Asia Foundation President David D. Arnold Presents at World Philanthropy Forum in China

Beijing, November 30, 2017 — The Asia Foundation’s President David D. Arnold spoke at the World Philanthropy Forum held in Beijing on November 29 and 30. Arnold drew on the Foundation’s six decades of experience and exchanges in Asia’s philanthropic sector as he moderated a high-level dialogue on “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Philanthropy,” featuring leaders from Ford Foundation, World Vision International, and Tencent Foundation.

Jointly organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Tsinghua University, the second annual World Philanthropy Forum presented seven high-end dialogues and four parallel forums on such topics as strategies for women and children’s health, anti-poverty and social governance, youth development, social impact investment, green cooperation, governance and cooperation of foundations, charity and social services by Chinese people at home and abroad and “Belt and Road Initiative,” the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and international NGOs. Close to 500 experts from about 40 countries representing philanthropic foundations, non-profit organizations, academia, government, international organization and business from across the globe participated in the two-day event.

In his opening remarks during the high-level dialogue session on SDGs, David Arnold analyzed the important relationship between philanthropy and the SDGs and emphasized The Asia Foundation’s commitment to the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda: “The successful implementation of the agenda will rely on effective partnerships among UN, governments and civil society, and especially the philanthropic sector.”

Arnold continued: “Advancing the SDGs is central to our work at The Asia Foundation. Across our 18 Asian countries, our programs are designed in collaboration with local partners in government, civil society, the private sector, and the academic and research community to respond to the changing needs and priorities of each country where we work, through different levels and stages of development.”

Other Asia Foundation experts contributed their expertise to the international dialogue. Allen Choate, a Foundation senior advisor, presented insights on a panel focused on Philanthropy and Social Service Collaboration along the Belt and Road Initiative; Ji Hongbo, the Foundation’s China country representative, contributed to the discussion on International Organizations in China.

During his time in Beijing, David Arnold met with President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) Madame Li Xiaolin to discuss strategic partnership between the Foundation and CPAFFC along the Belt and Road. In separate meetings, he met with representatives from Chinese academia and CSOs to further discuss philanthropic development in China and around the world, as well as the Foundation’s work and program support in the region. He also attended the launch of the Foundation’s new research report, Impact of Domestic Violence on the Workplace in China, hosted by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Beijing.

The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives across a dynamic and developing Asia. Informed by six decades of experience and deep local expertise, our work across the region addresses five overarching goals—strengthen governance, empower women, expand economic opportunity, increase environmental resilience, and promote regional cooperation.

Read more about the Foundation’s work in China.

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