As if you didn’t already know, Realized Worth’s niche focus is employee volunteering. This is where we spend our time, focus our research, and offer services. However, the circles we run in are chock full of experts in related fields, such as philanthropy, who keep us happily well-informed. Just yesterday in fact, our friends at Waggener Edstrom shared the info for an upcoming event by the Global Philanthropy Forum.

There are lot of events this spring that are probably well worth the time and money – and probably a few that don’t quite measure up. We know it’s hard to choose, so we only introduce our readers to events that we would want to attend ourselves. We’re not able to make this one, so we hope many of you will tweet while we follow along virtually. In fact, interview a speaker for us and we’ll produce a blog crediting your contribution!

The Event:
WHAT: The Global Philanthropy Forum Annual Conference
WHERE: Washington, DC (at the Fairmount)
WHEN: April 16 – 18.

Why it’s cool: This invitation-only event draws some of the biggest names in philanthropy and many others who are shapers in the field. It will engage people from across sectors – not just philanthropists, but policymakers and business executives.

Among the speakers:

• USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah speaking on the evolution of the roles and responsibilities of governments
• Former Prime Minister Tony Blair on the role philanthropy can play in improving governance
• Acumen Fund Founder Jacqueline Novogratz speaking about the role of philanthropy in impact investing
• A talk with Egyptian political satirist Bassem Youssef
• Philanthropists from emerging economies like Nigeria’s Tony Elumelu and Brazil’s Carol Civita speaking about new forms of philanthropy

If you absolutely can’t attend, join us in following the event over social media:

• Livestream. All plenary addresses will be available live and rough cuts posted one hour after address here.
• Videos. Daily video highlights available by 1pm the following day here and here.
• Twitter. Follow on Twitter or enter the follwing hashtag into your Twitter search: #GPF2012. They’ll also be taking questions from Twitter during plenary addresses, which should be tweeted @gpforg with the #GPF2012 hashtag.
• Facebook.
• Flickr. Daily photos for media use posted here.
• Blog. On 4/17, 4/18, and 4/19, they’ll be posting blog summaries of the previous day’s events, including introduction, video highlight reel, and round up of social media using Storify at www.philanthropyforum.org/blog

Let us know if you’re attending or following online! We’d love to report on what you learn.

Thanks to Waggener Edstrom for keeping us up to date!

About Waggener Edstrom Worldwide
Waggener Edstrom Worldwide (WE) is a global, integrated communications agency. For more than 25 years the independently owned firm has developed strategic communications programs for innovative and world-changing clients, working to influence markets, inspire people and improve lives. In 2011, the agency was named Digital PR Firm of the Year by PR News, was listed as PR News’ Top Places to Work in PR and received Bulldog Reporter’s Stars of PR Communications Agency of the Year. In 2010, The Holmes Report named WE the Technology Agency of the Decade, and PRWeek US included WE in its Editor’s Choice: Who to Watch list and presented its PR Innovation of the Year award to WE for its twendz™ application. The agency has more than 800 employees in 18 offices around the world, and its Global Alliance partners expand the agency’s reach to more than 80 additional international markets. WE has seven global practices: Analyst Relations, Consumer, Corporate, Healthcare, Public Affairs, Technology and WE Social Innovation, along with its WE Studio D® digital strategies group. To learn more, visit http://www.WaggenerEdstrom.com.

Realized Worth works with companies to engage employees in corporate citizenship initiatives. Call us to talk about what we can do for you: 317.371.4435