"Philanthropy is entering a second golden era...It is much more difficult to ignore the problems we face around the world."

For the first time since the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fondation de Luxembourg welcomed a record number of wealth managers for a Philanthropy Adviser event at the Cercle Munster. The event was held under the CovidCheck regime.

The event's keynote speaker was Silvia Bastante de Unverhau, Senior Advisor to Co-Impact and an independent philanthropy advisor. During her presentation, she drew upon her over 20 years of experience, including her former role as Global Head of Philanthropy at UBS, to present the ways in which philanthropy has become a key offering in the wealth management space.

"Philanthropy has a long way to go, and the people that are close to the wealthy have a responsibility to raise these issues. It is fundamentally good for the world, and fundamentally good for business."

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Among the key topics raised during her address was the importance of leading with humility and openness. She shared that in her experience, engaging with clients on the topic of their passions allows them to show an entirely new side of themselves. This new level of opennness and trust dully paves the way for meaningful discussions about possible impact in these areas. 

She further unpacked the changing expectations of philanthropists today, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the philanthropic sector. In Silvia's view, the shared experience of living thorugh a pandemic, and the visibilty that various injustices have gained as a result, has not only inspired many to give, but has further inspired them to give locally. 

After her address, the Fondation de Luxembourg's Philanthropy Advisor Audrey Lesperoy presented the recent developments of the Fondation de Luxembourg, including the latest results of the COVID-19 Foundation.