Co-Building Hope and Harmony: A Harambee Call to Unite a Divided Society

World Social Work Day at the United Nations Office Geneva 

World Social Work Day  (WSWD)  at the United  Nations  in Geneva  will be celebrated on 18  March 2026. The theme for this year, Co-Building Hope and Harmony: A Harambee Call to Unite a Divided Society,  highlights the vital role of social work in bringing people together across communities, cultures  and systems to shape a more inclusive and sustainable  world.   It  underscores the  central role  of social work in rebuilding trust within and between communities. It is also an aspiration of new eco-social contracts, societal agreements that aim to rebuild broken relationships  between states  and  citizens, between capital and  labour, between  the global North and the global South,  and  between  humans and the natural environment.  Inspired by the African philosophy of  harambee—“pulling together”  or  “all for one”—the theme highlights how social work approaches and skills are essential for healing divisions, overcoming  challenges,  and fostering inclusive, cohesive societies. 

Co-building hope and  overcoming divisions in  societies is also at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and  reflected in the  Doha  Political Declaration  that was adopted  by UN member states at the second World Summit for Social Development  that took place  in Qatar  in November 2025.  Against this backdrop, WSWD 2026  aims to explore  three issues: 

1. How can we foster social cohesion in marginalized communities?

Marginalized groups often face structural barriers, historical  injustices  and community-level trauma that erode trust and weaken social bonds. Social work supports the rebuilding of trust by creating participatory spaces where  people  can voice their needs, recognize shared strengths, and shape collective goals. By  facilitating  dialogue and mediating emerging tensions, social workers help restore confidence between community members and local institutions  and address  underlying or  historical  injustices. Empowerment-based practices reinforce people’s sense of agency, while culturally sensitive facilitation ensures that those whose voices are often overlooked are included in decision-making processes. Through these trust-building efforts, social work strengthens the foundations of social cohesion at the community level. 

2. How can we overcome conflict, polarization and exclusion?

In contexts marked by polarization and conflict,  effective  interventions,  policies  and institutions that address  the root causes and drivers of  inequalities,  conflict  and social exclusion are crucial. At the community level, social workers act as mediators and bridge builders, enabling dialogue across groups with  divergent  experiences and interests. Their  expertise  in creating conditions  of equity  for  free  expression  can  pave  the way for reconciliation and renewed relationships. By challenging exclusionary narratives and promoting  equitable  participation, social work actively contributes to societies in which dialogue,  respect  and non-discrimination  is  valued. 

3. How can social work contribute to building resilient communities?

Resilience  emerges  when communities can collectively navigate adversity, mobilize internal strengths and build and access support systems  and public goods. Social workers play a vital role by  identifying  local assets within communities and their environment, nurturing  collaborative networks, and co-building buffers in forms of solidarity mechanisms against social and economic shocks.  However,  in times of  long-term  crises  and multiple shocks,  community resilience tends to be overstretched.  Social workers  can advocate for marginalized communities and create bridges with public services and  government  programmes  for support.  Through advocacy, co-creation of services, and community-driven planning, social workers contribute to  fostering  a sense of shared responsibility  while strengthening awareness on  people’s  individual and collective  rights  and the need for accountable governments. 

4. How can social workers and UN organizations work together for inclusive, resilient and peaceful societies? 

Building on shared values and common agendas  such as the  UN Charter, the  SDGs  and the Doha Political Declaration,  social workers, their representative  organizations  and schools of social work  are collaborating with various UN agencies and international partners at national and global levels.  In times of crisis,  conflict  and social polarization, this collaboration can  support the diffusion of  community-driven solutions and  establish a channel of communication  with policy makers, public  administrations  and  service providers.