Our Foundation engages in international cooperation to follow global approaches in civil society works and philanthropy and to boost the visibility in international platforms of activities in these sectors in Turkey. Within this scope, in 2022, we maintained our memberships in Philanthropy Europe Association (Philea), the Council on Foundations (COF), and the Foundations Platform F20 as well as our cooperation with Synergos Global Philanthropists Circle (GPC) and similar organizations.
Also in 2022, we published a Philanthropy Letter for the first time to evaluate the times when we were deeply affected by the pandemic and the climate crisis and to share our ideas regarding the future of philanthropy. We shared the letter with our shareholders in Turkey and abroad in Turkish and English languages.
Philanthropy Europe Association (Philea) 2022 Conference
The Philanthropy Europe Association Annual Conference was organized in person in Barcelona, Spain, from May 30 to June 1, 2022. The event was meaningful as it was the first in the culmination of the two-year merger process between the European Foundation Centre (EFC) and the Donors and Foundations Networks in Europe (DAFNE). The conference welcomed 736 participants representing the foundations under Philea and the national network organizations. The Sabancı Foundation participated in the event as well. The conference mainly discussed war, climate, health, human rights, democracy, and equality.
Philanthropy Europe Association—Gender Equality Thematic Network
The Sabancı Foundation joined the Gender Equality Thematic Network, founded in 2014, as a founding member. The Sabancı Foundation was the only invitee from Turkey. Other founding members of the network included the Barrow Cadbury Trust, the King Baudouin Foundation, and the Mama Cash Foundation. The Gender Equality Thematic Network continued to work actively in 2022.
European Consortium of Foundations on Human Rights and Disability
The Sabancı Foundation is a founding member of the European Consortium of Foundations on Human Rights and Disability, founded in 2009 to bring together the foundations and other shareholders issuing grants to support the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Sabancı Foundation is the only Turkey-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 Spain, France, Portugal, and Ireland. The Consortium continued to work actively in 2022.
PEXforum Event
The Sabancı Foundation hosted the PEXforum event organized in Istanbul from August 24–26, 2022 by the Philanthropy Europe Association (Philea) and the Third Sector Foundation of Turkey (TUSEV). A total of 106 people representing 69 philanthropic organizations from 20 countries discussed improvements to the European philanthropy ecosystem, system transformation, and cooperation for two days. Sabancı Foundation organized a dinner at Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum as part of this event and invited participants.
Zero Project Conference
The Sabancı Foundation has been actively participating in the Zero Project Conference since 2013, and in 2022, the Conference was organized in hybrid mode on February 22–25 on Accessibility. The Sabancı Foundation joined the Conference online and was a speaker at the session on “Outstanding Projects by European Foundations on Accessibility and Inclusivity.” The Sabancı Foundation General Manager Nevgül Bilsel Safkan joined the session as a speaker and elaborated on the Sabancı Foundation Changemaker Accessible Everything and the accessible exhibition held at Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum.
Foundations Platform F20
The Sabancı Foundation accelerated efforts in climate in 2022 and shared experiences with other stakeholders. The Sabancı Foundation became the first and only Turkey-based member of the climate-oriented Foundations Platform F20 in 2021 and maintained membership in 2022. The Sabancı Foundation General Manager Nevgül Bilsel Safkan's article titled “Art as a Tool in the Fight Against Climate Change” was published in the F20 newsletter and shared with members.
Activities for Climate
In 2022, the Sabancı Foundation carried out the following activities in the fight against climate change:
The Sabancı Foundation General Manager Nevgül Bilsel Safkan gave an interview on activities and experiences in climate as part of the "#PhilanthropyForClimate" interview series by WINGS. She also participated in the podcast series by CivSource Africa.
