It was inspiring to listen to Professor Benjamin Barbar. With reference to his book “If Mayors Ruled the World: Dysfunctional Nations, Rising Cities”, he spoke convincingly why the shift is happening from Nation-States to cities, towns, and metros. In relation to this, since the launch of the book in 2013, the Global Parliament of Mayors (GPM) has been convening since 2014 to address issues affecting inter-cities and how these can be addressed and tackled as well as how cities can best serve its people.
This is not what I want to talk about – but there are two things here that may be noteworthy even in our field of work.
1. The notion that people can take charge to transform any given situation for the better despite the dysfunctionality of the nation-state/s across geographic/economic divides, and
2. Citizenry at large (even as they shift to increasingly grow more cosmopolitan) or the civil society can be that most amazing vehicle to do the right thing right.
This is so much what philanthropy intends. It is that altruistic nature of philanthropies that enables us to direct resources for the right things. Philanthropic initiatives may emerge owing to a combination of wealth and intentions, may emerge as in our cases as women’s funds owing to feminist activism or passion, may have emerged to help set right inequity and injustices, or to address/counter those seemingly inevitable genies on the rise in our worlds for the damage and disrespect humans have perpetrated.
Thus, if our intentions are essentially good – for the love of humankind, and we have the power to connect across digital divides like never before, why are we not connecting the dots? Why do we continue to box ourselves or be boxed (pun intended)? Why are women’s funds also not community foundations and vice versa? I continue to be perplexed and vexed!
Hello, let us have a “global parliament of funds” and put them to use in the most creative ways. Let us begin connecting the dots so that everyone wants to join in to do the right thing right. We can continue to be women’s funds and community foundations – for that may be our intrinsic nature, but let us rise to the call of our times – which is in short supply as we know! Let us take off masks, shed our skins, and bare our hearts. Let us be in cooperation – not in competition. Let us give up power so we can help empower all.
If philanthropy worked thus, as cities, may be all our Nation-States will be called to rise to the occasion, or fall to never rise.
Rita is the founder of Nagarik Aawaz, an initiative for conflict transformation and peace building in Nepal, where she previously founded and led Tewa – Nepal Women’s Fund.