Participants of the 4th Davos Philanthropic Roundtable: Synergy of philanthropy and art can change societies

Participants of the 4th Davos Philanthropic Roundtable concluded that consolidation of efforts by artists and philanthropists brings positive social changes in different countries of the world.

Chairperson of Qatar Museums Authority Board of Trustees H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, in particular, gave an example of what role contemporary art played in modernization of her country. “As the first step we established Al-Jazeera TV channel to introduce freedom of speech. Then we actively invested in education and sports. Today we invest in the development of art. It complements education; there is no civilization without it. Contemporary art today is an encyclopaedia of mankind. And one of its most important functions is to unite East and West.”

Richard Armstrong, Director of Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and Museum, recalled the way Guggenheim Museum was opened in Bilbao, the Basque capital city. It was established in 1997 and today it receives nearly a million visitors, despite the fact that the situation in this part of Spain remains complicated. “Apart from people visiting the museum, there is another very important outcome: the Basque country now has self-confidence.”

According to artist Olafur Eliasson, the role of philanthropy cannot be limited to providing free access to his works of art. “Philanthropy is a complex values-forming process. Philanthropists try to change a world that doesn’t want to change. Interaction of philanthropy and art creates new values and promotes new system of relationships in the world. Therefore, one of the key functions of philanthropy is to unite art with the world.”

The 4th Davos Philanthropic Roundtable is supported by partners:
Special partner – KM Core
Communication partner – Kyivstar