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REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 31, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- People are on the move more than ever before. Some, experiencing economic mobility for the first time, are moving to cities in search of opportunity. Others, displaced by war, natural disaster and state failure are on the move in search of safety, resulting in 60-million refugees worldwide. And finally some are on the move in search of meaning—unanchored, they turn to groups-that offer them a sense of purpose and belonging, for good or for ill.

This topic, "People on the Move" will be the theme of this year's Global Philanthropy Forum, April 4-6, in Redwood City, CA. Among the philanthropists, social investors, business executives and government leaders scheduled to speak are:

• Antony J. Blinken, Deputy Secretary of State , USA
• Chris Stone, President, Open Society Foundations,
• Mark Surman, Executive Director, Mozilla Foundation
• Elias Abu Saab, Minister of Education & Higher Education, Lebanon
• Her Royal Highness Sylvia Nagginda, Queen of Buganda Kingdom, Uganda
• Donna Shalala, President, Clinton Foundation
• Yanar Mohammed, President, Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq
• Fayeeza Naqvi, Co-founder and Chairman, Aman Foundation, Pakistan
• Shahed Amanullah, Co-founder, Affinis Lab
• Mary McKinley, Executive Director, Heartland Democracy
• Robert Rosen, Director of Philanthropic Partnerships, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Ursula Rakova, Executive Director, Tulele Peisa, Papua New Guinea
• Sakena Yacoobi, Executive Director, Afghan Institute of Learning

Program tracks, panels and working groups will discuss a variety of timely and global issues, such as:  

• Immediate and long-term needs for the displaced, how to amplify efforts for the Syrian refugee crisis and technology's role on Syrian refugee challenges
• The search for belonging, recruitment strategies and breaking the brand of extremism
• Strategic philanthropy in the face of change and the role of venture philanthropy
• Supply chains and environmental migrants/climate refugees

"Over the past fifteen years, the Global Philanthropy Forum has grown into a remarkably diverse community of purpose-driven philanthropists, grantmakers and social investors from all over the globe," Jane Wales, the CEO of Global Philanthropy Forum and World Affairs Council, explained. "Each spring, we have an opportunity to come together to celebrate our collective successes, learn from our failures and discuss solutions to our most pressing challenges. This year, we will be examining a trend that affects us all, regardless of the country in which we live, the sector in which we work or the beliefs that we hold."

Follow the #GPF16 Conversation:

• Twitter: Follow @gpforg and the #GPF16 hashtag
• Livestream: Tune in from afar by livestreaming the conference
• Facebook: See updates on www.facebook.com/GlobalPhilanthropyForum
• Media interested in covering this event can reach out to Megan Fleming Hytjan (email: mfleming@we-worldwide.com, phone: 970.948.8710).

About the Global Philanthropy Forum
A project of the World Affairs Council of Northern California, the Global Philanthropy Forum aims to build a community of donors and social investors committed to international causes, and to inform, enable and enhance the strategic nature of their work. Through an annual conference and special events, the GPF connects donors to issues; to effective strategies; to potential co-funding partners; and to emblematic agents of change from around the world. By building, and continually refreshing a lasting learning community, the GPF seeks to expand the number of philanthropists who will be strategic in pursuit of international causes.

• Partners include: USAID, Higherlife Foundation, The MasterCard Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation
• Supporting Members: African Development Bank Group, Dangote Foundation, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Humanity United, IDB, Maja Kristin, MacArthur Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Newman's Own Foundation, The David & Lucile Packard Foundation, Skoll Foundation, Skoll Global Threats Fund, The World Bank, IFC
• Media Partner: The Guardian

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160330/349789 

SOURCE Global Philanthropy Forum