International philanthropy conference in Ukraine

Event Expert magazine international philanthropy conference
Date 16 October 2009
Venue Kiev, Ukraine
Title Philanthropy: altruism or rational egoism?

Business magazine Expert has been running CSR conferences for the last three years, but its first philanthropy conference was held in Kiev on 16 October. Growth of the philanthropy sector faces formidable obstacles in Ukraine. Mistrust of wealthy people runs deep, as in other former Soviet Union countries. The conference title, ‘Philanthropy: altruism or rational egoism?’, hints at the dubious motives often imputed to donors, such as cleansing a bad reputation and the taint of privatization of state assets, and more generally compensating for the stigma of wealth.

In addition, the lack of trust between sectors is striking. A workshop session on social partnerships made quite clear that the last thing most people running a foundation want is a partnership with anyone else – from government, business, media, or the NGO sector.

This conference, bringing together 150 or so people, mainly from corporate foundations with a sprinkling of private donors, media and NGOs, may be a first step towards a greater rapprochement between the sectors. The very visible presence at the event of Ukrainian actress Olga Kurylenko, best known as the ‘Bond girl’ Camille Montes in the most recent James Bond film Quantum of Solace, may also help. ‘I am interviewed often and people listen to me,’ she said. ‘Instead of reading what I had for my breakfast, I can tell them about charity.’

According to Svitlana Kuts of the Center for Philanthropy, the government has been supporting philanthropy since the Orange Revolution of 2004 – though the sector started to develop much earlier, between the start of Perestroika in 1985 and Ukraine's independence in 1991. In 2007, the president of Ukraine decreed that the second Sunday of December would be a day of philanthropy. The winner of Ukraine’s third Philanthropist of the Year competition will be announced on this year’s philanthropy day.

There are around 66,000 NGOs in Ukraine and about 12,000 charitable foundations. Of these, most do public fundraising campaigns and operate their own programmes. Kuts knows of only a handful that actually make grants.  

For more information
Contact Svitlana Kuts at svitkuts@gmail.com