Our hearts go out to all of those suffering from the recent attacks in the world. We wish you peace, hope and the ability to rebuild trust with humankind.

When we look at the news, it can feel like we are in a constant state of divergence: mass shootings, police/civilian violence, unwelcomed refugees, Brexit, coups, politics, cyberbullying. There is so much energy spent demonstrating our divergence that we can miss the natural balance of humanity. Just as the inhale follows the exhale, just as the slumberer awakens, humanity converges after periods of divergence.

The spread of the UNITY project to over 5 million people is a sign that humanity is working to balance the destruction by coming together. Our greatest hope for this project is that it reveals the natural and unbreakable connections that bind us all, building understanding and community around the globe.

UNITY Goes Viral

Over the past week or so, Upworthy posted a video on Facebook directed by Daniel Sheire. As of this writing, the video received 5.3 million views and almost 65 thousand shares.

As the video gained traction, we began to receive hundreds of requests from people all over the world who want to build UNITY in their communities. To meet the demand, we created a How-To Manual so people could take action. Since it was posted late Friday evening, over 140 people have downloaded the guide.

In the media advisory that preceded UNITY's launch, we unveiled a bold vision that communities all over the world would build their own versions of UNITY. Today, it seems that vision is coming to life. We want to thank everyone involved from the participants and volunteers at the original UNITY in Alexandria to everyone who has maintained the momentum of this passion project.

While UNITY started out as a project to build more understanding in the midst of a divisive political conversation, the need for unity has expanded. We hope that each person touched by UNITY is inspired to take action toward building a world connected through the celebration of individuality and the oneness of the human experience.

Remember, when you feel like the world is spiraling out of control, there are energies stronger than the negative forces at play. You have the power and, dare we suggest, the responsibility, to focus your energy on the light. Take action. Overcome. The beauty of the human spirit will shine through.

Download Your UNITY How-To Manual

Feeling inspired? You can build UNITY in your community!
Download the free UNITY How-To Manual and get the list of identifiers, suggested materials and tips on how to run your event. Know someone who might want to create the project in his/her community? Please share and encourage them to contact us with any questions. If you build UNITY where you live, be sure to share your pictures and video to our We Live Big Facebook page. Your project can inspire others to join Team UNITY. Together we might just save the world!

A Special Thank You

There are so many people who contributed to the success of UNITY. It was a true community effort. Today we want to give special thanks to Daniel Sheire from Sunroad Films, who created the magical video that helped us spread the word. Daniel created a storyline that touched people's hearts and inspired them to act. Our gratitude also goes out to Patricia Armstrong on video/sound and Mike Olliver on still images. We are so fortunate to have these talented, generous people in our lives!

Not on Facebook?

If you're not on Facebook, you can't see Upworthy's share of the video. Yesterday, we posted it to YouTube so you can check it out and share with your friends who aren't on Facebook.

Thank you for being part of our community. We are honored to have you with us as we continue our mission to promote human flourishing!