Press release: Balancing power and equality on the agenda of largest annual European gathering of philanthropy professionals
05.06.2025 – Lisbon, Portugal – Power and equality took centre stage in Lisbon this week, where more than 800 participants from around Europe and the world convened for the 2025 Philea Forum, hosted by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
Inequality has far-reaching consequences that extend well beyond individual hardship. Countries with high levels of inequality are more prone to financial crises and slower economic recovery. Inequality doesn’t just hurt the poor; it destabilises economies, undermines confidence, contributes to democratic backsliding, and leaves everyone more vulnerable, from small business owners to corporate executives.
Through a range of sessions, discussions and activities, participants explored how inequalities and power imbalances intersect, including the structures that sustain them, even within philanthropy. They examined how the sector can help build a more just and equitable society.
Àngel Font, president of Philea, kicked off the Forum by stating that “equality is the search for balance, equity, justice and rights” and that “when things are not in balance, it creates tension.”
Speaking to the spirit of the Forum, Philea CEO Delphine Moralis stated: “Rather than seeking one right answer to the challenges we face, we celebrated the diversity and plurality of approaches across the sector. Philanthropy’s path forward lies in collective learning, courageous questioning and the humility to grow.”
Participants at the Forum were challenged to move beyond surface-level reflection and create space for honest, sometimes difficult conversations, and embrace discomfort as a necessary part of confronting the entrenched power structures within and beyond philanthropy.
Forum participants were also treated to a powerful musical performance by Portugal’s Dino D’Santiago, an activist and singer who weaves stories of inclusion, multiculturalism, empowerment and identity into his vibrant, genre blending music.
Speakers including Françoise Moudouthe, CEO of the African Women’s Development Fund; Larry Kramer, President of the London School of Economics; Sidra Raslan, Co-Founder of the Creative Leadership Youth Programme at CAUX; and the CEOs of Moleskin Foundation, Open Estonia Foundation, and the Association of Finnish Foundations, brought their insights and expertise to inspire and challenge participants.
The event closed with the announcement that Copenhagen would be the backdrop of the 2026 Philea Forum taking place 18-21 May and hosted by a committee chaired by Realdania.
Notes to the editor:
Plenary speakers & performers included:
- Bruno Maçães, former Secretary of State for European Affairs, Writer
- Françoise Moudouthe, CEO, African Women’s Development Fund, Founder of the Eyala Platform and Member of the Board of the Malala Foundation;
- Larry Kramer, President & Vice Chancellor, London School of Economics and Political Science
- Marija Jakovljević, Participatory Resource Distribution Manager, Dalan Fund
- Dino D’Santiago, Artist and Founder, Mundu Nôbu
- Angel Font, President, Philea
- Antonio M. Feijo, President of the Board of Trustees, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
- Charles Keidan, Executive Editor, Alliance Magazine
- Sidra Raslam, Co-Founder, Creative Leadership Youth Programme, CAUX – Initiatives of Change
- Virginia Carcedo, Secretary General, Fundacion ONCE
- Liisa Suvikumpu, CEO, Association of Finnish Foundations
- Mall Hellam, Executive Director, CEO, Open Estonia Foundation
- Asid Afridi, Chief Executive, Barrow Cadbury Trust
- Adama Sanneh, Co-Founder & CEO, Moleskin Foundation
- Matthias Scheffelmeier, Co-Founder & Managing Director, ChangemakerXchange & The Possibilists
The Host Committee of the 2026 Philea Forum includes: Knowledge Centre for Danish Foundations, Bikuben Foundation, Carlsberg Foundation, Hempel Foundation, Lego Foundation, Leo Foundation, The Lundbeck Foundation, Nordea Foundation, The Nordic Culture Fund, The Novo Nordisk Foundation, Ramboll Foundation, Realdania (Chair), Trygfonden, The Velliv Association, Velux Foundation, Villum Foundation
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