Looking to the future

CHRISTOPHER G. OECHSLI

Chair, The Atlantic Institute Governing Board President & CEO, The Atlantic Philanthropies

This, the Atlantic Institute’s first “Annual Review”, represents the culmination of a startup period that has involved concentrated testing of hypotheses and activities to support and amplify the work of a growing Atlantic Fellows global community.

The learning curve has been steep, made even more acute by the onset of COVID. These unprecedented conditions, which have thrown existing inequalities into stark relief, have further catalyzed the work and aspirations of this community to reduce long-term systemic inequities.

The Atlantic Institute’s work is made possible by the leadership across the seven Atlantic Fellows programs, the Atlantic Institute staff, support from the Rhodes Trust staff at Oxford and the engagement of the Atlantic Fellows themselves. Penelope Brook’s foundational efforts and Evie O’Brien’s emerging leadership have been central to the Institute’s growing achievements. The demands and challenges we have faced in this historically difficult and volatile time, globally, have been remarkable — however, even more striking is the promise of change that is emerging from the work of this community, as this Review shows. Thinking deeply about how to overcome the challenges of this year has driven emergent practice and encouraged connections and collaboration, taking us to greater heights and opening new prospects.

As the Atlantic Fellows community continues its ascent to greater influence and impact, this Review comes at a time when the founding donor is concluding its work. The dissolution of the Atlantic Foundation on Sept. 14 2020 marks the completion of Chuck Feeney’s personal mission of Giving While Living after 38 years and $8 billion in grants. As he explained in his Feb. 3 2011 letter to Bill Gates:

I cannot think of a more personally rewarding and appropriate use of wealth than to give while one is living — to personally devote oneself to meaningful efforts to improve the human condition. More importantly, today’s needs are so great and varied that intelligent philanthropic support and positive interventions can have greater value and impact today than if they are delayed when the needs are greater.

I am often asked what Chuck Feeney’s legacy will be, what he would want it to be. Chuck would not be interested in any monuments or buildings with his name on them. In the end, he has said, “it’s always about people,” the people with needs and the people who are capable and committed to addressing those needs and expanding opportunities.

Chuck’s and Atlantic’s legacy will be about this community of Atlantic Fellows, its values and its dedication to shared aspirations to improve the human condition — to make the world a fairer, healthier and more inclusive one. But Chuck would be quick to emphasize that such a legacy belongs not to him or Atlantic, but to those who have built and will build it in the decades to come. As Chuck would say, Atlantic have “put the wind in their sails.” This community will steer the ship. The ship has launched. It promises to be an exceptional voyage.

Christopher G. Oechsli with Chuck Feeney, in 2020