Our Foundation engages in international cooperation to follow global approaches in civil society work and philanthropy, while also enhancing the visibility of activities in these sectors in Türkiye on international platforms. In 2024, we continued our memberships in the Philanthropy Europe Association (Philea), the Council on Foundations (COF), and the Foundations Platform F20, as well as our collaboration with the Synergos Global Philanthropists Circle (GPC) and similar organizations.

Philanthropy Europe Association (Philea) 2024 Forum

Since 1991, the Sabancı Foundation has been a member of Philea, which brings together institutions operating in the field of philanthropy in Europe. Philea’s 2024 Forum was held in Ghent, Belgium, from May 27–29, with the participation of 780 individuals representing foundations and national network organizations. At the forum themed “Trust and Philanthropy,” which was attended by the Sabancı Foundation, the main theme was the decreasing trust in institutions, the increasing demands for democracy, equality, climate action, and social justice, and the role of philanthropic organizations in building trust and the challenges encountered.

Philea Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Network

The Sabancı Foundation joined the Gender Equality Thematic Network, founded in 2014, as a founding member of the Philanthropy Europe Association’s Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Network. The Sabancı Foundation was the only invitee from Türkiye. Other founding members of the network included the “la Caixa” Foundation, Calala Women’s Fund, Chanel Foundation, King Baudouin Foundation, and Laudes Foundation. The Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Thematic Network continued to work actively in 2024. It launched a seven- session Peer Learning Program to share knowledge and experience, as well as develop networks to support European CSOs in integrating a gender equality perspective into their work.

Philanthropy Europe Association Disability Thematic Network

The Sabancı Foundation is a founding member of the European Consortium of Foundations on Human Rights and Disability, founded in 2009 to unite foundations and other stakeholders issuing grants to support the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Sabancı Foundation is the only Türkiye-based member of the Consortium, which currently operates under the title of the Philanthropy Europe Association Disability Thematic Network. Other founding members are foundations based in Austria, Georgia, Spain, and Italy. The consortium continued to work actively in 2024.

Zero Project Conference

Since 2013, the Sabancı Foundation has been actively participating in the Zero Project Conference, which aims to disseminate innovative solutions for the inclusion of individuals with disabilities. The 2024 edition of the conference was held at the UN headquarters in Vienna on February 21–23, with the theme of Education and Information Technologies, hosting over 1,000 participants from 100 countries. We were invited to the Zero Project Technology Forum held before the conference and examined technological solutions in the field of accessibility. In the session “Philea’s Disability Thematic Network: Good Practices from Foundations,” we presented the results of our grant project, which facilitates the preparation of visually impaired high school students from the Parıltı Association for the Higher Education Institutions exam. We also moderated the session titled “Education and Support Strategies After Humanitarian Crises” and shared the projects we developed following humanitarian crises with the participants. Sabancı Foundation General Manager Nevgül Bilsel Safkan participated as a speaker and moderator in the sessions. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of our Foundation, we organized a lunch with the participation of various institution and network representatives from the USA and Europe, including Zero Project ambassadors.

Foundations Platform F20

In 2024, Sabancı Foundation accelerated climate efforts and shared its learnings with other stakeholders. The Foundation had become the first and only member from Türkiye in 2021 of the Foundations Platform F20, which focuses on climate action, and maintained its membership in 2024.

Asia Philanthropy Congress

The third Asia Philanthropy Congress, organized by the Nippon Foundation since 2022, was held in Tokyo on November 29, 2024, with the theme of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Sabancı Foundation was the only Turkish institution to participate in the congress, which brought together foundation leaders to seek solutions to inequalities, environmental problems, and human rights issues in Asia, while encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing. Sabancı Foundation was again the only foundation from Türkiye to attend the two-day event held in Karuizawa on November 30–December 1. The event brought together 39 foundation representatives from 11 countries, aiming to develop collaboration between foundations. Areas of collaboration were identified based on the transformative power of philanthropy and the reduction of inequalities in the respective countries, with foundations such as Ayala Foundation (Philippines), BRAC (Bangladesh), Sasakawa Peace Foundation (Japan), Temasek Foundation (Singapore), Unilab Foundation (Philippines), and Yayasan Hasanah (Malaysia).

Our Activities for Climate in 2024

In 2024, the Sabancı Foundation undertook the following initiatives as part of its roadmap to combat climate change:

• The Disaster and Emergency Fund, established in 2022 to combat disasters triggered by climate change continues to be allocated each year for use in line with its intended purpose.
• With the addition of combating climate change as a sub-theme in the Grant Program, three NGO projects have been supported since 2022. The support was expanded with two additional projects in 2024.
• Dr. Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and Roots & Shoots, United Nations Messenger of Peace, and a world-renowned ethologist, met with representatives from the business world and civil society on May 6 under the auspices of the Sabancı Foundation.
• As the first and only institution from Türkiye to sign the “International Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change”, a global initiative led by WINGS and the European Philanthropy Association (Philea), Sabancı Foundation continued its efforts in line with the commitment’s principles. The Foundation completed its first progress report detailing its work under the key action areas of the commitment. To draw attention to the climate emergency through cinema, the theme of the 9th Sabancı Foundation Short Film Competition was set as “Climate Migration.”
• The Alliance Magazine website published an interview with Nevgül Bilsel Safkan, General Manager of the Sabancı Foundation, discussing the foundation’s climate journey, our process of becoming a signatory to the commitment, and the strategic importance of the issue, thereby increasing the visibility of our climate efforts in international media.