Chatham House launches Second Century Initiative

7 Nov 2014 12:56 PM

Chatham House is pleased to announce the launch of a major initiative for its second century that will ensure that the institute continues to fulfil its role as an independent and trusted voice on international affairs. 

As Chatham House prepares for its centenary in 2020, the Second Century Initiative aims to raise an endowment that will secure the institute’s long-term independence and strengthen its capacity to innovate in an increasingly competitive field of thought leadership and policy ideas. 

The Second Century Initiative has three strategic objectives for the future: 

• To endow a number of Research Fellowships and interdisciplinary Research Centres in order to sustain  Chatham House’s reputation for excellence in policy research and ideas.
• To endow the Chatham House Academy for Leadership in International Affairs in order to nurture critical, independent thinking on international policy among a new generation from around the world and to bring new perspectives into the institute.
• To secure the necessary physical space and infrastructure at its base in London to meet the growing demand for and scope of the institute’s work. 

Since its founding in 1920, Chatham House has been a unique institution that strives to improve the quality and substance of policy-making in international affairs. Currently, Chatham House raises the bulk of its annual budget from a combination of membership fees, philanthropic donations, conference and research sponsorship, and project-specific research grants from companies, government agencies and private foundations from around the world. This diverse funding base helps maintain the institute’s independence. The Second Century Initiative will strengthen this further with discretionary revenue and also enable the institute to implement its strategic objectives for the future. 

More announcements will follow in due course.