​What should guide serious philanthropy today, conviction or evidence?

​Join Professor Peter Singer, one of the world’s most influential moral philosophers and founder of The Life You Can Save, as he returns to Hong Kong for a rare lunchtime debate with Professor Brian Wong. This conversation brings together two leading voices to examine how individuals and institutions should make decisions when deploying capital for impact.

​A light lunch will be provided to all attendees.

​Debate Motion

​In philanthropy, what works best counts for more than what feels right.

​At the heart of this debate is a question increasingly relevant to donors, family offices, and professionals: should giving be driven by rigorous evidence, global effectiveness, and measurable outcomes, or by personal values, emotional connection, and the causes that resonate most deeply?

​The discussion will surface the real trade offs behind doing good, from prioritization across causes to the role of reason, compassion, and responsibility in a world of limited resources. It will challenge participants to reconsider how philanthropic capital can be allocated with both intention and impact.

​Following the debate, Professor Bonnie Leung will moderate a fireside conversation with both speakers, drawing out the practical implications for philanthropy, family wealth, and strategic giving. This segment will connect philosophical ideas to real world decision making, with selected audience questions.

​Speakers

​Professor Peter Singer
Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University
Professor Brian Wong
HKU-100 Assistant Professor in Philosophy at the University of Hong Kong
Professor Bonnie Leung
Programme Director & Professor of Practice at the University of Hong Kong

​Programme

​12:00
Arrival and networking, light plant based lunch served

​12:20
Debate
Professor Peter Singer and Professor Brian Wong
Chaired by Kenneth Chan, Director, Effective Altruism Hong Kong

​13:00
Fireside conversation
Moderated by Professor Bonnie Leung
Implications for philanthropy, family capital, and strategic giving, followed by selected audience questions

​13:25
Closing remarks and participant feedback

​

​More Exclusive Peter Singer

​In the evening on the same day we are hosting an intimate, private salon dinner with Peter Singer. While the lunchtime debate provides a fantastic public forum, this evening salon offers a rare, small-group opportunity to sit down directly with Peter to discuss philosophy, global ethics, and the future of philanthropy.

In the spirit of Peter’s lifelong work, this dinner serves as a fundraiser for his charity, The Life You Can Save, which fights global multi-dimenensional poverty. To maintain a strictly intimate and high-level dialogue, only 9 guest seats are available at the table.

Because of this limited capacity, seats will be allocated to the top 9 contributors to the fundraiser by July 10.

You can review the full details and place your contribution to join the shortlist on our dedicated event page: https://www.eahongkong.org/events-20260721