Our experience at the International Fundraising Congress 2023 in the Netherlands

We were initially introduced to the International Fundraising Congress (IFC) 2023 through one of Open Development Cambodia’s respected board members, who has a close affiliation with a speaker at the event. Described as the distinguished gathering for fundraising professionals, we promptly secured our registration for the conference scheduled to take place from October 17 to 20, 2023, in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, home of many impactful non-profit organizations devoted to justice, peace, and sustainable development. The journey from Cambodia to our destination was a long trip, spanning a day of continuous travel. Yet, the investment of time and effort has proved to be highly rewarding.

All attendees assembled in the main hall, bathed in lively LED lighting and accompanied by musical music, fostering an atmosphere of heightened expectation for the commencement of the conference. The opening ceremony was initiated by Ruby Chadwick, Programme Director at The Resource Alliance. She warmly welcomed all participants at the grandest conference of the year, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to meet every one of us. Following her welcoming speech, she proceeded to introduce the distinguished Harvard Professor Erica Chenoweth, well-known for his extensive research on “People Power.” Professor Chenoweth​ found that civil disobedience is not only a morally sound choice but also the most influential means to shape the landscape of global politics.

The conference session was structured into five themes: strategy, thinking purpose, storytelling, new technologies, and leadership and team development. Within each thematic category, a collection of intriguing topics was made available, allowing participants to freely select sessions that were aligned with their interests and objectives.

The event featured an impressive array of distinguished international speakers who shared their strategies, best practices, wealth of experiences, and insights into emerging trends. Of particular note was the inclusion of mindfulness offerings, including meditation classes, sound baths, and yoga sessions, which are thoughtfully designed to provide participants with a refreshing and relaxing break following their daytime sessions, and to promote a sense of release before dinner. The gala dinner served as a grand celebration, uniting fundraising professionals from across the globe to honor their collective achievements and hardworking efforts throughout the year. After the three-day conference, the program settled with the conclusion session featuring three prominent climate change activists from diverse nations.

Our team has gained invaluable insights from IFC 2023 which will significantly enhance our organizational strategy, implementation, and communication with our respected donors and partners. We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our donors who consistently support Open Development Cambodia (ODC) in keeping our visionary momentum of advancing transparency and open data initiatives in Cambodia.