Barry Knight, Global Fund for Community Foundations (United Kingdom)

I have been an Adviser to the Global Fund for Community Foundations (GFCF) since 2009. Looking back on the past 14 years I’m heartened to see progress on so many fronts. The growing recognition of community philanthropy’s role in philanthropy and development and, of course, the growth of the global #ShiftThePower movement since its emergence in 2016 both stand out.

I have been involved in preparations for the #ShiftThePower Global Summit in a variety of ways. Part of this has been analyzing the results of five meetings held in various parts of the world (some are written up here). Through post-meeting surveys, participants have been sharing incredibly rich stories about how community philanthropy shifts power, and also ranking their priorities in terms of 12 pathways to power collaboration areas. Around the world, time and again, “self-care and solidarity” emerges as the lowest priority. Our work is taxing, people are exhausted and – yet – we’re not seriously considering how we can avoid burnout and nourish ourselves.

So beyond further consolidating the #ShiftThePower movement in all its wonderful diversity, I hope that Bogotá will also be a warm gathering that lifts up hearts and speaks to souls. A space where we can refuel, prioritize collective well-being and build solidarity. For if we are working to reform unjust systems in the long-term, we need to weave a stronger sense of community, understand the convergence between the different issues we all work on, and find better ways to support each other. In short, to build what Martin Luther King Jr called The Beloved Community – one based on love and humanity.

Alongside Barry’s work with the GFCF, he has been involved with work funded by the H & S Davidson Trust to build a better infrastructure for the field so that local people can take charge of the destinies of their community. A recent consultation and other materials from this work can be found on Alliance magazine’s Reforming International Development portal.