The 19th International Fellows in Philanthropy Conference
Barcelona, Spain
July 6-9, 2008

Click here for a draft agenda

Registration for this conference is closed.

About the Johns Hopkins Philanthropy Fellows Conference

The International Fellows in Philanthropy Conferences are part of the Johns Hopkins International Philanthropy Fellows Program, which brings a limited number of international scholars and practitioners active in nonprofit and philanthropic to the Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies for a semester or academic year of advanced study and research. The Program then convenes past and incoming Fellows, along with a small group of nonprofit and philanthropic leaders from the United States and around the world, for a bi-annual conference focusing on the nonprofit sector in a host country.  The result is a growing international network of professionals from 47 countries who share a common set of experiences and a common base of knowledge about the operations of the nonprofit sector in different parts of the world.  Past conferences have taken place in Italy, Brazil, China, Ghana, Mexico, Russia, Australia, India, Chile, the Netherlands, Poland, France, Israel, Turkey, Romania, Kenya, and the U.K. 

The Barcelona Fellows Conference, July 6-9, 2008

Barcelona is an ideal setting for our next Conference.  Spain in general, and Barcelona in particular, are in the midst of a notable renaissance stimulated in part by Spain’s relatively new democratic regime and its entry into the European Union.  In addition, Spain typifies a distinctive southern European style of civil society development characterized by a rich cooperative spirit.  This has given rise to the concept of “social economy,” which combines nonprofit organizations with cooperatives, mutuals, and “social enterprises.” At the same time, Spain, like other European countries, is also undergoing a broad re-evaluation of the traditional concept of the “welfare state” and is searching for new models of human service provision that blend state action with the action of social economy institutions. We have therefore decided to focus this conference on the following topic:  “Beyond the Welfare State: The Third Sector and the New Tendencies in Social Welfare Policy in Europe—The Case of Spain.”

A special feature of this year’s Conference is that we will be joined by representatives of a major U.S. network of nonprofit children and family service organizations in addition to other nonprofit and foundation leaders. Beyond this, Barcelona is a fascinating and highly popular city, with amazing architecture and interesting nightlife.  This therefore promises to be not only an interesting conference but also a fun one.

This year’s conference is being organized in cooperation with the Center for the Study of Economy and Society and the University of Barcelona School of Business. 

Conference Arrangements

The Registration Form lists the costs of the Conference. Costs vary depending on whether participants choose single or shared accommodations in a hotel or accommodations in a hostel and whether they will be accompanied by a significant other.  The fee covers five nights of accommodations in the conference hotel (the NH Les Corts) or a hostel (Alberg Pere Tarres), the conference materials and activities, two receptions, and a tour of Barcelona.

As noted on the Reservation Form, we will need a reservation by March 30, a one-third non-refundable deposit by April 15, and the balance of the payment by May 20, 2008.  If you have questions about any of the arrangements, please contact Hillary Belzer (410-516-4363; hbelzer@jhu.edu).