2018: Facing Difference Challenge

Your portraits raised $600,000 for peacebuilding programs.

September 2017—May 2018

The Facing Difference Challenge rallied more than 80,000 students from 37 countries to reflect and take action toward building understanding, empathy, and peace.

Challenge Overview

Engaging across lines of difference

When we avoid or ignore our differences, understanding can be replaced by division. This is happening in ways big and small, from bullying in our schools to clashes in our communities, to civil wars waging around the globe.

Portraits for Peace

Building peace can start with changing the attitudes of individuals. That’s why we invited students to draw and create self-portraits to celebrate their identity. $600,000 was generated to support young people from Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and the South Caucasus to attend peacebuilding camps and take part in peace projects led by CARE and Search for Common Ground.

Celebrating diversity and peace

By participating in peacebuilding camps and projects, young people now see the possibility of living together, working together, and contributing to a peaceful and prosperous future.

Thousands of portraits were put on display through the Facing Difference Exhibit at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa.

Gallery

200,000 portraits from around the world.

Our teams stepped out of their artistic and social comfort zones to create thoughtful self-portraits. We celebrated their work in a Facing Difference exhibit at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa. Portraits from every Facing Difference package received were on display from August to mid-October 2018. See below the culmination of their work.

Facing Difference Exhibit - Figge - Highlight Video

20th Peterborough Guides

A portrait made at The Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, CA.

14th Oshawa Girl Guides

This incredible portrait, submitted by Jordan Myer inspires us!

This incredible display took our breath away, and came with a caption we couldn't agree with more: Art is a catalyst for progress!

Ms. Musa's 2nd Graders with their finished portraits!

Lots of love in the portraits by Elmwood Art Studio

The Facing Difference Challenge team at Turning Point School making portraits.

Thank you to the Orchard School 2nd Graders for sharing your self-portraits!

Portraits on display by I Matter - Fresno

Thank you for sending in self-portraits from all around the world!

We loved this portrait, that came to us with the caption, "All the things that make me, me!" Beautiful!

Where we came from

Portraits across borders

Here are the places our Facing Difference teams call home. Click through the map to learn more about each team.

Registered
Teams

Submitted
Art

Your Team

Challenge
Projects

Facing Difference Challenge Teaching Materials

The challenge is over, but you can still make a difference.

Teaching materials from the Healing Classrooms Challenge are available for free download at any time and include K-12 lesson plans.

Find curricula, videos, and more resources from all Challenges in our resource library.

Get More Resources

2018: Facing Difference Challenge

Engaging Difference

Your portraits raised $600,000 for peacebuilding programs.

September 2017—May 2018

Challenge Overview

Engaging across lines of difference

Portraits for Peace

Celebrating diversity and peace

Gallery

200,000 portraits from around the world.

Where we came from

Portraits across borders

Facing Difference Challenge Teaching Materials

The challenge is over, but you can still make a difference.

Quick Start Guide

About Students Rebuild One Pager

About the Facing Difference Challenge (Video)