The Skoll World Forum is going virtual again this year on April 13-15. The program is a mix of plenaries, sessions, networking activities, and more. Our theme “Closing the Distance”…
At the 2019 Skoll World Forum, we hosted a series of live conversations—led by award-winning journalist Emily Kasriel—with social entrepreneurs, innovators, and thought leaders on Facebook Live, off the main stage.…
We're thrilled to announce CNN's Chief International Anchor Christiane Amanpour; domestic rights activist Ai-jen Poo; Amnesty International Secretary-General Kumi Naidoo; actor, writer and producer, Chiwetel Ejiofor; futurist and filmmaker Anab…
Walking into the session, a question buzzed in my head: can we 7B+ humans prove to ourselves that ‘sustainable development’ isn’t an oxymoron, in just 14 short years? Susan Myers—panel…
Ruth Norris - Resources Legacy Fund , April 13, 2017
In the past five years, 70 countries have passed restrictive laws controlling civil society organizations, with more than half of them restricting foreign funding. There is a crisis of effectiveness…
By: Katherine Milligan and Nicole Schwab As the world grapples with increasingly complex and seemingly intractable challenges, a new answer is gaining momentum: systems change. But what is systems change?…
Skoll World Forum delegates often talk about the “magic” that happens in Oxford; an ineffable quality turns a gathering of some thousand people into an experience of unquantifiable value. We’ve…
In 2014, Isaac Jonas had left his small village in Zimbabwe to study for a master’s degree in food and resource economics at the University of British Columbia, Canada. The…
As we celebrate International Women's Day today, I think back to my grandmother, one of the first women in New England to buy and drive her own Ford Model A. Throughout…
Is "fierce compassion" an oxymoron? Is it possible to be both fierce and compassionate? What other seemingly contradictory ideas do we accept at face value? Based on the theme of the…
Building an online community is a priority for most non-profit organizations. Active and engaged online communities create a wealth of opportunities: to attract volunteers, increase fundraising revenue, expand reach, or…
You may notice we've unified our two sites, skollfoundation.org and skollworldforum.org. You can still access all the great historical content by clicking "Browse our archive" at the bottom of every page.…
Belief makes us human. It makes the seemingly impossible, possible. It is the origin of purpose and action. Without belief, social entrepreneurs could neither envision nor create a more peaceful…
Throughout history, human ambition has been a powerful force for change. Ambition kindles creativity, stokes resolve, and drives progress. AMBITION “Big results require big ambitions.” - Heraclitus Throughout history, human ambition…
Small farmers don’t cut down forests or dispose of toxic byproducts in rivers and streams out of ignorance or indifference to the health of their environment. Neither do they voluntarily…
While studying for an MBA, Andrew Youn spent time with African farmers, listening to their life stories. Most relied on ancient techniques, barely growing enough to feed their families. Additional…
The problem Three-quarters of the world’s poorest people live in rural areas. Most rely on agriculture for income and food. Some 500 million smallholder farmers cultivate less than two hectares.…
Smallholder production is still currently characterized by low yields, poor quality, unreliable market linkages, and little access to finance. To highlight both the enormous need for finance in the sector,…
Adam Mordecai is editor-at-large at Upworthy. When he’s not trying to get millions of page views (300 million to date) on issues like racial justice, climate change and economic inequality,…
As a brand developer, I’ve met countless social entrepreneurs all over the world: people with an extreme passion for social or environmental impact. They have a lot to master in…
Ehren Reed, the Skoll Foundation’s Director of Evaluation, was recently asked what matters when he is looking at the measurements social entrepreneurial organizations use. “Organizations have the power to achieve…
Through a partnership with The MasterCard Foundation, Young Leaders from around the world had the opportunity to experience the Skoll World Forum first hand. Participants included: Lashon Amado, 25, USA…
Jim Fruchterman founded Benetech in 2000. Since then, his organization has been featured in numerous publications, such as Barron’s, The New York Times, and public radio station KQED. At the…
Follow Wanjala Wafula, a women's rights activist from Kenya, in his day-to-day work to convince men that ending child marriage is not just a necessity: it is their responsibility. The…
Learn more about how the Skoll Foundation, its awardees and partners are working to help smallholder farmers. Helping Smallholder Farmer Feed the World: How the Skoll Foundation sees the issues that…
In light of the controversy surrounding former President Mohamed Nasheed's arrest and sentencing to 13 years in prison after he was found guilty of ordering the arrest of a judge…
I just wrapped up a 1.5 day training seminar at MIT in Boston with individuals from around the world who are adopting, adapting and running social progress networks in their cities, countries…
Michael Skoler - Public Radio International , February 16, 2015
In 1994 I was a foreign correspondent covering the genocide sweeping Rwanda. My radio stories shared the voices of people — Hutus and Tutsis alike — who were caught up…
Mirriam is a 17-year-old who, like any other teenager, has ambitions and dreams. She wants to become a doctor. However, where Mirriam lives, child marriage and poverty threaten her chances…
Years of hard work building a thriving social enterprise are starting to pay off for VisionSpring. This year, we expect to generate an estimated $1.6 million in earned income from the…
Watch the Skoll Foundation's Raymond Guthrie, Principal on the Innovation Investment team, speaking alongside David Bergvinson of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation at the 2014 Water for Global Food Conference.…
Sally Kassab - Skoll Foundation , October 13, 2014
Every so often, we have the pleasure of a visit from a Skoll Awardee. One of our most recent was Cecilia Flores-Oebanda, founding president and executive director of the Visayan…
Delegates of the 2014 Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship were invited to contribute their answers to the question: "What is the reason you exist?" VIDEO CREDITS Executive Producers - Phil…
Delegates celebrate a productive and inspired time at the Forum by gathering together in this final plenary for the 2014 Skoll World Forum. MASTER OF CEREMONIES Stephan Chambers, Chairman, Skoll…
The Skoll World Forum has long attracted provocateurs and disruptors who are rethinking old paradigms and building new entrepreneurial environments and cultures around the world. Designed to expand the imagination,…
Female entrepreneurship is an "economic promise" capturing attention of governments, corporations, and civil society all over the world, since small- and medium-sized enterprises are engines of economic growth and stability.…
Can introverts, quiet leaders, and process-oriented technocrats compete with “typical” charismatic leaders in the noisy marketplace of talent acquisition, funding, and social change? Everyone already possesses a unique style of…
An emotional highlight of the event, the Skoll Foundation invites you to attend the Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship to honor the 2014 Awardees and to celebrate all those who…
The Skoll World Forum delegation comes together for the first time at the Opening Plenary to celebrate social entrepreneurship and the work being done in pursuit of large-scale systemic change.…
Ambition. It's the reason we're all here, at the 11th Annual Skoll World Forum, focused on the most ambitious endeavor imaginable: solving the world's most pressing problems. In this video…
'Our fisheries, our future' follows three developing world fisheries, (the Gambia red and black sole, Mexico red rock lobster, and Maldives skipjack tuna fisheries), that are using the Marine Stewardship…
The Square movie is a documentary about the Egyptian revolution behind the headlines. Follow a group of activists in Tahrir Square, risking their lives to build a new society of…
Gary White, Co-Founder of Water.org (along with Matt Damon) speaks about his vision: safe water and the dignity of a toilet for all, in our lifetime. For more information on…
What does a successful country look like? 80 years ago, economist Simon Kuznets introduced GDP to the world, alongside a clear warning against using it to define the wellbeing of people.…
Wang Zhenyao - Beijing Normal University China Philanthropy Research Institute , December 9, 2013
Dr. Wang Zhenyao discusses his goal of creating a culture of philanthropy and volunteerism in China. This interview is part of a special series from the Skoll World Forum featuring…
Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank shares his strategy for creating change. For more information on Muhammad Yunus, visit: http://www.muhammadyunus.org/ This interview is part of a…
While social innovation is often seen as existing in particular areas of the tech, business and social sectors, Laura Callanan argues that artists, too, can be social innovators. Thinking outside…
As Palestine continues to strive for full statehood, there are signs of growth in economic development throughout the region; change makers in the private sector, entrepreneurs, innovators and philanthropists are…
In my time as a human resources director at the Skoll Foundation, I have talked many social entrepreneurs and one question that seems to come up often is: How do…
Sally Osberg, CEO of the Skoll Foundation, describes "the social entrepreneur" as part of this special special series from the Skoll World Forum featuring social entrepreneurs and other innovators discussing…
Tim Hanstad - Chandler Foundation , August 15, 2013
Tim Hanstad, CEO and Director of Landesa, speaks about his childhood experience working on a farm, and how that led to his lifelong interest in land rights for the rural…
Kofi Annan shares his vision for a more equitable and peaceful world. This is the first in a special series from the Skoll World Forum featuring social entrepreneurs and other…
I just returned from Brazil, where I visited partners in the Amazon states of Para and Mato Grosso. Before I get into the nitty-gritty, let me reflect on the big…
Our team bounced along the dirt road in Samistipur district in rural Bihar, India, who knows how far from the nearest paved road, until we finally arrived at the beautiful and peaceful…
Kristin Moyer - Mulago Foundation , November 13, 2012
I spent last week in Ghana with Camfed, learning more about the return on investment to girls’ education and young women’s economic empowerment. On a hot afternoon near Tamale, as…
The Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship is the premier, international platform for accelerating entrepreneurial approaches and innovative solutions to the world's most pressing social issues. Each year in Oxford,…
We often hear the term empowerment, but wonder what it really actually means. When I recently visited Skoll Awardee Fair Trade USA in northern Colombia, I saw it firsthand. Landless…
At a 2012 Giving Pledge learning series event called “Connecting for Good: How Social Media is Driving Social Good,” our very own senior manager of digital technology Phil Collis (third from…
The idea was appealing from the start: convene a group of older but far from doddering global leaders, women and men justly renowned for their integrity and achievement, and ask…
Mark Tauber - HarperCollins Publishers , Christopher Joyce - National Public Radio , Wendy Levy - The Alliance for Media Arts + Culture , Cara Mertes - International Resource for Impact and Storytelling , March 30, 2012
Vinod Thomas - Asian Development Bank , Sipho Moyo - ONE , John Gershman - Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University , Joe Madiath - Gram Vikas USA , Camilla Toulmin - International Institute for Environment and Development , March 29, 2012
Pamela Hartigan - Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship , April 1, 2011
Pamela Hartigan speaks at the closing Plenary at the Skoll World Forum 2011. Hartigan is director of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and thanks Paula Kravitz, the curator of…
Fadi Ghandour, founder and CEO of Aramex, the first company from the Arab world to be traded on the NASDAQ, delivers his speech on entrepreneurs, networks and collaborative action at…
Queen Noor of Jordan at the 2011 Skoll World Forum: The Democratic Deficit and the Reinvigorated Movement for Freedom and Justice Across MENA. In her keynote at the close of…
Pamela Hartigan - Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship , April 1, 2011
Pamela Hartigan speaks at the closing plenary of the 2011 Skoll World Forum. Hartigan is the head of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship. She believes an ecosystem approach is…
This panel discussion at the 2011 Skoll World Forum was called "The World in 25 Years: Megatrends and Context for Large Scale Change." Developments in the global economy, business, demographics,…
Stephen Carver, Consultant Lecturer at Cranfield University, speaks at a session at the Skoll World Forum 2011. He talks about how real change really occurs.
Daniel Franklin, Executive Editor of The Economist, speaks at the Skoll World Forum 2011. He shows two short videos and talks about the themes of the next 25 years.
At this panel at the Skoll World Forum 2011, this intellectually provocative conversation centers around the question, "Is Heroism Obsolete?" Drawing upon themes relevant for social entrepreneurs, host and BBC…
Peter Gabriel and Baaba Maal perform Biko as a tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu after he was awarded the Skoll Global Treasure Award at the 2011 Skoll World Forum on…
The Skoll Foundation invites you to revisit the Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship where we honour the 2011 Awardees and to celebrate all those who are working to create a…
Sally Osberg, president and CEO of the Skoll Foundation, says "we all want to change the world." She then gives more opening remarks at the 2011 Skoll Awards ceremony.
This panel at the Skoll World Forum 2011 was called Markets: Reform or Rebuild. Social entrepreneurs working to transform markets offer tremendous promise for large scale change. Strategies vary, with…
This panel at the Skoll World Forum 2011 is about deep leadership. Those working to change the world face obstacles rarely addressed in traditional leadership doctrines. Vision, risk and uncertainty…
Stephan Chambers' closing remarks at the Skoll World Forum 2011. Chambers, chairman of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, thanks and congratulates attendees.
A panel of three microfinance experts discussed Large Scale Change in Action: Microfinance in the Balance at the 2011 Skoll World Forum opening plenary. We are living in a "backlash…
Dr. Ngaire Woods, professor of International Political Economy and Academic Director of the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford, delivers a speech on globalization, governance and large…
Jeff Skoll, Founder and Chairman of the Skoll Foundation, Participant Media and Skoll Global Threats Fund, delivers a speech on the power of the collective at the 2011 Skoll World…
Stephan Chambers of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship welcomes guests to the 2011 Skoll World Forum. He shares his thoughts on large-scale change.
Stephan Chambers, MBA and EMBA Director at the Said Business School at the University of Oxford presents the opening remarks of the 2011 Skoll World Forum.
These are the Skoll World Forum 2010 Closing Remarks by Stephan Chambers, chairman of the Skoll Centre Standing Committee at Said Business School. Saying it's not easy to summarize the…
Tim Smit, CEO of Eden Project, speaks on "Realizing a Vision" at the closing plenary of the Skoll World Forum. "We all sort of think death is optional, so we…
Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey and Shankar Singh speak at the closing plenary on "The Anatomy of a People's Movement" at the Skoll World Forum 2010. Roy talks about how important…
Caroline Casey, Founder & CEO of Kanchi, shares her disability that surprises the audience, and how it's helped her become persuasive in her lifetime. Her talk, "The Power of Persuasion:…
Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship Director Pamela Hartigan reflects at the 2010 Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship in her opening remarks at the closing plenary. She talks about the…
Investors are looking beyond the single bottom line, but still seek commercial returns on their investment. Philanthropists want to maximise impact with constrained resources. Governments recognise the limitations of development…
With social challenges facing all governments, how many are turning to innovative social entrepreneurs for new approaches and operating models? What opportunities does this present for social entrepreneurs working globally?…
Jimmy and Donnie Demers perform a song called "Benediction" at the Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship ceremony. Part of the Skoll World Forum 2010.
At the 2010 Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship, listen as each awardee gives a short, inspirational acceptance speech. Awardee Marc Freedman of Civic Ventures talks about going from aspiration to…
Environmentalist and entrepreneur Paul Hawken, CEO of OneSun Solar, an energy company focused on ultra low-cost solar based on green chemistry and biomimicry. His speech at the Skoll Awards for…
This session brings together senior staff working in development agencies that have engaged, or attempted to engage, directly with social entrepreneurs working in emerging markets. To what degree have these…
The idea of using profit-seeking investment to generate social and environmental good is moving from a periphery of activist investors to the core of mainstream financial institutions. This emerging class…
To achieve impact at scale, social entrepreneurs are inventing new ways to collaborate with a diversified range of partners. This session will share three successful approaches that have led to…
Pamela Hartigan - Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship , April 14, 2010
Pamela Hartigan, director of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, gives closing remarks at the opening plenary of the 2010 Skoll World Forum. She thanks everyone who put the Forum…
Dr. Paul Farmer, co-founder of Partners in Health, gives a presentation called "Catalyzing Collaboration: Our Humanity at Stake" at the opening plenary of the 2010 Skoll World Forum in April.…
This panel at the 2010 Skoll World Forum was called "Governance, Transparency and Collaboration: Beneficiaries in the Balance." The moderator was John Ydstie, economic correspondent, NPR. Paneists were, from left…
Lakhdar Brahimi, Veteran UN Envoy and advisor, and former foreign minister to Algeria, speaks at the Skoll World Forum 2010 opening plenary. His talk, called "The Imperative to Cooperate: a…
Colin Mayer - Saïd Business School , April 14, 2010
Colin Mayer, Peter Moores Dean and professor of management studies at the Said Business School at Oxford, talks about skepticism of financial markets. At the Skoll World Forum 2010 opening…
Vusi Mahlasela, South African singer/songwriter and poet activist, performs two songs, including one in Sotu, one of South Africa's official languages. At the Skoll World Forum 2010 opening plenary.
I am honored to be a part of The Elders delegation visiting Israel and the Palestinian Territories from Aug 24-28. We are meeting with a number of civil society and business leaders, as…
Colin Mayer - Saïd Business School , March 27, 2009
Colin Mayer, Peter Moores Dean and Peter Moores Professor of Management Studies at Said Business School, gives closing remarks at the closing plenary of the 2009 Skoll World Forum. "History…
Jeff Skoll talks at the closing plenary of the Skoll World Forum 2009. His talk, called "Collective Power: A Call for Urgency," is about urgency and hope. "Urgency is on…
Soraya Salti, senior vice president MENA of INJAZ Al-Arab, gives "A Social Entrepreneur's Perspective on Power," at the Skoll World Forum 2009. She says we have drifted far from the…
Lord Puttnam of Queensgate, C.B.E., speaks on "Citizens, Institutions and Shifting Power" at the Skoll World Forum 2009 closing plenary. He speaks about education and shows an emotional 7-minute video…
Pamela Hartigan - Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship , March 27, 2009
Pamela Hartigan, director of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, shares some final words at the closing plenary of the 2009 Skoll World Forum.
We are witnessing the destruction of the old media order—and the noisy, thrilling invention of something new. Tectonic shifts in technology and human behavior have changed forever the way we…
Fascination with leadership is growing daily, fuelled by global complexity, free-falling capital markets, conflict and growing environmental and social deterioration. Key business leaders will discuss the kind of leadership required…
Sally Osberg, CEO of the Skoll Foundation, ends the awards ceremony of the 2009 Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship. She quotes Darwin, then says, "We are heading towards a brighter…
Skoll Awardes at the 2009 Skoll World Forum receiving their awards: Bart Weetjens of APOPO; Soraya Salti of INJAZ Al-Arab, JA Worldwide; Jordan Kassalow of VisionSpring; Paul Van Zyl and…
Dr R. K. Pachuari - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change , March 26, 2009
Dr. R.K. Pachauri, Chair of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, speaks at the Skoll Awards ceremony at the Sheldonian Theatre at the Skoll World Forum 2009. One of the questions…
Jeff Skoll speaks at the Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship ceremony in 2009. He introduces Dr. R.K. Pachuari, or "Patchi," including a fun story about how they met and then…
Sally Osberg, CEO of the Skoll Foundation, gives an introduction at the awards ceremony at the Skoll World Forum 2009. "We meet this year at a defining moment," she says.…
Philanthropy has too often remained trapped in the 'small is beautiful' world of social innovation - while for-profit investors have striven to avoid any taint of compromising returns for social…
With shrunken investment portfolios and budgets, corporations, investors and philanthropists are facing hard choices. What will be the impact on social entrepreneurs and social impact investing? Will the increased emphasis…
Social entrepreneurs may have comparative advantage in generating new ideas or innovations, but may struggle with execution and control. Is it possible to build innovative institutions that are around for…
Kenneth Brecher, executive director of the Sundance Institute, speaks at the 2009 Skoll World Forum's opening plenary. In his talk, "Unfinished Portraits of Powerful Ideas," he talks about the significance…
Panel called Power to the People: Citizen Engagement and Social Transformation at the Skoll World Forum 2009. The moderator is Ray Suarez of The NewsHour on PBS and panelists are…
Roger L. Martin, dean, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto speaks on "The Power Paradox" at the 2009 Skoll World Forum. Martin studies leaders and shares his findings on…
Stephan Chambers, chairman of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, speaks at the opening plenary of the Skoll World Forum 2009. He quotes a Polish poet saying, "The passionless cannot…
Closing remarks by Skoll Foundation CEO Sally Osberg at the 2008 Skoll World Forum. She speaks of the first Skoll World Forum in 2004, saying that one of the ideas…
This panel at the 2008 Skoll World Forum was entitled: Working Within Cultures and Contexts - Lessons Learned. David Bornstein moderates, and panelists were, from left to right: Rupert Howes,…
Paul Collier - University of Oxford , March 28, 2008
Paul Collier, professor of economics at the University of Oxford, speaks at the closing plenary of the 2008 Skoll World Forum. His talk was entitled, "Social Entrepreneurship and the Bottom…
Stephan Chambers, chairman of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, gives opening remarks at the closing plenary of the Skoll World Forum 2008. He shares highlights and inspiration from the…
Financing the growth of operations to achieve major scale is without a doubt the biggest challenge facing social entrepreneurs. Not only are larger amounts of capital hard to obtain, but…
The 2008 Skoll Awards ceremony. Winners were Bill Strickland, Manchester Bidwell; Amazon Conservation Team, Michael Eckhart of ACORE, Connie Duckworth of Arzu, Jeremy Hockenstein and Mai Siriphongphanh of Digital Divide…
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter shares thoughts on social entrepreneurship at the 2008 Skoll World Forum awards ceremony. He also talks about the people who most affected his life and…
Sonidos de la Tierra perform at the 2008 Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship. Afterward, its founder Luis Szaran shares some early stories, including one of his first trip to Paris.
This interactive session recorded at the 2008 Skoll World Forum explored various approaches to assessing impact and leveraging these efforts to attract resources and drive organisational learning. Key questions included:…
Non-profit social entrepreneurs often struggle to scale up their innovations without adequate access to the growth capital, distribution systems and infrastructure readily available to conventional businesses. Rather than accepting these…
Phil Hope, MP, parliamentary secretary, Minister for the Third Sector, speaks on Culture, Context and Policy Innovation at the opening plenary of the 2008 Skoll World Forum.
This panel at the 2008 Skoll World Forum was entitled, "The dynamics of working cross culturally - experienced voices from the field." Pat Mitchell, president of the Paley Center for…
Jeff Skoll gives opening remarks at the Skoll World Forum 2008. He bought an original picture of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race to commemorate the five-year anniversary of the…
Musician and co-founder of Witness, Peter Gabriel, talks about human rights at the 2007 Skoll World Forum. He talks about the first call he got from Bono and later learning…
This panel at the 2007 Skoll World Forum explored funding strategies from multiple perspectives including innovation from within foundations, private sector investment for public good, non-profit venture investing and cutting-edge…
This Moving Capital panel was about how social ventures can access different sources of external capital to increase their impact. The panelists are creating new ways to use finance that…
Salman Ahmad sings and plays guitar along with a tabla player at the 2007 Skoll Awards Ceremony at the Skoll World Forum. Later, Sally Osberg gives a talk about the…
Jeff Skoll gives opening remarks at the 2007 Skoll World Forum. He talks about an Oxford pen he purchased and gifts it to Stephan Chambers. He welcomes everyone to the…
Geoff Mulgan, now Chief Executive of the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts (NESTA), talks about social innovation at the 2007 Skoll World Forum. Later, Rushanara Ali, Labour…
Charles Handy, Irish author/philosopher who specializes in organizational behavior and management, speaks at the 2007 Skoll World Forum. The topic was Social Innovation: The New Philanthropists.
David Galenson, economics professor at the University of Chicago, and a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, speaks at the 2007 Skoll World Forum. The topic was…
Pat Mitchell sits down with Muhammad Yunus at the Skoll World Forum 2007. She talks about his life story and road to the Nobel Peace Prize, then asks him questions…
Queen Rania of Jordan speaks at the 2007 Skoll World Forum. She starts by talking about her husband's love for Star Trek, then talks about social entrepreneurism, and the growing…
