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March, 2006.

The Conference in Moscow “Philanthropy in Russia: Can It Become the Fifth National Project?”

Elena Bondarchuk, representative of the Fund for Sustainable Development and the ROLL Program, hands over information about the Program and a copy of the “While Creating, Don’s Destroy!” photo album to the organizers of the conference and to Yuri Sukhorukov, a journalist from the Vedomosti newspaper

“Philanthropy in Russia: Can It Become the Fifth National Project?” Conference held in Moscow in the beginning of March 2006, was attended by representatives of large businesses, NGOs, international charitable funds and programs, the media, and the staff of the Fund for Sustainable Development (FSD) and the ROLL Program. The key issues discussed at the conference included the experience of designing and implementing philanthropic strategies in Russia, the successes and constraints in this sphere during the past 10 years, and the expected areas of its future development.

The plenary meetings of the conference were devoted to such questions as corporate philanthropy and the possibilities it opens for businesses; media philanthropic projects; and company social responsibility, social investment and corporate policy.

Presenters representing business firms, I.Potekhina (AFK System); L.Koshlyakov (Aeroflot), B.Jourdan (Sputnik Group), O.Fedoseyeva (SUAL-Holding), O.Sysuyev (Alfa Bank), and O.Atkov (Russian Railroads Company), spoke about the experience of traditional sponsorship assistance and the principles of forming charitable and sponsorship assistance programs at their companies, as well as of the new trend of social investment that allows a company to act as a co-investor and partner in regional development. Practically all the presenters noted that philanthropy is Russia has changed: instead of one-time activities, many companies now develop long-term strategies and programs; philanthropic activities are becoming more democratic through the involvement of company staff in charitable programs; and programs based on the principle of co-funding of a number of companies are becoming wide-spread. There are also a growing number of companies professionally concerned with philanthropic activities. Individual philanthropy was identified as a key prospect for the further development of this sphere in Russia.

A group of initiative organizations has announced the year 2006 the Year of Philanthropy, which opens the wide vistas and resources of the whole country for joint activities in this spheres and encourages organizations and programs active in Russia to make their contribution to the national marathon of events and initiatives aimed at promoting philanthropy as a National Project. The companies believe that such a national initiative will leverage a change of the state’s attitude toward philanthropy in society.