Global Philanthropy Leadership Meeting 2009
WINGS, together with the Council on Foundations and the European Foundation Centre, jointly convened 44 philanthropic leaders from around the world to explore how to work together more effectively for global change. The meeting was held last May 16 and 17 in Rome.
The meeting was structured around the following three broad topics, each of which was introduced through a background paper and lead remarks from one of the participants:
- Rayna Gavrilova, Executive Director of the Trust for Civil Society in Central & Eastern Europe, commented on a vision for the future and philanthropy’s role in achieving it.
- Judith Rodin, President of the Rockefeller Foundation, addressed legal barriers to cross-border philanthropy and how they might be reduced on a global basis.
- Bhekinkosi Moyo, Programme Director for TrustAfrica, offered some strategies for strengthening global philanthropy and achieving global change.
The group agreed that the host organizations should initiate follow-up work in three priority areas:
- creating a more favorable global environment for cross-border philanthropy;
- developing models or vehicles for pooling resources and increasing philanthropic collaboration;
- identifying key political opportunities and levers to engage with national and regional policymakers as well as multilateral organizations.
As a result, the Council on Foundations, EFC and WINGS are creating an ongoing global philanthropic leadership working group to coordinate task forces that will focus on each of the three areas.
