About us

Who we are

Founded by eminent Australians in 1998, the Global Foundation is a not-for-profit and non-partisan international organisation whose primary purpose is to unite prominent citizens of the world to discuss the most pressing global issues, find alignment, and work together to shape the global common good, free from official constraints.

The Foundation is a convenor of global dialogue in various formats, from high-level roundtables with some of the world’s most influential figures to more intimate sessions around specific issues.

As an independent organisation, the Foundation is sustained solely by private sponsorships and philanthropic contributions from its members, who extend from individuals to corporations and universities. The Governor General of Australia is its Patron in Chief.

Our philosophy

The Foundation’s mission statement is ‘Together, we strive for the global common good’.

This involves creating a sustainable and secure future for the global commons, where we all can share the air that we breathe, where people can live or aspire to live with dignity and a shared sense of belonging and commitment to humanity.

The Foundation’s work is driven by the practice of cooperative globalisation, which seeks consensus over conflict and win-win outcomes for all. Cooperative globalisation is grounded in four principles: transformation, inclusiveness, fairness, and prosperity.

Transformative

Globalisation is a dynamic exchange of culture that transforms societies, creating a shared space for a global civil society and sense of global identity that transcends borders.

Fair

The benefits of globalisation should be shared among communities, countries, and regions, the Global South as well as the Global North. There are no winners or losers.

Inclusive

Cooperative globalisation fosters dialogue between diverse cultures and beliefs, aiming to find alignment. It empowers communities to create and implement their own ideas of the common good.

Prosperous

Globalisation should improve lives by providing economic opportunities, access to education, and securing a healthy planet where current and future generations can live with dignity and well-being.

Our history

The Global Foundation was launched in Australia in May 1998 by eminent Australians to promote the dual idea of ‘Australia and the World,’ based on twin objectives: encouraging the nation to identify and reach its unfulfilled potential; and, at the same time, encouraging Australia to become an even more influential actor in building international goodwill and co-operation.

The Global Foundation has convened and partnered in international dialogue conversation in many global locations in its more than years of operations including in Bali, Beijing, Brisbane, Brussels, Jakarta, London, Melbourne, Noumea, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Sao Paolo, Singapore, Sydney and Washington.

These discussions have addressed major, complex global issues, including the global economy, global food security, sustainability and climate policy, China’s emergence, Asia’s integration while at the same time encouraging a culture of deeper Australian engagement with Asia and in world affairs.

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