Global philanthropy issues discussed at Holyrood
089/2005 | 4 October 2005
William Thomson, great-grandson of William Carnegie, speaking in the Scottish Parliament's Debating Chamber |
Leading philanthropy figures from around the world have met at the Scottish Parliament this morning to discuss how strategic philanthropy can play a role in tackling global problems.
More than 400 representatives from philanthropic bodies, politics and civil society gathered to participate in an international philanthropy symposium of six workshops ahead of the afternoon presentation of the Andrew Carnegie Medals of Philanthropy.
The delegates moved into six workshops after welcoming speeches in the Debating Chamber from the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, the Rt Hon George Reid MSP, and William Thomson CBE, great-grandson of Andrew Carnegie and Chairman of the Andrew Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Organising Group.
Each workshop featured three invited speakers outlining their thoughts on philanthropy, before allowing delegates to share their ideas and opinions.
In Democracy, Governance and Civil Society, chaired by the Presiding Officer, the Rt Hon George Reid MSP, much of the debate focussed on how western philanthropy can be used to assist government democracy and accountability in developing countries.
Speaking in the workshop was the Rt Hon Lord Steel of Aikwood, former leader of the British Liberal Party and first Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.
He discussed the issues surrounding accountability, and explored ways to balance fear of accusations of 'meddling' with the public's need to be reassured that aid money is properly spent.
In Poverty and Health, participants engaged in a lively discussion on the best approach philanthropists should take towards tackling poverty, malnourishment and ill health in deprived areas of the world.
One of the speakers, Elena Bonfiglioli, Microsoft’s EMEA director for corporate citizenship and community affairs, was firmly in favour of a joined-up approach.
She said: “We should have a coalition of partnerships around each and every project; not only business stakeholders, but business to business partnerships.
“If each of us plays on our core confidence and expertise and puts resources in common, that can provide the best holistic solution for complex problems where no amount of money or expertise can really satisfy the task at hand alone.”
In Environment and Sustainable Development, chairman Sir Jonathon Porritt, Director of Forum for the Future and Chair of the UK Sustainable Development Commission, chaired a discussion which assessed a range of developments such as the effects of the increasing global population on climate change and getting big businesses involved in ‘green’ projects.
The exchange featured American-based speaker Chet Tchozewski, the Founder and Executive Director of the Global Greengrants Fund, making his plea for smaller projects to be recognised by philanthropists.
He said: “I believe that decentralised investments – smaller, more strategic grants in developing countries and local citizen organisations within them – have the greatest potential to make a difference and represent the most promising return on investment for the philanthropic community, and the humanity it serves.”
In Education, Dr Frank Rhodes, President Emeritus Cornell University, President of the American Philosophical Society and Chairman of the Board of the Atlantic Philanthropies, stressed the importance of the cultivation and inspiration of new donors, and said it was vital to be conscious of the obligation to generate and inspire new support.
Echoing the Presiding Officer’s opening speech in the Debating Chamber, he said:
“George Reid told us the old Chinese proverb – invest for one year in corn, ten years in trees, but for the future in human capital – and that’s why this discussion on education is really the primary discussion of all those taking place in this building this morning.
“The task of university, and I would include the schools, is the creation of the future. It’s there in the classrooms, in the labs…knowledge created, knowledge shared, and then knowledge applied. That surely is one of the secrets of a responsible role in the future.”
In Legal, Fiscal and Governance, much of the focus was on accountability, agility and transparency in the social sector and ways to address these issues.
Jane Wales, President of the Global Philanthropy Forum, also discussed today’s venture philanthropists and new philanthropists, suggesting many of their ideas had been tried and tested by established institutions who had been “willing to take a risk, try something completely different, and perhaps fall on their face.”
In International Peace, Justice and Security, one of the speakers was former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson.
She focussed on the issues surrounding the “war on terrorism” and discussed the discreet but influential advocacy role of philanthropists and foundations.
Six people will receive the Andrew Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy at this afternoon’s ceremony, which is taking place outside of the US for the first time.
The Medals, which are regarded as the Nobel Prizes for Philanthropy, are presented every two years. The previous ceremonies have taken place in New York and Washington.
Receiving the Medals in Holyrood’s Debating Chamber will be:
• the Aga Khan, whose development network funds health, education, rural development and civil society programmes and projects worldwide with special emphasis on women and children
• one of Scotland’s leading philanthropists Sir Tom Farmer
• the American arts benefactor Agnes Gund
• representatives of the Cadbury, Hewlett and Packard families whose foundations give hundreds of millions of pounds annually to community projects around the world.
The Medal recipients are selected by the Carnegie family of worldwide institutions established by Andrew Carnegie. Previous recipients include the Gates, Rockefeller and Sainsbury families, media tycoon Ted Turner and financier George Soros.
Photography
Images from the workshops can be obtained free of charge from the Scottish Parliament’s photography team on 0131 348 6269.
The Parliament's media contact is:
Sally Coyne Tel: 0131 348 6269
RNID TypeTalk calls welcome
email: sally.coyne@scottish.parliament.uk
For public information enquiries, contact: 0131 348 5000 or 0845 278 1999 (local call rate)
Text phone: 0131 348 3415 RNID Typetalk calls welcome
email: sp.info@scottish.parliament.uk
Visit our website at: www.scottish.parliament.uk
|
back to top