The Third World Philanthropy Forum Successfully Convenes in Shanghai, China

The Third World Philanthropy Forum (WPF) commenced on September 5 in the city of Shanghai, China. This Forum was jointly organized by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Tsinghua University (THU), The University of Hong Kong (HKU), and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), co-organized by China Welfare Institute, co-hosted by Institute for Philanthropy Tsinghua University, the Center of Social Work Education of Tsinghua University and China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development (CFFPD), and sponsored by Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. The principal guests attending the opening ceremony included Ms. Li Xiaolin, President of the CPAFFC and Co-Chair of WPF, Ms. Chen Xu, Co-Chair of WPF and Secretary of the Party Committee of Tsinghua University, Mr. Gu Zhaoxi, Vice Minister of Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Mr. Xu Kunlin, Deputy mayor of Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Professor Zhang Xiang, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKU, Professor Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai, Former Vice Prime Minister of Thailand, Mr. Marc Tessier-Lavigne, President of Stanford University, and Mr. Jan Mattsson, the former Under-Secretary-General of the UN and Executive Director of the Museum for the UN among others. For the first time, the Meeting adopted the targeted invitation mechanism to invite more than 300 guests from the United Nations system as well as embassies and consulates of 16 countries in China, international organizations, enterprises, academic institutions, media, the Chinese government and social organizations (including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan).

With the theme of "Building a Sustainable Community of Shared Future for Mankind", the Forum focused on poverty eradication, good health and well-being, high-quality education, sustainable cities and communities, and the partnerships which help achieve the UN's sustainable development goals. The forum encompassed 17 keynote speeches, eight high-end dialogues and one charity dinner around eight topics, including: "Leading the Sustainable Development through Education", "Co-building of Global Health Partnerships", "World City 2050", "Vocational Education and Youth Development", "Arts & Humanities and Philanthropy", "Global and Regional Poverty Alleviation and Governance in the New Era", "The Belt and Road Women's Forum—Women's Growth and Leadership", and "Resource Sharing for Sustainable Development". During the forum, the WPF Academic Committee Conference and the "Annual Meeting of Collaboration Networks for Philanthropy and Social Services" were held.

Li Xikui, Secretary-General of CPAFFC, and Chairman of CFFPD chaired the opening ceremony, and Li Xiaolin announced the opening of the Forum.

Li Xiaolin announces the opening of the Forum (Photo Credit: Huang Zhenping)

On behalf of the organizers, Chen Xu made a keynote speech titled "Promote the Development of Great Cause of Philanthropy, Work Together to Build a Community of Shared Future for Mankind for Sustainable Development". According to her, charity is a great cause that benefits the whole world and an important mark of progress in social civilization. Building a sustainable development community with a shared future for mankind is a grand goal of philanthropy and a common direction that the philanthropists around the world work towards. The concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, as proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, has been included in UN resolution, representing the recognition of countries around the world for the Chinese proposal. It is a beautiful wish common to mankind that "Everybody cherishes his or her own culture and values, and if we respect and treasure other's culture and values, the world will be a harmonious one". The noble concept and successful practice of building a community with a shared future for mankind is bound to lead society into a brighter tomorrow, and philanthropy will definitely grow stronger in promoting the process.

Chen Xu makes a speech (By Cao Qingqing)

As pointed out by Chen Xu, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations provide more diverse paths of practice for the world's philanthropic forces to participate in global governance. Building a community with a shared future for mankind will become the greatest philanthropic practice of humans, and the spirit of philanthropy will be inherited and promoted in a sustainable development community with a shared future for mankind.

According to Chen Xu, young people are the future of a country's development. They are the forces who participate in building a community with a shared future for mankind and drive the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. By upholding its motto of "Self-discipline and Social Commitment", THU strives to integrate the spirit and education of philanthropy into the development and growth of students, thus raising their awareness for public welfare and social responsibilities and guiding them in developing good morals and putting them into action. In her speech, Chen Xu introduced THU's achievements in promoting education equality, conducting students' social practice activities in public welfare and driving philanthropic research in recent years. She also said that as a beneficiary of philanthropy, THU will continue to be an active participant and contributor to the development of global philanthropy. 

At the opening ceremony, Surakiart Sathirathai made an address and Xu Kunlin, Gu Zhaoxi and Jan Mattson each delievered a keynote speech.

Surakiart Sathirathai delivers a speech (Photo Credit: Cao Qingqing)

In his speech, Surakiart Sathirathai reviewed the important contribution Mr. Kofi Annan had made when he served as Secretary-General of the United Nations in promoting the Millennium Development Goals. According to him, the "Belt and Road Initiative" proposed by President Xi Jinping and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) supplement each other in this era, which will benefit the whole world and the generations to come. In his keynote speech titled "Persisting in Sustainable Development, Building an Outstanding Global City", Xu Kunlin shared the experience of Shanghai and Yangtze River Delta city cluster in upholding sustainable development, building a community with a shared future for mankind and developing a global city and city cluster of excellence. In his keynote speech titled "Philanthropy across the World - Building a Sustainable Development Community with a Shared Future for Mankind", Gu Zhaoxi pointed out that promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind is the right choice for leading to a brighter tomorrow for human beings, and that China's social organizations and philanthropic forces should work hand in hand to embrace the shared future of mankind, demonstrate China's philanthropic power, promote China's philanthropic spirit and spread China's philanthropic wisdom. In his keynote speech titled "The Concept of Sustainable Development and a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind", Jan Mattson said that the achievement of the sustainable development goals requires motivating the power and potentials of global young people and giving full play to the active role of philanthropy.

The signing of the "World Philanthropy Forum Cooperation Memorandum" (Photo Credit: Cao Qingqing)

At the ceremony, CPAFFC, THU, HKU and CUHK signed the "World Philanthropy Forum Cooperation Memorandum" to jointly dedicate to developing leaders of social services around the globe, conducting research on World Philanthropy Index (WPI) and supporting the Collaboration and Cooperation Mechanism for Chinese Social Work.

While attending the World Philanthropy Forum, Chen Xu met the delegation led by Professor Zhang Xiang, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKU, and Professor Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK. She extended her thanks to the two universities for successfully hosting the event as joint organizers, and expressed her hope to get further support for the Forum to be held in Hong Kong next year.

Chen Xu meets Zhang Xiang (Photo Credit: Cao Qingqing)

Chen Xu extended her congratulations to Professor Zhang Xiang, for being appointed as the 16th President and Vice-Chancellor of HKU, and talked about the recent developments of THU. Zhang Xiang introduced new ideas of HKU in developing talent and participating in the development of the Greater Bay Area and the cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong. He hoped that the two universities will continue to strengthen research cooperation and academic exchange, promote the exchange of teachers and students and jointly develop talent urgently needed by the country.

Chen Xu presents a gift to Rocky S. Tuan (Photo Credit: Cao Qingqing)

Chen Xu discussed with the CUHK Vice-Chancellor and President Rocky S. Tuan about the mechanism for the proposed Chinese-English cultural exchange activity to be carried out jointly with CUHK in Hong Kong at the end of the year and the student development program of social work. In their discussion, Rocky S. Tuan recalled his pleasant visit to Tsinghua in May, and introduced the new measures adopted by the Hong Kong SAR government recently in promoting scientific and technological innovation, and provided brief information on recent developments of CUHK. He expressed his hope to further expand the forms of talent development programs with THU and deepen communication between the two universities.

Other guests attending the meetings included Professor Kao W. John, Vice President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of HKU, Professor Fok Tai-fai, Vice-Chancellor of CUHK, Professor Yang Bin, Vice President of THU, and leaders from the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of THU and Institute for Philanthropy Tsinghua University.

The First World Philanthropy Forum, jointly initiated by CPAFFC and THU and co-organized by China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF), was held on September 5, 2016 in THU. The event coincided with the first Charity Day of China following the enactment of Charity Law as well as the fourth International Charity Day. On November 28, 2017, the Second World Philanthropy Forum was opened at the Great Hall of the People and held at CPAFFC. Based in China with a global reach, the Forum is dedicated to promoting best practices, academic exchange, policy advocacy, talent development, experience sharing and international cooperation of philanthropy and social services around the world. With focus on hot button issues and challenges concerning human development, the Forum proactively implements the UN sustainable development goals and facilitates the building of a community with a shared future for mankind with a spirit that values the respect for differences, equal participation and consensus building.  

Source: Website of Tsinghua University News