Together We Stand

[ 109 ] Alwaleed Philanthropies: forging strong partnerships for greater impact HRH Princess Lamia bint Majed AlSaud, Secretary General, Alwaleed Philanthropies H is Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal is a business magnate, investor and philanthropist. Over four decades, he has built up his business interests from his home country of Saudi Arabia into a global network, partnering with many of the world’s leading companies. From his earliest days in business, the prince has recognized an obligation to use his success for the good of others — a view shaped by his Islamic faith, his country’s culture and family background. In order to achieve this, he founded Alwaleed Philanthropies in 1980 with the aim of helping to heal divisions and shape a more compassionate and tolerant world in which all can contribute, whatever their religion, gender or background. Prince Alwaleed believes that in both business and philan- thropy, efforts can have far greater impact through partnership. To achieve its ambitions, Alwaleed Philanthropies works with a wide range of partners, from world-leading organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to many small community-based groups. Alwaleed Philanthropies looks beyond national boundaries, race, gender and creed. The prince has travelled to over 150 countries and has a deep respect for all religious beliefs. He has also been a strong supporter of women’s rights. Challenged recently as to why his philanthropy was not restricted to his own region or those of his own faith, he replied: “Humanity has no religion, no race no sex — that’s why the radius of our contribu- tions will cover the whole world and not just one region.” Over the years, Alwaleed Philanthropies has initiated and supported thousands of projects in over 120 countries. We look at where we can have the most impact for good through our intervention. Our work falls under the four general themes Image: Alwaleed Philanthropies Alwaleed Philanthropies supports efforts to fight disease globally, including tackling lesser-known diseases which can have a m jor impact locally T ogether W e S tand