The 3rd World Philanthropy Forum opens in Shanghai

On Sep. 5, 2018, the third World Philanthropy Forum, hosted jointly by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Tsinghua University, the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and co-hosted by the China Welfare Institute, raised its curtains in Shanghai. The Forum was organized jointly by the Institute for Philanthropy Tsinghua University, the Social Work Education Center Tsinghua University and the China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development, and co-organized by the Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

The first World Philanthropy Forum was held in Tsinghua University on Sept. 5, 2016, jointly initiated by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Tsinghua University and co-organized by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation. It coincided with the first “China Charity Day” after China’s Charity Law was promulgated, and the fourth International Charity Day.” The second World Philanthropy Forum opened in the Great Hall of the People and was held in the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries on Nov. 28, 2017. With its feet set in China and facing the world, the forum is committed to promoting philanthropic practices and social services in the world, academic exchanges, policy advocacy, training, experience sharing and international cooperation, focusing on the big issues and difficulties in human development, respecting differences, equally participating in and building a consensus, to actively pursue the goals of sustainable development of the United Nations and facilitate the construction of a community of shared future for mankind.

With the theme of “Building a Community of Shared Future for Sustainable Development,” the forum focuses 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, holding 17 keynote speeches, eight high-end dialogues and one charity dinner around eight topics, including: “Leading 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 Eradication and Governance under the New Era,” “ ‘The Belt and Road’ Women’s Forum- Women’s Growth and Leadership,” and “Resource Shared for Sustainable Development.” During the forum, the academic committee conference of the World Philanthropy Forum and the “Annual Meeting of Collaboration Networks for Philanthropy and Social Services” were held.

The big guests attending the opening ceremony included Li Xiaolin, Co-Chairman of the World Philanthropy Forum and President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Chen Xu, Co-Chairman of the World Philanthropy Forum and Chairperson of the University Council of Tsinghua University, Gu Zhaoxi, Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Xu Kunlin, Vice-Mayor of Shanghai, Zhang Xiang, President and Vice-Chancellor, the University of Hong Kong, Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President, the Chinese University of Hong Kong , Surakiart Sathirathai, Former Vice-Prime Minister of Thailand, Marc Tessier-Lavigne, President of Stanford University, and Jan Mattsson, Former Under-Secretary-General of The United Nations, Executive Director of Museum for the United Nations. The forum made use of the direct invitation mechanism, inviting over 300 guests from the United Nations system and embassies in China from 16 countries, international organizations, business circles, academic circles, media circles and the Chinese government, and social organizations of China (including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan).

The opening ceremony was presided over by Li Xikui, the Secretary-General of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and Director-General of the China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development; Li Xiaolin announced the opening ceremony of the Forum, introducing the original intention of the Forum: deep concerning about the future of human beings, deep love for our earth, and a deep understanding of the community of human destiny. Chen Xu delivered a keynote speech on behalf of the organizer of the forum; Surakiart Sathirathai, Xu Kunlin, Vice-Mayor of Shanghai, Gu Zhaoxi and Jan Mattsson delivered keynote speeches. In Chen Xu’s keynote speech entitled “Promoting development of the great charity cause and co-creating the human destiny community,” she pointed out that the United Nations’ sustainable development goals provide more diverse practical paths for the world's charity community to participate in global governance and to build a sustainable community of human destiny, which will become the greatest charity for all mankind. The charity spirit will also be inherited and carried forward in the sustainable community of human destiny. The operational mechanisms of the World Philanthropy Forum are improved and gaining more influence; in the speech of Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, he recalled Mr. Annan's important contribution to the sustainable development of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) during his career as the United Nations’ Secretary-General. He continued to point out that in today's world, the “Belt and Road Initiative” proposed by President Xi Jinping played a part together with the United Nations sustainable development goals, which will benefit the world and future generations; Xu Kunlin shared the experience of the city group of Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta in adhering to sustainable development, building a community of a shared future for mankind and building an excellent global city and city group in his keynote speech entitled “Sticking to sustainable development and building an excellent global city;” In Gu Zhaoxi’s speech, entitled “Doing Good Across the World and Contributing to Build a Community of Shared Future for Mankind,” he proposed that promoting the construction of a community of shared future for mankind is the right choice to create a brighter future for mankind. China's social organizations and charities are advised to welcome a community of a shared future for mankind, demonstrate China's philanthropic power, carry forward China's philanthropic spirit, and spread China's philanthropic wisdom; In Jan Mattsson’s keynote speech, entitled “Our Global Youth as Premium Investment for a Sustainable Future,” he proposed that achieving the sustainable development goal needs to stimulate the power and potential of the youth in the world and take full advantage of philanthropy. The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Tsinghua University, the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong have signed the “Cooperative Memorandum of the World Philanthropy Forum,” to jointly focus on training the leading professionals of social services in the world, jointly carry out the world philanthropy index research, and jointly support the Chinese social work cooperation mechanism.