The Third World Philanthropy Forum Successfully Concludes in Shanghai, China

SHANGHAI, China, Sep 6, 2018—The Third World Philanthropy Forum (WPF) was closed on September 6, 2018, in the city of Shanghai, China. This Forum was 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-hosted by the China Welfare Institute, and sponsored by China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development (CFFPD).

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 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 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 Area", "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.

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 Chairperson of Tsinghua University Council, 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 Tuan Rocky S., 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.

During the forum, the CPAFFC, THU, HKU and CUHK signed a Memorandum of Understanding, forming a joint force to train leading social services talent in the world, carrying out the World Philanthropy Index Research, and supporting the Collaboration and Cooperation Mechanism of Chinese Social Work. 

At the closing ceremony, a series of outcomes for this year's forum were released, including the International Talent Exchange Program, the establishment of the Academic Committee of World Philanthropy Forum, the launch of the WPF Philanthropy Index Research, the preparation for the establishment of Resource Partners Committee of the WPF, and the Annual Meeting Program for Chinese Social Work Cooperation Mechanism. Ms. Deng Lan, Deputy Secretary General of CPAFFC announced that the WPF 2019 would be held in Hong Kong with the theme of "Philanthropy in the Bay Area for Better Life". In addition, the forum held a charity gala banquet themed "With the World, With the Philanthropy", the WPF Academic Committee Conference, and the "Annual Meeting of Collaboration Network for Philanthropy and Social Services".