The project titled “Legal Framework for Philanthropy” was presented today in Sarajevo under the auspices of USAID and six partner organizations; Mozaik Foundation, Hastor, Pomozi.ba, Network for Building Peace, Trag Foundation and Catalyst Foundation.
Zoran Puljić, director of the Mozaik Foundation and a member of the Board of Directors of the Philanthropic Forum, addressed the audience at the beginning of the forum, saying that this is not a standard event where people come to make business contacts for their companies, but for our soul, heart and good for the whole Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Philanthropy in a neoliberal concept says that this is what we do when the markets and the state fail to solve all the problems of this society and then we as individuals and companies get involved to fix problems,” Puljić explained at the opening of the forum.
Mission of the Philanthropic Forum
Today, we talked about philanthropy, not as an initiative of one individual but as an initiative of all foundations, companies, citizens and associations, and they are all working together to improve the current legal framework for philanthropy.
“Making donations in Bosnia and Herzegovina is constantly on a rise and that is a really encouraging fact and a fact that tells us that not everything is so negative,” said Puljić, adding that the philanthropic forum exists in many countries around the world, emphasizing that he and his partners are proud because such a forum now exists in our country as well.
He said that the times that are coming are challenging, and that the most difficult will be for people who live on social or some other margins of society.
The Philanthropic Forum aims to represent the voice, rights and place to address the challenges of all those present in the field of philanthropy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, or those engaged in humanitarian work, in an organized or personal manner.
“What the Philanthropic Forum will do as such is to improve the entire ecosystem of philanthropy in a way that will facilitate certain phases and processes or at least make them a little less difficult,” Puljić explained.
The participants of the forum emphasized that today they are jointly paving the way for the future of philanthropy in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“We are paving the way for something that is a struggle for the common good in relation to the struggle for individual interest, we are also paving the way for new young generations to come, showing them personal examples of charity how to continue to act in the future,” said Tatjana Vučić, Executive Director of the Philanthropic Forum.
Vučić said that the three pillars of this whole story are companies and corporations that are already socially responsible and that have shown a huge affinity for philanthropy, the second pillar consists of associations, and the third pillar are individual philanthropists who as individuals want to contribute to all this.
The three pillars of the Philanthropic Forum
“The first steps will be to gather members in all three pillars of the Philanthropic Forum, raise the awareness about the project, then promote philanthropy, try to change the legal framework for philanthropy, network true philanthropists with those who need help,” Vučić explained that their goal is to have as many partners as possible and to be a catalyst or link between all those who give with those who need help.
Seid Fijuljanin, Chairman of the Board of the Philanthropic Forum, pointed out that all those companies that are present in the field of philanthropy and that truly engage in what they represent are welcome to join this form, and that he hopes that by the end of the first year of philanthropy forums there will be an increase in the number of companies that will join the forum and helping others.
“One special topic and part of the strategy will be about future members of the Philanthropic Forum, the selection of members will be very precise but also simple, where all those who truly want to help and concretely and precisely contribute to the forum will be able to participate,” said Fijuljanin.
The Philanthropic Forum will be a platform for all those who want to invest in a better society, and the main task of the participants was to provide greater trust to the philanthropic community in the process of giving. The ultimate goal is for recipients of philanthropic donations to have a better quality of life and long-term support.
“I hope that with today’s launch of the forum, we will get a systemic solution or center in front of which we will be able to build a better future for the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the opportunity to build conditions for the recovery of the planet,” Puljić said at the end.
E.S.
