Philanthropy and Multilateralism: Are Legitimacy and Performance Possible in a Chaotic Age?

credit:

Mark Malloch-Brown, former deputy secretary-general of the United Nations and current head of George Soros' Open Society Foundation, delivered the commencement address at the World Bank's annual meeting in Washington, DC, Wednesday, and he had a lot to say about the institution he used to work for.

Malloch-Brown said the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund "were conceived in the Gold Room of the Mount Washington Hotel as the armies of the Allied states represented there swept across Europe and Asia towards the borders of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan."

"It was American and British policymakers who held the pen at their creation," he said.

"Both the Bretton Woods architecture and the modern Western philanthropic tradition have their roots in the immediate post-war years; as establishment, insider institutions of a more deferential era.

Theirs was a liberalism guided principally by 'wise men,' to use the term applied to that revolving door of East Coast power brokers who moved easily between US-administrations," Malloch-Brown said.

"I have spent much of my career in such institutions," he said, but "by that, of course, I do not mean liberal in the partisan sense, but with a small-L: institutions seeking to advance progress,

Read the Entire Article

How's Your Community Doing?
Check Out it's
Community Vital Signs

Momentus Capital Closes $171 Million Equitable Prosperity Fund
Foundation: Marguerite Casey Foundation, Marguerite Casey Foundation, Kresge Foundation

Stephen Stephens' father died of cancer when he was 53, and his message to young people has stayed with him. "Always do the right thing son," he tells Fast Company. "That message has always...more

6 Things to Know When Building an Authentic Green Brand

When it comes to sustainability, Entrepreneur says, "it takes more than just lip service." That's because it takes a "thorough commitment to evaluate every aspect of your operation to develop...more

Who Serves Humanity &Amp; Strives to Make the World a Better Place?
Foundation: Indianapolis Foundation

Lynne Arriale's new album, Being Human, is all about "people who exemplify Passion, courage, love, curiosity, and other human qualities," the Florida pianist tells Rita Kohn of the Indianapolis...more

Unoma Okorafor, Co-Founder, Fairview Data Technologies

When Unoma Okorafor started working on her master's degree in computer science at the African University of Science and Technology in Abuja, Nigeria, in the mid-'90s, she had no idea she'd end up in...more

As Some Question Higher Ed'S Value, Colleges Work To Fix The 'Time Trap'

"Time-trap thinking seems logical," writes Lori Carrell in the Los Angeles Times, "but it's short-sighted: Degrees mean real earning power and career growth, and many students do work during...more

How Philanthropy Can Help to Accelerate Sustainable Development Goals

"If the class register were anything to go by, education would be one of modern civilization's greatest success stories." That's what Peter Wilson, a member of the UBS Accelerate Collective, had...more

As Melinda French Gates Leaves the Gates Foundation, Many Hope She'Ll ...
Foundation: Gates Foundation

Melinda French Gates is stepping down as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which she founded with her ex-husband Bill Gates more than 20 years ago. As part of an agreement made...more

Nada Show Attend

If you're in the market for a new car, the NADA Show in New Orleans in January is your best chance to see what's out there. Here's a look at some of the buzzy new offerings, courtesy of Jalopnik,...more

Potato Power: Ongoing Philanthropic Collaboration Elevates Research in Sustainable Agriculture

Ahmad Al-Mallahi is a professor of agricultural engineering and sensing technologies at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, and he's spent the past five years developing technology that could...more

Microschools Offer Montana Families Creative, Learner-Centered Education Options

When Christa Hayes' kids shut down their public schools in 2020, the Montana math professor started hearing from parents seeking help for their children's schoolwork and wanting to find a way for...more