By Niamh Ryan - Reading time 1 min
At the 2026 Web Summit Qatar, Make‑A‑Wish International President & CEO Luciano Manzo joined Forbes Brazil’s Luciana Rodrigues on stage for a conversation on how organizations embed purpose at global scale and ensure it is reflected in strategy, leadership and long‑term growth across different markets and cultures.
Drawing on Make‑A‑Wish International’s experience operating in nearly 50 countries and having granted more than 650,000 wishes since 1980, the discussion explored how purpose becomes a shared language rather than a replicated message. Their conversation covered building shared meaning across cultures, balancing global alignment with local leadership, grounding purpose in evidence and sustaining trust and impact over time.
The session examined what makes purpose real rather than rhetorical. Purpose gains credibility when it is rooted in shared meaning and supported by consistent systems, research and practice. Make‑A‑Wish approaches this by aligning its global network around a clear mission and vision, then enabling each country to interpret and express that purpose in ways that reflect its own culture and community expectations. This ensures authenticity and reinforces trust by allowing purpose to be lived rather than replicated.
Make‑A‑Wish maintains purpose and mission consistency across countries where families face different cultural and economic conditions. Wishes take different forms around the world, yet the outcomes for children and families remain strikingly similar. Families consistently report improved well-being, increased joy and meaningful family memories following a wish. A shared understanding of what a wish represents in a child’s treatment journey guides Make-A-Wish teams around the world in shaping wish experiences that reflect local healthcare systems, cultural attitudes and definitions of credibility. Global principles, including ethical storytelling and responsible use of technology, help maintain coherence without limiting local nuance.
The reality that a child is diagnosed with a critical illness somewhere across the Make-A-Wish International network every 25 seconds, highlights the urgency behind the mission and underscores the importance of purpose that is grounded in evidence, clarity and honesty. This reality demands communication that avoids exaggeration and focuses on the genuine impact a wish can have. Strong local program delivery, consistent impact data and a commitment to authenticity help ensure that purpose delivers real outcomes for children and strengthens long‑term trust with supporters and partners.