Kimmie Weeks Joins Premier Gathering of Donors and Social Investors in Ambitious Undertaking: Finding Fresh Solutions for Global Social Impact
REDWOOD CITY, CA: Internationally acclaimed Liberian child rights activist Kimmie Weeks of Youth Action International is among the featured speakers at this year’s Global Philanthropy Forum (GPF), an annual gathering of cutting edge donors committed to international causes. Kimmie Weeks will be joined on stage by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former UN Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, Virgin Atlantic’s Sir Richard Branson, Google.org’s Larry Brilliant, scholar Samantha Power and singer Annie Lennox in a discussion of “Human Security, Human Rights and the Shared Responsibility to Protect.” Five hundred of the world’s best known and most effective philanthropists will be in attendance.
According to the Global Philanthropy Forum’s founder and president, Jane Wales, “Once a year, the Global Philanthropy Forum convenes leading philanthropists from around the world for an intense three days to consider ways to tackle large problems. These challenges — be they poverty, disease, climate change, social exclusion or mass atrocities — cannot be solved by one state or one sector. Philanthropy, and those it supports, has a role to play.” GPF members are joined by on-the-ground advocates from the developing world, social entrepreneurs, business leaders and policy practitioners to chart strategies for impact and enter into collaborations.
In his speech delivered to the gathering, Kimmie Weeks called for the philanthropic community to focus on strategic investments and providing jobs and opportunities for youths. “We see excellent leadership in countries like Liberia with President Sirleaf. However, Liberia is bound to fail, regardless of leadership unless we’re able to provide jobs and opportunities for the 80% of people who have no jobs.”
“This is the future of philanthropy at work — a brain trust of social and intellectual capital, from seasoned philanthropic veterans to those new to the field, addressing global concerns in new ways,” said Wales, who is also CEO of the GPF parent organization, the World Affairs Council of Northern California.
The Global Philanthropy Forum is an organization that aims to build a community of donors and social investors committed to international causes — and to inform, enable and enhance the strategic nature of their giving and social investing. The GPF seeks to increase the number of philanthropists who will be strategic in pursuit of international causes.
For more information on the Global Philanthropy Forum: www.philanthropyforum.org.