The 3rd World Philanthropy Forum Opens in Shanghai

The 3rd World Philanthropy Forum raised its curtains in Shanghai on September 5, 2018. The forum gathered over 300 guests from the United Nations (UN), foreign embassies in China, international organizations, and business, academic and media circles, as well as the Chinese government and social organizations.

With “Building a Community of Shared Future for Sustainable Development” as the theme, the forum holds 17 keynote speeches and eight high-end dialogues to generate discussions on poverty eradication, public health and well-being, high-quality education, sustainable cities and communities, and the partnerships helping achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The UN’s SDGs provide more diverse practical paths for the world’s philanthropic community to participate in global governance and to build a sustainable community of shared future for humankind, which will become the greatest form of charity for all mankind, said Chen Xu, co-chairman of the forum and chairperson of the University Council of Tsinghua University.

Surakiart Sathirathai, former vice prime minister of Thailand and chairman of the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council, pointed out that in today’s world, the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping plays a part together with the UN’s SDGs and will benefit the world and future generations.

Jan Mattsson, former under-secretary-general of the UN and executive director of the Museum for the UN, proposed that achieving the sustainable development goals requires the power and potential of the youth and taking full advantage of philanthropy.

The co-hosts of the forum—the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Tsinghua University, the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong—signed the Cooperative Memorandum of the World Philanthropy Forum, to jointly train leading talent in the field of social service, carry out the world philanthropy index research and support the Chinese social work cooperation mechanism.

The World Philanthropy Forum, launched in 2016, is committed to promoting philanthropic practice and social service in the world, as well as relevant academic exchanges, policy advocacy, talent training, experience sharing and international cooperation. It focuses on important issues and challenges in human development, and actively pursues the goals of sustainable development of the UN and facilitates the construction of a community of shared future for mankind.