We were in Copenhagen participating in meetings with the community of the European Philanthropy Association (Philea – Philanthropy Europe Association), of which we are enthusiastic to be a part. 

Philea Forum 

This year’s edition of the Philea Forum focused on “Philanthropy for People and Planet”, an approach that is especially meaningful to us as a Latin American philanthropic organization committed to generating impact in favor of human dignity and care for the planet. 

During the event, participants share, learn, and explore new ideas and approaches together to address the urgent challenges of our time, creating connections that endure far beyond the Forum. 

The event is held each year in a different European city, regularly returning to Brussels to offer participants the opportunity to engage in Philea’s ongoing advocacy and policy engagement work with European Union institutions and policymakers. 

Fundación Avina at the Forum 

 Laura Señán, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Fundación Avina, on a panel about climate philanthropy 

 

Throughout this edition of the Forum, we participated in various debates and exchanges. One of them was the panel organized by the Funders International Network for Development (FIND) on multisector partnerships, in which we shared a Global South perspective on philanthropy through a people-centered approach: the 5Ps model (Public-Private-Philanthropic Partnership for People). 

We also participated in the panel “Integrating Climate and Environment into Philanthropy”, where our Director of Strategic Alliances, Laura Señán Cagiao, joined Magdalena Pękacka (Polish Donors Forum) and Gesa Schöneberg (Allianz Foundation) to discuss our role in climate philanthropy and the Philanthropy for Climate commitment. 

Spaces such as the Forum allow us to exchange experiences with partners and colleagues across the sector, while sharing how we are contributing to building pathways that strengthen the regional philanthropic ecosystem. 

Europe Is Part of Our Administrative Hub 

The event is also especially significant because we have an administrative hub in Europe. 

At Fundación Avina, we operate through a strategic operational architecture consisting of 13 legal entities across 7 countries, articulated through three administrative hubs in the United States, Latin America, and Europe. This decentralized yet integrated model is a key operational differentiator, allowing us to act with territorial proximity, contextual understanding, and agility. 

Therefore, by mobilizing resources between Northern philanthropy and Southern initiatives, we become a trusted partner in facilitating transnational alliances and operating in complex contexts, ensuring traceability, transparency, and efficiency. 

In this regard, it is essential to follow discussions such as those at the Philea Forum to understand how to articulate these collaborations while also bringing the perspective of the Latin American territory.