Conferencegoers filled the Hilton and Towers to capacity, and annual conference staff reported overflow to no less than nine other local hotels. The Plenaries Featured plenary presenters included Council President and CEO Dorothy S. Ridings, World Bank Group President James D. Wolfensohn, and The Honorable Franklin D. Raines, who recently resigned as director of the Office of Management and Budget to become CEO of Fannie Mae. I want to be perfectly clear as well that, contrary to some published critiques in recent months, mainstream philanthropy has never seen its role as dictating public policy, but as making possible new attempts at policy improvements giving opportunities to be heard in policy debates to those voices that otherwise can get drowned out in the cacophony of political jousting. Wolfensohn challenged grantmakers to examine the effect their participation in public policy would have globally. And when we think of policy and the activities of our institutions and foundations, we have to think not just of the United States, but globally.
Health recognizes no borders.
They migrate because they don't have opportunities in their own country. The international financial system recognizes no boundaries. So strengthening financial systems, ensuring that people are adequately trained, building justice systems and legal systems overseas is not a distant problem it's our problem. And peace and stability. We cannot win a cold war and then turn our backs on the world.