Maria Chertok (CAF) will take the role of WINGS Chairperson in January 2016, succeeding Dr. Atallah Kuttab of SAANED. We asked them to reflect on the evolution of WINGS and to share what’s in store for the network.
Dr. Atallah Kuttab is promoting a better understanding of local practices and philanthropy discourse — a trend he hopes will create a “truly global philanthropy enriched with its diversity”. We met with Kuttab to learn more about Arab philanthropy, its history, and how it fits into an “ecosystem of philanthropies around the world”.
In all the countries of the Arab region there is a longstanding tradition of social giving in a variety of forms and inclusive of all faiths, the best known being waqf.
This month marks the end of Caroline Hartnell’s tenure at Alliance magazine, and it brings us great pleasure to highlight her outstanding contributions to WINGS and to the field of philanthropy with a few words from our members and partners.
Following a recent meeting in Beijing, we asked WINGS board members for their thoughts on philanthropy in the Asia-Pacific region. “The implications of wider global developments around wealth generation and the digital era for grantmaking and social investment are challenging to predict for western economies, let alone for the Asian region, currently arguably the most dynamic in the world.”
WINGS chairman Atallah Kuttab reports on a recent meeting co-hosted by the China Foundation Centre in Beijing, explaining how Chinese foundations have continued to improve on a previous lack of transparency. “The China Foundation Centre has managed to increase the rate of data disclosure by foundations from less than 30 per cent in 2011 to more than 90 per cent in 2014.”
WINGS Chairman Atallah Kuttab is inviting members to read and comment on learnings from four recent focus group discussions in Colombia, and shares plans for similar consultations in other regions over the coming months. “Hopefully this will contribute to reinvent local discourses and reinvigorate local and global philanthropy.”
