BANGKOK, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- The true value of philanthropy extends far beyond grantmaking, lying in the deployment of non-financial assets like corporate networks and community trust to coordinate resources and complement public sector efforts, participants at an official side event of the 2026 Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group have said.
The exclusive gathering, held here on Saturday, convened over one hundred senior policymakers, philanthropists, and business executives to establish coordinated pathways for cross-sector collaboration.
Delivering the keynote address, Yodchanan Wongsawat, deputy prime minister and minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation of Thailand, outlined the country's developmental "demand side" where philanthropic collaboration is most critical.
He emphasized that research institutions, universities, and innovation agencies will be instrumental in channeling this giving into tangible talent and scalable solutions.
The event also marked the official launch of the Thai-language edition of the interim report of the Commission on Asian Philanthropy, which highlights the potential of regional philanthropic funding in supporting the national agenda. ■