Be Philanthropy 2026: reflections from the conference in Brussels
After attending Be Philanthropy 2026 in Brussels, Zoia Hudymenko, Project Manager at the Marta Kostyuk Foundation, shared her reflections and key insights from the event.
Last month, I had the privilege of representing the Marta Kostyuk Foundation at Be Philanthropy 2026 in Brussels, which brought together more than 1,500 representatives from the philanthropic sector, businesses, foundations, and civil society organisations from around the world. Organised by the King Baudouin Foundation, the event marked 50 years of commitment to creating positive change.
The day began with an address by Her Majesty Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, while the words of Dr Denis Mukwege set the tone for the entire conference. His message was clear: supporting those affected by the crisis must go hand in hand with the pursuit of justice, the protection of human rights, and accountability for those responsible for causing suffering.
Images: @David Plas
One of the most powerful sessions for me focused on impact and accountability, where Kristin Davis, the Hollywood actress and UN Goodwill Ambassador, spoke about her work with refugees around the world, while Hugo Inglis, four-time Olympic champion and co-founder of High Impact Athletes, explained why athletes should use their visibility to drive positive change. Belgian content creator Average Rob shared his perspective on using online influence for good and on where the line between entertainment and social responsibility truly lies.
Images: @David Plas
Another memorable session focused on artificial intelligence and philanthropy — a space filled with both opportunity and tension. How can we use technology to do more good without losing the human judgement that keeps philanthropy human?
Images: @David Plas
These conversations carry deep meaning for us at the Marta Kostyuk Foundation. Tennis and Marta’s voice help us create a better future for children whose lives have been changed by war. Events like this remind me that we are part of a much larger movement.
Insights
Philanthropy addresses both symptoms and root causes
Denis Mukwege’s life’s work embodies this approach. Supporting those affected by the crisis is critically important, but on its own it does not address the root causes of violence, inequality, and injustice. The most impactful philanthropic initiatives work not only with the consequences of these issues but also with the factors that drive them, even when doing so is uncomfortable or politically risky.
Images: @David Plas
Athletes have enormous potential to drive social change
Hugo Inglis argues that athletes possess something most philanthropists do not — widespread emotional trust from audiences. Athletes should absolutely use their visibility and platforms. The real question is why so few of them do so intentionally.
Images: @David Plas
Popularity without purpose becomes empty noise
Average Rob’s presence on the panel was intentionally provocative: a content creator among representatives of the philanthropic community. The influencer world moves quickly, prioritises entertainment, and rarely measures whether the influence it generates actually leads to positive action. Reach is not impact, and virality is not real change.
Images: @David Plas
Some crises become invisible not because they are small, but because we stop looking at them
Kristin Davis was visibly emotional while speaking about what she had witnessed firsthand in camps, temporary displacement centres, and among families who had lost everything. Her point was quieter and more human than arguments about funding: in a world with so many overlapping conflicts, public attention becomes a limited resource, and some suffering simply fades from public attention.
This happens not because these crises are less urgent, but because the number of headlines is limited. For anyone working with communities living through the realities of war, as the Marta Kostyuk Foundation does in Ukraine, this message resonates particularly strongly.
Images: @David Plas
AI can create more time for working with people
One of the practical insights from the AI session was that a huge proportion of working hours in non-profit organisations is spent on administrative tasks: grant reporting, securing funding, documentation, and more. AI tools can take over much of this work, allowing people to focus on relationships, strategy, and programme implementation.
The question is who will gain access to these tools — and whether smaller organisations and under-resourced regions will be left behind.
Images: @David Plas
Who controls AI matters just as much as what AI does
One of the most important questions raised during the session concerned governance: the same technology companies whose business models concentrate power and collect data are now selling AI tools to the non-profit sector. Organisations adopting these tools risk becoming dependent on systems that do not share their values.
AI ethics is not only about what an algorithm does, but also about who owns it and who it ultimately serves.
In 2026, philanthropy may become the last line of defence
The entire event was built around one provocative question: what if philanthropy did not exist? And the answer repeated throughout the conference was deeply uncomfortable.
In a world of growing geopolitical tension, democratic decline, weakened international institutions, and shrinking public budgets, philanthropy is no longer simply filling gaps — it is holding entire systems together. Art, refugee support, post-war recovery, education, and children’s wellbeing increasingly depend on private generosity as state structures struggle or simply retreat.
This was not a celebratory event. It was a call for urgent action. Philanthropy matters today because the alternative — its absence — is a world none of the speakers were willing to accept.
Images: @David Plas
