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Today (5 September) in Shanghai, the curtain was raised on the third “World Philanthropy Forum”, hosted jointly by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Tsinghua University and the University of Hong Kong (HKU), and co-hosted by the China Welfare Institute.

With the theme of “Building a Sustainable Community of Shared Future for Mankind”, the Forum focuses on poverty eradication, good health and well-being, high-quality education, sustainable cities and communities, and the partnerships which help achieve the UN’s sustainable development goals. The Forum will hold 17 keynote speeches, eight high-end dialogues and one charity dinner around eight topics, including: “Leading Sustainable Development through Education”, “Co-building of Global Health Partnerships”, “World City 2050”, “Vocational Education and Youth Development”, “Arts & Humanities and Philanthropy”, “Global and Regional Poverty Eradication and Governance under the New Era”, “The Belt and Road’ Women’s Forum- Women’s Growth and Leadership”, and “Resource Shared for Sustainable Development”. During the forum, the academic committee conference of the World Philanthropy Forum and the “Annual Meeting of Collaboration Networks for Philanthropy and Social Services” will be held.

The principal guests attending the opening ceremony included Ms Li Xiaolin, Co-Chairman of the World Philanthropy Forum and President of CPAFFC, Ms Chen Xu, Co-Chairman of the World Philanthropy Forum and Chairperson of the University Council of Tsinghua University, Mr Gu Zhaoxi, Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Xu Kunlin, Vice-Mayor of Shanghai, Professor Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, Professor Zhang Xiang, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKU, Professor Dr Surakiart Sathirathai, former Vice-Prime Minister of Thailand, Professor Marc Tessier-Lavigne, President of Stanford University, and Mr Jan Mattsson, former Under-Secretary-General of the UN and Executive Director of the Museum for the UN. The forum has invited over 300 guests from the UN system and embassies in China from 16 countries, international organisations, business circles, academic circles, media circles and the Chinese government, and social organisations of China (including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan).

CUHK Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Rocky S. Tuan, took part in a high-level dialogue with Professor Zhang Xiang and Professor Marc Tessier-Lavigne. The three Presidents had a fruitful discussion on leading sustainable development through education. Professor Tuan also signed the “Cooperative Memorandum of the World Philanthropy Forum” together with the CPAFFC, Tsinghua University and HKU, forming a joint force to train leading social services talents in the world, carry out the world philanthropy index research, and support the Chinese social work cooperation mechanism.