Tuesday May 6, 2008
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The State of Human Rights: 60 Years after the Universal Declaration “Why should anyone care about human rights?” was moderator Gara LaMarche’s provocative opening question for the panel at Monday’s lunch plenary—and the panel members responded with power and confidence. Anthony Romero of the ACLU said, “As Americans we tend to think of human rights as something we export” and urged the audience to think instead of the ACLU as “a domestic human rights organization” rather than “the civil liberties arm of the democratic party.” He stressed the importance of forming partnerships across boundaries. As Kumi Naidoo of CIVICUS said, “to make lasting investments we can’t ignore the human rights situations we find. There’s a thin line between philanthropy and foolanthropy…we must treat causes and not just symptoms.” Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland, underscored this point by explaining, “If you invest in women and girls you will advance development.” The need for impact through leadership and partnership was summed up in Naidoo’s call for action and cooperation. He stated that “The best way to honor the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is with a global conversation about our responsibilities to each other.” Bold Vision, Grit, and Determination Set Award Recipients Aparts Last evening, the Council presented awards to those whose pioneering efforts have advanced the common good. Today, we feature the recipients of the 2008 Distinguished Grantmaker Award. (For more award recipients, see tomorrow’s Philanthropy Today.) 2008 Distinguished Grantmaker Award for an individual: Robert K. Ross, M.D. In the eight years since he assumed the dual roles of president and CEO of The California Endowment, Robert Ross, has made significant progress toward achieving his vision of building a movement to improve health care for Californians. Under Ross’s leadership, the endowment has brought together advocates, community-based organizations, health care providers, policymakers, businesses, and other stakeholders to promote community health. And in the process, he has brought a welcome focus to the health care needs of those who are traditionally underserved. Just one example: The Endowment’s investments in children’s health coverage have resulted in more than 300,000 California children being enrolled in publicly and privately funded health coverage programs. 2008 Distinguished Grantmaker Award for an organization: Living Cities Believing that cities are one of our greatest social and economic assets, Living Cities, the National Community Development Initiative, has worked to bring opportunities to urban neighborhoods. Formed in 1991, this unique partnership includes some of the nation’s foremost philanthropic and financial institutions, including the Ford, Gates, Rockefeller, and RobertWood Johnson foundations, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Deutsche Bank, and MetLife. The $543 million that Living Cities has invested in cities around the nation has led to the production of $17 billion in community assets and the rejuvenation of many once-blighted communities. Living Cities believes that working together gives them the leverage and scale to make an impact on urban America that no sector or single institution could achieve on its own. Azar Nafisi Delivers a Passionate Speech on Iran and Women’s Right  Azar Nafisi, a professor at Johns Hopkins University’s School
of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and the best-selling
author of Reading Lolita in Tehran delivered the 2008 Van
Leer Lecture. Nafisi discussed how even though the Iranian
government has tried to stifle women’s rights, she believes
that the regime’s laws have had the opposite effect: it’s
encouraged Iranian women to demand individual freedoms.
“Wearing the veil is a woman’s personal choice,” Nafisi said.
“It should not be a government mandate.” Once such an act
is imposed, it ceases to be a symbol of faith, she said. Nafisi
noted that Iranian women have learned to creatively work
and live within the confines of these imposed laws.
Nafisi urged the audience to use knowledge and not “thebarrel of the gun” as a tool to fight authoritarian rule. “Always be curious and question yourself and the world around you everyday,” she said. She also stressed the importance of continuing to educate the public and support grassroots movements and not politicians, saying that people have the power to influence and institute change. Established in 2005, the Van Leer Lecture Series is held every year during the Council’s annual conference. A distinguished speaker is invited to share their perspective and experiences on international philanthropy. The series is a partnership between the Council and the Van Leer Group Foundation in the Netherlands.resources.
Take the Council Shuttle The Council has arranged for shuttle buses to transport Summit participants to and from Crystal City. From Crystal City to the Gaylord Resort: Buses are scheduled to leave on the hour and half hour from the Hyatt starting at 6:30am. They will stop at the Crystal City Metro then proceed to the Gaylord (drop off at the Maryland Ballroom entrance). Approximate travel time is 20 to 30 minutes. At the Hyatt, pick up the bus across S. Clark Street (to your right as you leave the lobby). At the Crystal City Metro, as you exit Metro, turn left, walk about 20 feet and turn to your right. The bus will stop in the “Tour Bus Parking” zone there. From the Gaylord: Service starts at 11:00am on the hour and half hour. Board the bus at the Maryland Ballroom entrance. THE LAST BUS will leave from the Gaylord: Tuesday a t10:00pm and Wednesday at 6:00pm. NOTE: Because most attendees will be off-site on Tuesday attending mini-Summits, shuttle service will be hourly from 10:00am to 4:00pm, leaving the Gaylord at the top of the hour. Half-hourly service will resume at 4:00pm and continue through 10:00pm. Dinner on the Town After the mini-Summits, participants can take the bus back to the Gaylord directly or enjoy an evening of dining at one of Washington, DC’s fine restaurants. Buses will pick up and drop off participants at Freedom Plaza (14th and E Streets, NW) and Farragut Square (17th and K Streets, NW) at 7:00pm, 8:30pm, and 10:00pm, and return to the Gaylord. Download complete Philanthropy Today for more news, updates and information about Philanthropy's Vision: A Leadership Summit [pdf]. |