We are just a few days from WINGSForum 2023! Since its first edition in 2002, WINGSForum has become WINGS’ flagship event, held every 3 years and a truly unique opportunity for philanthropy professionals to connect and shape the sector. As we get ready for this global gathering, here is a list of 7 things you should know about WINGSForum 2023.
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WINGSForum 2023 will be held in Africa for the first time. WINGSForum 2023 will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, marking the first time this conference will take place in Africa. This year it is co-hosted with the African Philanthropy Network (APN). A special session on day two hosted by TrustAfrica Chair, Coumba Toure, will focus on growing philanthropies in Africa and aspirations to achieve system change. Every WINGSForum is hosted in a different location to give a voice to our local members and highlight the different cultures of giving around the world.
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It will be the first in-person gathering since 2017. After more than 5 years, we will finally gather face-to-face. This WINGSForum has been years in the making and is particularly special as it is the first in-person WINGSForum since the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020-2021 WINGS hosted a special online edition of WINGSForum with over 1000 participants divided into three online events. The previous in-person gathering was in Mexico in 2017.
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The focus this year is on transformation. This year’s theme is #TransformPhilanthropy to Transform the World. Our world and planet are in crisis. From climate change and mass biodiversity extinction to ever-growing income inequality, failures of democracy, and unchecked Artificial Intelligence (AI), we are facing a polycrisis. The conversations at WINGSForum will explore how philanthropy can transform itself, its practices and its institutions to address these issues and lead, support, and enable change for a thriving planet and healthy societies.
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We’ll have global experts from multiple sectors. We have a stellar lineup of 29 plenary speakers ranging from civil society activists and philanthropy thought leaders to private sector decision-makers and international development agencies. A few of those who will speak at WINGSForum include Jaan Tallinn, one of the world’s leading thinkers on AI and existential risk Txai Suruí, the inspiring environmental activist who captured the world’s attention at the opening of COP26, Julian Corner, CEO of Lankelly Chase who recently made headlines after announcing that the foundation will redistribute its assets and cease to exist, Somachi Chris-Asoluka, CEO of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, and Meg Whitman, the US Ambassador to Kenya.
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Hundreds of attendees from close to 50 countries will be there. Participants have consistently ranked WINGSForum as one of the most valuable opportunities for professional development, relationship building and knowledge sharing. WINGSForum 2023 will have over 300 attendees from close to 50 countries, nine plenaries, 18 breakout sessions and countless opportunities to connect with other philanthropy professionals and foster enduring collaborations. Our goal is to spark conversations for philanthropy’s transformation and to encourage new relationships and opportunities that will live long after WINGSForum 2023 concludes.
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You’ll have the chance to experience interactive sessions and network with others. For WINGSForum 2023, we are excited to introduce sessions meant to disrupt the traditional conference experience. These include our Garden of Experimentation, an outdoor experimental area meant to encourage creativity through interactive displays, resource corners and facilitated environments, and Footsteps of Transformation, an opportunity for participants to actively vote on topics they want to learn more about and speak directly with experts. We will have 18 breakout sessions created and facilitated by WINGS members so that the ideas of our global membership are heard and valued.
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You’ll have direct access to live updates with the WHOVA app. This year, we are introducing the WHOVA app, allowing attendees to network more directly, contact speakers, learn more about breakout sessions, share resources and receive information in real-time about the WINGSForum 2023 programme.
For those of you who will be in Nairobi, we are very excited about seeing you in person! If you couldn’t make it, you can still follow the discussions and debates and share your thoughts with us online using #WINGSForum2023 on Twitter and Linkedin. And, finally, we have a little surprise: all the plenary sessions will be live streamed on our YouTube channel!
You can find more information about WINGSForum 2023 and see the programme and speaker lineup here.
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