inspire positive change with authentic action, collaborative celebration, and unconditional unity.
That’s exactly our commitment:
We celebrate you.
We celebrate us.
We celebrate One+Together.
From massive world-wide celebrations to small-scale private acts of kindness, our strategic focus centers around bringing people together. Think about it. If we as individuals focused on our own brand of unique, we can inspire others to do exactly the same. Together we can advance society, accelerate global cause impact, and shift perceptions in a world of chaos, hatred, and judgement.
We’re a non-profit movement with boundless appreciation and acknowledgement of every single person.
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We've undertaken the initiative to secure asylum for the Mr. Gay Syria contestants, including financing legal aid as well as generating political and public support. Their brave choices to illuminate urgent issues facing LGBTQ+ individuals in the Middle East are admirable, so let's take a stand with the Mr. Gay Syria contestants in solidarity.
We are One+Together. #WeAreMrGaySyria
Sign our petition urging the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to take swift action and accelerate the process of granting the five courageous contestants asylum.
take action
MARCH FOR SCIENCE
The March for Science is a celebration of science and how it positively impacts the world we live in today. Defending scientific integrity, the March for Science is a non-partisan call to uphold scientific advancement and discovery for greater the common good.
One+Together teamed up with the March for Science to help amplify its message.
We marched to safeguard science.
We marched to advance science.
We marched One+Together for science.
One+Together demonstrated its support for science by marching in New York City. Anticipating the needs of those who made it out the march, our One+Together team passed out blank signs allowing demonstrators to make a personalized statement for science. But these signs weren’t just any signs. While being mindful of the environment, our signs were plantable.
After the march, instead of leaving signs on the ground, individuals were encouraged to plant their statement for science in soil, in which wildflowers were to sprout and grow a blend of catchfly, sweet alyssum, snapdragon, bird’s eye, black eyed susan, clarkia and english daisies.
Not only are we aiming to eliminate waste after the march, but we were committed to making someone’s garden or city window sill beautiful while always reminding them that we’re One+Together for science.
MR.
GAY SYRIA
Five Syrian refugees escaped the horrors of life as gay men in Syria only to find that their nightmares never ended. After years of living in hiding, fearing for their lives, and watching friends being mercilessly executed by ISIS, these men thought they had found freedom and safety in Istanbul. Feeling liberated and grateful for their newfound freedom, they decided to hold a Mr. Gay Syria contest and planned for the winner to participate in The Mr. Gay World competition.
Mr. Gay Syria was a regional competition to advance to Mr. Gay World and a celebration of their abilities to freely be themselves for the first time in their lives. Created by Mahmoud Hassino to illuminate the urgent challenges experienced by LGBTQ+ people in the Middle East, this preliminary competition is also a documentary written and directed by Ayşe Toprak and poised to hit film festival circuits this summer season. The documentary highlights the relatable challenges of the five Mr. Gay Syria contestants: cultivating shared connection with like-minded people and depicting the not-so-relatable challenges of severe persecution and seemingly impossible barriers to being one’s authentic self while living in antiquated and judgemental environments.
THE WAR WITHIN
We Are One+Together is proud to premier “The War Within,” a short film by Zaher Saleh, in honor of Pride Month around the world and in support of our Mr. Gay Syria asylum efforts.
“The War Within” tells a personal story of a gay Muslim man’s struggle to reconcile his sexuality with his faith, his longing for acceptance from his family and his journey to love and accept himself.
LOVE PARADE
The Love Parade is a peace and unity march in New York City, combining random acts of kindness with activism. It’s essence centers around choosing love right now. Choosing love means choosing compassion. Choosing compassion for yourself and for others always starts with the power of the present moment.
Because One+Together is focused on bringing people together, teaming up with the Love Parade was written in the stars. Our team supported the Love Parade in its rally, march, and party to amplify the love and celebrate differences.
More than 300 people set a love-centered intention for the day, energizing all who attended in an interactive rally encouraging strangers to become friends. The parade then migrated to the streets of New York City, marching on the sidewalks from Union Square to the Highline. Our One+Together team gave flowers to strangers on the street while handing out love letters written in-the-moment by a team of beautiful poets with open hearts. Creating a small change of heart in one individual has a tremendous ripple effect within our cherished community. High on love and kindness, choosing love now continued at our Love Parade party where rally goers, marchers, and even those who couldn’t rally or march were ushered to the (L)ove train traveling to the House of Yes in Brooklyn to dance, drink, and donate to love.
