The third Philanthropy for Better Cities Forum, convened by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, concluded successfully tat the West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong. The two-day forum attracted more than 1,600 delegates from around the world including close to 70 eminent speakers and over 180 representatives from regional and global foundations, who shared the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead as we strive to create a fairer society and the power of philanthropy to accomplish this.

The closing remarks were delivered by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Chief Executive Officer, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, who echoed the insights from the forum speakers, “If we are to truly leverage the power of philanthropy, we need to build platforms and communities which are permanently connected. This is the reason for the Institute of Philanthropy – the IoP – which our Chairman announced yesterday, and which the Club is backing with HK$5 billion.” He added, “It will be a place to bring the best ideas and minds together. It will synthesise, commission and publish ground-breaking research. But it will also be hands-on, helping to build the capacity of professionals in the philanthropic and non-profit sectors. However we also see it as providing a much-needed Asian voice in the global debate on philanthropy.”

In the second plenary session, “Trust-based philanthropy as an alternative model to traditional grant making”, moderated by Cecilia Ho, President of the Lee Hysan Foundation (centre).

The second day of the forum kicked off with a keynote discussion on “Reimagining megapolises of tomorrow to cope with climate change” featuring Christiana Figueres, Co-host of “Outrage + Optimism” and former United Nations Climate Chief, and award-winning author Dr Amitav Ghosh. The speakers discussed best practices for creating resilient and sustainable megapolises in the face of increasing climate risks. They also highlighted the essential role of philanthropy in driving change.

The track sessions examined some of the key issues facing modern societies, most especially in creating equitable living environments, embracing an ageing society, improving mental health, the changing nature of work, and more. 

In part one of the final keynote, John Shiels, Chief Executive Officer of the Manchester United Foundation joined Jess Markt, Disability Sport and Inclusion Specialist of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and jockey Karis Teetan from The Hong Kong Jockey Club to explore the emergent role of arts, culture and sports in bridging inequality.  

Part two of the final keynote featured Academy Award-winner Ke Huy Quan, who shared how the arts can be a powerful tool to challenge stereotypes and promote diversity. He also gave advice to aspiring artists, including how they can incorporate philanthropy into their creative endeavours.

Other leading speakers from day two included: Professor Sudhir Anand, Centennial and Visiting Professor of International Inequalities Institute at the London School of Economics and Political Science; Dr Somsak Chunharas, President of the National Health Foundation of Thailand; and former Prime Minister of Thailand Abhisit Vejjajiva, each of whom gave their insights on how philanthropy can drive equitable access to healthcare.

The Philanthropy for Better Cities Forum is being held in conjunction with its associated Foundations Circle to be held tomorrow, which will be the inaugural event of the Club’s newly launched IoP. The forum and the Foundations Circle have become firmly established as the premier meeting point for philanthropic foundations, family offices, NGOs, academics and others to exchange ideas, experiences and best practices – the only gathering of its type in Asia, and one of the largest anywhere.