FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Jessica Jackley, 650-725-5399
Global Philanthropy Forum: Conference on Borderless Giving
April 2002
STANFORD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS—Three Nobel Peace Prize recipients joined nearly 400 scholars, philanthropists, foundation leaders, and government executives for a two-day discussion of global philanthropy.
"Those who suffer are not mere statistics. They are someone's child, someone's mother, or beloved son. They're people of flesh and blood. You can make a difference in the life of someone in Africa, in India, in Bangladesh. You can make a difference," Nobel Laureate Desmond Tutu said in a video message to participants in the inaugural Conference on Borderless Giving.
The event was hosted in March by the Stanford Business School's Center for Social Innovation and co-sponsored by the Hewlett Foundation, the TOSA Foundation, and the World Affairs Council of Northern California.
In his opening remarks, Business School Dean Robert Joss discussed the School's dedication to promoting new strategies to societal struggles through its research, teaching, and outreach.
"Through the Center for Social Innovation, the School has made a long-term commitment to fostering innovative and effective solutions to social problems-in the United States and around the world," Joss said. "As part of that commitment, this conference signals the School's desire to improve both the practice and the study of philanthropy, and we will be listening for ideas that can inform our research and teaching relevant to the constraints and opportunities in international philanthropy."
With public interest in relief and humanitarian aid in Afghanistan and other regions growing, Stanford University President John Hennessey observed that the conference came "at a critical time" in the history of the 21st century. "[September] 11 did not change the world. The world has changed and 9/11 made that clear to all of us," concurred John Morgridge, chairman of the board of Cisco Systems and a lecturer at the Business School.
Looking to the regions of Central and South Asia as case studies, participants drew clear, distinct connections between current stresses on those regions and the forces that cripple economies and disrupt development in communities worldwide. Overall, themes of collaboration and focused giving surfaced repeatedly. Panels of experts led small issue-based discussions centered around sustainable development and environmental protection, the education of women and girls, the role of technology and trusted intermediaries, human rights, economic empowerment and micro-credit, and more.
Even as participants explored the challenges to international giving and sustained development, discussion quickly turned to finding solutions. Center for Social Innovation Director and Business School Professor Jim Phills said solving international issues requires ongoing effort.
"Effective philanthropy in a global context, and indeed, effective social change, which is directed at developing, nurturing, strengthening a global civil society, requires … sustained engagement. While we're often facing immediate needs and crises, if we're ever to create a world in which these crises—especially the self-inflicted kind—are averted before they happen … we must think and act in ways that are more systemic, and more oriented toward prevention in addressing root causes."
Other distinguished speakers included Oscar Arias, 1987 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; José Ramos-Horta, 1996 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; Timothy E. Wirth, Stanford alumnus and president of the United Nations Foundation; Sen. Hillary Clinton (via video message); and Dr. Gordon Conway, president of the Rockefeller Foundation.
Morgridge closed the event with words of encouragement and anticipation of future collaboration. He advised the audience, "Partnering is fundamental to success: the partnering of business, the partnering of government, the partnering of civil society. [We all] have parallel objectives. … Leverage each other's capability, and apply it in new and different ways."
More information about the Global Philanthropy Forum can be found at http://www.philanthropyforum.org/. Specifics on the Center for Social Innovation are at http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/csi. A second conference already is being planned for 2003.
—by Jessica Jackley