As a worldwide pandemic calls on many of us to maintain physical distance, it further exposes chasms of inequity for the most vulnerable across the globe. The moral imperative to shift power, privilege, and resources has never been more urgent. Watch our opening plenary to examine global divides and join forces on bridging them. Together with an incredible group of global leaders, we explored ways to close the distance between the world’s toughest challenges and the innovative solutions that aim to build a better future for all. We topped it all off with a stunning performance by Venezuelan artist, Liana Malva.
Climate change is a crisis that will impact all people, but its effects are being shaped by pervasive and entrenched inequalities. The poorest countries, communities of color, small island states, and indigenous peoples are impacted earlier & disproportionately, although they are least responsible for emissions. Gender inequalities are further exacerbated by climate change, as women and girls continue to lack equal rights, power, of access to capital. Low Income Countries lack the same access to inexpensive energy and investment in technology and skills that industrialized nations took advantage of over the last century. Finally, there is a deep injustice to nature itself, in the loss of biodiversity & the rapid extinction of so many species. Children and young people have been left with an uncertain—and likely unsafe—future.
Governments, corporations, investors, cities & communities will need to harness the ambition necessary to meet this moment. As usual, women are leading the way.
This session was curated in partnership with Pat Mitchell.
Crises require collaboration. Unfortunately, the NGOs on the frontlines of crisis response are often incentivized to compete, not cooperate. But what if we turned that formula on its head? During the COVID-10 crisis, a coalition of organizations working in 40+ countries did just that & the results were staggering: hundreds of partners from across sectors were mobilized to aggregate research, rapidly produce and disseminate clinical and implementation protocols, and pool resources for the procurement of essential supplies for community health workers (CHWs). Learn the 5 lessons of radical collaboration that are helping to end the COVID-19 crisis --and will help prevent the next one.
This session was curated in partnership with Community Health Impact Coalition.
This session will show how social issues, civic technologies, and on-site activities can converge and create new ways of civic engagement to raise awareness and empower people through campaign and activism tools. In this interactive workshop based on experiences from change agents in Colombia, Mexico, and Argentina, participants will have the opportunity to explore different perspectives, strategies, and tech tools to mobilize citizens so they can transform their interaction with democracy.
This session is curated in partnership with Movalizatorio.
In 2020, many funders pivoted to virtual due diligence to continue bringing on new grant partners amidst a global pandemic. In some ways, this presented an opportunity to remove barriers to entry, placing less emphasis on in-person meetings that can be difficult for proximate leaders to access. While some models of virtual due diligence centered equity, others may have unintentionally created more obstacles. How can we put grassroots actors at the center of virtual due diligence design and processes? As our worlds become more digitally accessible, where are divides widening alongside them? How does the need for proximate leadership within funding institutions play into the efficacy and inclusivity of virtual due diligence?
This session was curated in partnership with African Visionary Fund.
An informed citizenry is foundational to democracy. Yet it has become easier than ever to spread disinformation: suppressing civic engagement and freedoms online, sowing fear, distrust, and sparking violence from the U.S. to India, South Africa to Brazil. Often, the most vulnerable in our societies are the ones most harmed by these falsehoods. When a lie can spread faster than the truth, how do we close the gap between fact and fake? Hear from leading experts and social innovators on solutions to this growing global threat. The future of democracy might depend on it.
Leadership and mission driving often demands hard work and long hours, resulting in diminished effectiveness and burnout. Shift your mindset and approach, and accomplish more for your mission while ‘Protecting the Asset’ (you). This session will also feature a guided meditation designed to help you attract the Grantee/Funder alliances you seek to advance your mission, while grounding you in sustainable practices to maintain your mental and physical health.
Led by Natalie Rekstad, Founder & CEO, Black Fox Philanthropy, B Corp
Join a range of networking activities during this program window. There are several great ways to jump-start meaningful connections and invite serendipity. The 'People' tab is a good place to see who is active on the platform and request a 1:1 meeting. Or click the Connect button to join rotating video chats with other attendees--you never know who you'll meet; it's someone new every time! And visit the 'Community Hub' to chat with specific organizations during office hours, meetups, film screenings, and wellness sessions.
Join a casual meet up with attendees as the Forum kicks off! Plan to join the Opening Plenary and first sessions before joining this session (hosted on zoom). Reconnect with old friends + make new friends! Co-hosts will facilitate topical and regional break out discussions.
Meet Up Co-Hosts:
Elena Crescia, TEDx Sao Paulo
Milton Speid, The ImPact
Michelle Arevalo-Carpenter, Impaqto
Claire Wathen, Skoll Foundation
Data is increasingly at the core of the social impact sector. However, there is a pernicious pattern of data colonialism in today’s commercial tech ecosystem. As social entrepreneurs, we are committed to shifting power to the communities we serve and need to actively fight the forces of data colonialism. Join this fireside chat for a deep dive into data colonialism and a discussion of methods to resist—and reverse—it.
This session was curated in partnership with Tech Matters.
The motion up for debate at the 2021 Skoll World Forum is: There is no such thing as “inclusive capitalism”; Capitalism inherently intensifies inequity and exploitation. Our current economic system promotes short-term thinking and growth at all costs, resulting in poverty, inequality, and destruction of the environment. While capitalism has lifted billions of people out of poverty, it has also allocated risk and reward inequitably across society. This has left many wondering if the tools of capitalism can be leveraged to advance equity, or must we look to other models?
The Acumen Debates series, in collaboration with EY, aims to ignite discussions on issues pertinent to the global social impact community. Since its launch in 2015, Acumen & EY have hosted five such debates on the role of government, financial and social impact trade-offs, and the like.
The debate format required speakers to take stances that might not accurately represent their true points of view, or that of their organization.
New impact investment strategies are addressing the climate emergency and our societies’ structural inequities. How will they access the institutional capital needed to effect change at scale? This session will bring together investment entrepreneurs who seek to transform how litigation finance, carbon offsets and private equity are put to work toward the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. We will also discuss how investor coalitions can drive change across a wide range of issues and industries and help reorient capital markets and public policy toward positive impact.
This session was curated in partnership with Capricorn Investment Group.
There is no universal consensus on the "just recovery" of traumatic experiences from the Holocaust, the "Dirty War" in Argentina, the genocide in Rwanda, the "Killing Fields" of Cambodia and other massacres. This session will explore the fundamental necessity of preserving historical memory and truth as means to not only address collective trauma, but also engage in processes of transitional justice and transformation world-wide, and in the United States as it nears a period of authentic racial reckoning.
A week after an angry, mostly white male, mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States and quickly put into motion a series of immediate and planned reversals of Trump-era policies. However, we must still reckon with the aftermath of those who co-signed the policies and rhetoric of the last four years. How can accountability, reconciliation, and shared interests across circumstances help us address the urgent need for equity across race, gender, and class in the US? What strategies work to call these white men in?
Think of a small, simple, delightful illumination that helps people understand you more completely. Providing these moments of illumination is integral to the ability to engage and connect with people you’re in conversation with. They are the moments that will provide insight into you and ultimately provide the basis for empathy building. Together with Fred Dust (author of the new book, Making Conversation), four talented storytellers Claudia Peña, Kamal Sinclair, Keri Putnam, and Uzodinma Iweala will discuss the meaning and joy of illuminations.
This session was curated in partnership with Making Conversation.
This past year has exposed a precariousness to modern life that many of us find it convenient to ignore; a fragility that is, in some ways, a portent of a future. How do we tell the story of what is to come in a way that gives us a clear-eyed understanding of the scale of the challenge without succumbing to despair? These are not theoretical questions anymore, but critical ones. Join storytellers who work across different medias, with wildly divergent styles, but who share a sense of playfulness, curiosity, and creativity that feels more urgent than ever.
This session was curated in partnership with Radio Ambulante Studios.
What if the world had a protective, preserving force scattered across the planet that has been in the most precious places for thousands of years, even in the face of violence, colonialism, genocide, untold trauma, destruction and ignorance? What if these peoples had stayed true to humanity’s relationship to all other beings? What if this careful guardianship was one of the most effective and powerful ways to protect and restore the planet? Indigenous peoples are the unyielding guardians of at least 38 million square kilometers in 87 countries, a quarter of Earth’s surface. After a ceremony by a traditional elder and a short video, our host will guide a discussion on guardianship featuring Indigenous leaders from 4 continents.
This session was curated in partnership with Nia Tero.
Given the many challenges we are facing—Covid-19, systemic racism, defending democracy—there is an urgent opportunity to reimagine and reinvest in more equitable systems and systems change work. But who makes change happen? And, what characteristics and skills enable leaders to effectively lead these efforts? Success in solving complex social problems frequently hinges on the work of leaders and organizations that harmonize the action of myriad actors—often referred to as field catalysts, systems orchestrators, or coalitions. We will share findings from recent research on the role field catalysts play, the assets they bring, and opportunities to support them. We will also discuss what it takes to do this work well, and what this year may hold as we embrace the opportunity to “build back better”—or more specifically, to build back with equity.
This session was curated in partnership with The Bridgespan Group.
As protesters filled the streets in 2020 fighting for racial justice, many observers referred to the multigenerational and multiracial dimensions of the crowds. Why is it essential for older and younger people to fight side-by-side? What can the generations learn from each other? What role does individual and collective memory play in shaping a more just future? And how can we overcome generational tensions within communities as well as generational tensions across racial ethnic identities?
This session was curated in partnership with Encore.org.
The sustainability of our sustainability leaders has certainly been challenged this past year. As world-changing leaders, it's critical that we maintain our own wellbeing first. What makes you thrive? What's your threshold for thriving vs. surviving in terms of physical health? financial wealth? social connections? And more? We'll blend brief meditation and visualizations with quick and easy tips for tracking total wellbeing without adding to your 'to do' list.
Led by Alexa Bach-McElrone
Join a range of networking activities during this program window. There are several great ways to jump-start meaningful connections and invite serendipity. The 'People' tab is a good place to see who is active on the platform and request a 1:1 meeting. Or click the Connect button to join rotating video chats with other attendees--you never know who you'll meet; it's someone new every time! And visit the 'Community Hub' to chat with specific organizations during office hours, meetups, film screenings, and wellness sessions.
Enhance wellbeing while reuniting body and mind with guided meditation. Led by your fellow delegate, Skoll Awardee and Zen priest, Bart Weetjens, this 60-minute session consists of simple body/mind awareness practices, a guided meditation, and the opportunity to genuinely connect with other delegates. No experience required, smiles guaranteed.
Bart Weetjens, Zen Priest
Seeding and growing an “imagination infrastructure” from the roots of communities is one way we can close the distance between the global challenges we face and the equitable and regenerative world we know is possible. Through the Emerging Futures Fund, imaginative seeds have been planted across the UK. We’ll share what we’re learning about what’s needed to equip communities to sense, imagine and shape better futures. In the session you’ll get to meet some of the initiatives patterning new hope and showing the power of community-led, collective imagination—with their practices, their rigour, and their creativity.
This session was curated in partnership with the The National Lottery Community Fund.
Join a range of networking activities during this program window. There are several great ways to jump-start meaningful connections and invite serendipity. The 'People' tab is a good place to see who is active on the platform and request a 1:1 meeting. Or click the Connect button to join rotating video chats with other attendees--you never know who you'll meet; it's someone new every time! And visit the 'Community Hub' to chat with specific organizations during office hours, meetups, film screenings, and wellness sessions.
Enhance wellbeing while reuniting body and mind with guided meditation. Led by your fellow delegate, Skoll Awardee and Zen priest, Bart Weetjens, this 60-minute session consists of simple body/mind awareness practices, a guided meditation, and the opportunity to genuinely connect with other delegates. No experience required, smiles guaranteed.
Bart Weetjens, Zen Priest
Join a range of networking activities during this program window. There are several great ways to jump-start meaningful connections and invite serendipity. The 'People' tab is a good place to see who is active on the platform and request a 1:1 meeting. Or click the Connect button to join rotating video chats with other attendees--you never know who you'll meet; it's someone new every time! And visit the 'Community Hub' to chat with specific organizations during office hours, meetups, film screenings, and wellness sessions.
We often discuss the future of work as if it will unfold on its own. The truth is, we are shaping it through the choices we make now—in how to invest, hire, train, and educate. The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing to accelerate these choices, and is an opportunity design a future for inclusion and resilience. Africa, the world’s youngest continent—and soon, its largest workforce—has promising, and sometimes surprising, answers. With the African continent at the cusp of great change, it is also emerging as a crucible of innovation. What are some of its leading systems-shapers doing to build the largest and most inclusive workforce? What global lessons does it hold? Join a discussion with these Afro-global innovators to find out.
This session was curated in partnership with Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator.
Countries and cities around the globe are faced with increasingly complex social challenges. The difficulty in solving them is aggravated by polarization, misinformation, and people’s distrust in leaders. We’ll look at how some changemakers in Asia are turning that around by fostering citizens’ engagement in the design of public services and problem-solving. What made such unlikely co-creation possible in the Asian context? How is the citizen-government relationship redefined in the process? Social innovators from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea will share their successes and challenges of navigating between decision makers and the public to innovate for a more inclusive and effective public square.
This session was curated in partnership with Good Lab.
We know well the dangers of man-made emissions and the negative consequences of some technologies on the environment on a global scale. UNDP has described the need for grassroots, frugal innovation and radically new approaches that fit the complexity of current development challenges and environmental constraints. Join this session for a knowledge exchange in achieving profit-driven frugal innovation, while bridging the gap between the North and the South through collaborative partnerships for the benefit of the climate.
This session was curated in partnership with Future Africa.
In a crisis, leadership is crucial. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of our social & economic systems, but it also laid bare that our traditional conceptions of leadership are no longer fit for purpose. A year on, the responses from governments, businesses, and communities have demonstrated a multitude of leadership styles, leaving us to determine, where have we got it right and where have things gone dangerously wrong? How can we reimagine leadership for an age of pandemics?
This interactive session will convene a formidable group of thought leaders from academia and practice for a critical conversation about the current global leadership crisis. We’ll explore the skills and attitudes of system leaders, the structural barriers to change, and how we can equip a new generation of leaders for this decisive decade.
This session was curated in partnership with the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, University of Oxford.
Millions in the Global South died from HIV/AIDS 20 years ago, in part because rules on intellectual property blocked them from accessing treatments. This stain in the history of our global medicine system is repeating itself again in this pandemic, revealing the quasi-colonial structures, inequities and racism that still exist. Veteran activists in India, South Africa, and the U.S who fought for medicine access during the HIV/AIDS epidemic and are now leading efforts for the equitable distribution of COVID vaccines will be joined by an expert with experience of working at the inter-governmental and government level to discuss how we can redesign a more equitable global medicine system.
Multi-million dollar grants are increasingly viewed as an important tool in driving systems change. Drawing back the curtain on big bet philanthropy, join representatives from organizations who have received “big bets” and some of the funders who have made those bets for a candid conversation about the triumphs, frustrations, learnings, and critical thinking around big bets. Hear from both sides of the big bet equation on questions like:
1. What have been the most beneficial and the difficult parts of working on your big bet?
2. How does an organization become “big bettable”?
3. How should we be examining the idea of big bets in light of the growing movements to decolonize international development and philanthropy?
And perhaps the biggest question of all: knowing what you do now, would you big bet again?
This session was curated in partnership with Living Goods.
Can the health sector chart a course to zero emissions and health equity? Responding to the launch of Health Care Without Harm’s Global Road Map for Health Care Decarbonization, participants will discuss the systems change necessary to align global climate and health goals in the 21st century to achieve zero emissions, climate resilient, pandemic-prepared health care.
Join health and climate leaders from around the world for a lively dialogue in three parts – and don’t miss an original poem from the U.S. Poet Laureate Emeritus and inspired music from a Pacific Island nation.
This session was curated in partnership with Health Care Without Harm.
Everyone is talking about stakeholder capitalism these days, but what of stakeholder philanthropy? Philanthropic monies are born from stakeholder inputs--employees, customers, partners--but have often been accumulated based on the tenets of old-world capitalism. We now recognize those systems deepen inequalities and contribute to environmental degradation, so how can we create the mechanisms needed to break down the old and consider a new way of philanthropy? One grounded in stakeholder collaboration, efficient transfer of capital, sufficient time horizons for results, and opportunities for failure? How can we capitalize on the power of networks to deliver more agile financing and truly co-create between and among partners?
This session was curated in partnership with Agora Partnerships.
The pandemic has exposed deep inequities in the U.S. and around the world. At the height of the pandemic in the United States, Black Americans were dying of COVID-19 at three times the rate of white Americans. Indigenous populations have had of the highest rates of COVID-19 in the U.S., and globally. These inequities are becoming even more pronounced in as rollout of vaccines begins, with historic lack of trust in governments and health providers and additional challenges to access. There are myriad innovative approaches to pandemic response at the community level, but those innovations and ideas are not being integrated into broader plans and systems. Effective pandemic response without community-based leadership will fail because of the essential need for trust and accountability at the community level. Join frontline community leaders from around the world for this timely discussion.
This session was curated in partnership with Aspen Global Innovators Group.
From the Venezuelan jungle, join artist singer/songwriter Liana Malva and her team on a journey deep
inside the wonders of nature and the catastrophic threats faced in these lands. In this session you 'll have the opportunity to hear Liana’s story on how she was raised in La Gran Sabana—a stunning landscape in South East Venezuela—and how she uses music to tell stories and spur actions to promote sustainable development and environmental protection.
This session was curated in partnership with GOTAS.
Leadership and mission driving often demands hard work and long hours, resulting in diminished effectiveness and burnout. Shift your mindset and approach, and accomplish more for your mission while ‘Protecting the Asset’ (you). This session will also feature a guided meditation designed to help you attract the Grantee/Funder alliances you seek to advance your mission, while grounding you in sustainable practices to maintain your mental and physical health.
Led by Natalie Rekstad, Founder & CEO, Black Fox Philanthropy, B Corp
Join a range of networking activities during this program window. There are several great ways to jump-start meaningful connections and invite serendipity. The 'People' tab is a good place to see who is active on the platform and request a 1:1 meeting. Or click the Connect button to join rotating video chats with other attendees--you never know who you'll meet; it's someone new every time! And visit the 'Community Hub' to chat with specific organizations during office hours, meetups, film screenings, and wellness sessions.
What would it look like if an individual's economic wellbeing was not determined by the wealth that they were born into or the color of their skin? Learning from economic and financial solutions that prioritize access and inclusion, we'll discuss how capital can be reparative for historically marginalized communities and why community-leaders are best positioned to lead us forward. Four global leaders will showcase innovative best practices, such as leveraging character-based lending as an alternative to credit scores and utilizing tools like built-in grant conversions in their lending activities. To heal the wounds of historic atrocities, we must shift capital, control, and power back to marginalized communities.
This session was curated in partnership with Common Future.
At a moment in time when re-thinking our systems is more urgent than ever, amplifying new narratives is an essential component of driving change at scale. This media-rich presentation, by Participant’s Holly Gordon and Samantha Wright, will explore how we can work together to catalyze systems change through storytelling, anchored in specific case studies and informed by science. We’ll take you on a journey across ten years of practice that has led to a critical insight: the key to doing this work well is a paradigm shift from linear short-term thinking to long-term systems-thinking, focused on building resilient networks of ideas and people.
This session was curated in partnership with Participant.
COVID-19 vaccines are here, but how do we get them into everybody’s arms, not just people in wealthier countries? How can we leverage technology and innovation to support an equitable, global vaccine rollout? How will our current experiences inform the future of vaccine distribution and health equity? Join global public health leaders for an update on vaccine distribution and learn about strategies to support vaccine and health equity around the world.
This session was curated in partnership with Project ECHO.
Social entrepreneurs by their nature create deep impact in often difficult circumstances. Women social entrepreneurs however still face disproportionate challenges; unfair and unjust systems, struggle to access finance, endure dominant norms and stigmas, cultural and racial barriers. Much more needs to be done both within and outside of the sector to create the enabling environments for women social entrepreneurs to thrive. What needs to change in order to create the right environment for all social entrepreneurs and redress the inequity in the sector? Our panel will draw on their own experiences, share learnings and pathways for change.
This session was curated in partnership with Catalyst 2030.
Join one of the world’s great and engaging choir directors and a gospel choir as they learn to sing songs together from different parts of the world; songs that come from social movements we all care about. This will be a visceral experience of wellbeing, the arts, and social change that’s meant to engage our whole selves, inspire, connect all of us, and most of all, be a moment of joy.
When power is concentrated, decisions are made to benefit the few, often at the expense at the many. In an effort to shift toward a more inclusive economic system that serves all stakeholders, how can we shift power and wealth to those whom the system was designed to marginalize? Is power like pie—a finite resource where someone must relinquish their piece for others to enjoy it? Are there entrenched interests that are simply unlikely to budge; and if so, how might we overcome these barriers? Join us to explore the big questions and the concrete solutions social innovators are pursuing to shift power toward a more inclusive and sustainable global economic system.
The Indigenous Futures Survey, the largest survey of Native peoples ever conducted, represents a precedent-setting new chapter in Native-led research and organizing to dismantle systemic racism and build power for Native peoples. More than 6,400 Native adults from 401 Tribes and all 50 U.S. states participated in the survey. The results offer compelling new insights into the systemic challenges, issue priorities, and experiences of Native peoples, providing a platform to advocate for change. This session will share the groundbreaking approach and results of this research, its policy and systems change implications, and the critical need for narrative and culture change to ‘close the distance’ between the non-Native public and Native peoples.
This session was curated in partnership with Illuminative.
We need a revolution. Women’s representation is a critical value-add and is vital to our progress in solving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Research shows that when women engage in shaping policies and institutions, communities have greater access to health, education, and sustainable water services. Yet, despite this success and the critical role women play in designing and executing successful systemic change solutions, they remain largely undermined, underfunded, and underrepresented in key roles and negotiations.
Capitalism will not evolve and become a force for good if our mindset and approach does not change. And that starts with seeing more diverse women in leadership and the boardroom—driving decisions on the future of philanthropy, capital markets, and our society, and determining how billions in capital will be used to tangibly move the needle against some of the greatest issues of our time such as inequality, and the global water and climate crisis.
This session was curated in partnership with WaterEquity.
Critiques of philanthropy note that we often fund only incremental change. Creating more systemic impact is furthered when funders interact differently with their grantee partners and adopt more of a collaborative, learning, adaptive approach in how they plan and how they fund. This session will use an equity and racial justice lens to examine how to support more systemic impact and draw lessons from funders and organizations that they support. How and why does committed long-term funding practically make a difference? What systemic results are emerging from participatory grantmaking practices? What challenges exist in foundations in privileging those proximate to the goals philanthropy aims to support? How does senior leadership need to address those challenges, and whose examples should we learn from?
This session was curated in partnership with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.
Addressing gender-based violence is a matter of not just gender equality but of racial justice, as girls of color in the U.S. are often criminalized for their victimization. Historically, efforts to address mass incarceration have left women and girls of color behind. This interactive workshop will discuss findings from the Abuse to Prison Pipeline report and recent developments in the US justice reform movement to examine 1) the intersection between abuse and criminalization for women and girls of color 2) the importance of reforming laws to decriminalize and better support survivors and 3) promising legislative responses to dismantle the pipeline.
This session was curated in partnership with Rights 4 Girls.
In this session, Breakthrough invites activists and artists Favianna Rodriguez, Susu Attar, Sara Mora, and Nia Asemota to share creative practices to access and catalyze joy. We will explore the need for healing and reparative spaces in activist work. This intergenerational experience will be facilitated by Breakthrough’s Suzanne Herrera Li Puma and Moni Vargas, the director of Our Stories in Vivid Color, a multimedia initiative exploring narrative shift through joyful storytelling by and for BIPOC youth.
You will need some paper & 2 pencils. Additional art supplies are encouraged, but not necessary. Participants will receive a downloadable music mix. Join us for participatory joy mapping, collective imagining and a dance party!
This session was curated in partnership with Breakthrough.
The value of women’s leadership in American democracy is being challenged by hyperpartisanship and extreme, conservative women. Today, intersections of racial justice and the weaknesses of our democratic systems require deeper analysis of the impact of gender in democracy. Leaders ready to close the divide must understand & navigate these complexities & systemic inequities in our history (and identity) to move us forward. Women, especially of color, are at the heart of America’s most progressive movements & reforms, from labor to civil rights to today’s voter surge. The workshop will center a new gendered analysis around racial justice and systemic reforms as the solution to today's challenges & rebuild trust with leaders on the frontlines.
This session was curated in partnership with VoteRunLead.
Join a range of networking activities during this program window. There are several great ways to jump-start meaningful connections and invite serendipity. The 'People' tab is a good place to see who is active on the platform and request a 1:1 meeting. Or click the Connect button to join rotating video chats with other attendees--you never know who you'll meet; it's someone new every time! And visit the 'Community Hub' to chat with specific organizations during office hours, meetups, film screenings, and wellness sessions.
Join a range of networking activities during this program window. There are several great ways to jump-start meaningful connections and invite serendipity. The 'People' tab is a good place to see who is active on the platform and request a 1:1 meeting. Or click the Connect button to join rotating video chats with other attendees--you never know who you'll meet; it's someone new every time! And visit the 'Community Hub' to chat with specific organizations during office hours, meetups, film screenings, and wellness sessions.
COVID-19 has been fueled by an “infodemic” of misinformation, rumors, and fake news that have undermined public trust in the response. Rampant conspiracy theories and misinformation have become a huge problem for governments as they attempt to roll-out testing, tracing, and vaccination programs to bring the pandemic to an end. At the same time, businesses, civil society organizations, and international organizations are finding creative ways to debunk myths, disseminate validated information, and rebuild trust. This participatory session will explore how social innovators of all kinds can partner with governments to counter the infodemic around COVID-19 and develop new solutions- online and offline for this evolving challenge.
This session was curated in partnership with Accountability Lab.
With COVID, the world was gripped in a storm of chaos. For privileged India, 2020 was a time to pause and reset. But, for the other India, it was a downward slide into chaos. Social entrepreneurs reached out to allies in all spheres (civil society, government, corporates) and quickly built solutions that could solve the immediate and long-term needs of the society--from building tools to help frontline workers, COVID screening for communities, enabling continuity in education for children in public schools, to rehabilitating migrants workers. This session showcases 4 such solutions, co-created with key stakeholders, that helped contain growing inequality, accelerated recovery, and is building resilience against future shocks.
This session was curated in partnership with The/Nudge Foundation.
Even in a year overshadowed by a global pandemic, the killing of George Floyd in the U.S. by police underscored the ongoing problem of criminal injustice. It sparked massive protests worldwide by many who oppose—or who have themselves suffered—under broken criminal justice systems. Together with global justice makers, explore the criminalization of poverty and brainstorm, unearth, and craft solutions as they share what inspired them to overcome inequities in their respective criminal justice systems.
This session was curated in partnership with International Bridges to Justice.
Sessions related to systems change and the interplay between funders and social entrepreneurs are common in philanthropic circles and convenings like Skoll World Forum. Few sessions, however, directly tackle the complex funder/government dynamics that enable or hinder innovations and new approaches from taking root and scaling in the public sector. This fast-paced and interactive session will highlight the issues that inhibit shared power and identify tangible examples of how to help “close the distance” between the sometimes opposing systems of funders and governments, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
This session was curated in partnership with VillageReach and Emerging Public Leaders.
Accelerating the world’s shift away from fossil fuels will require strengthening frontline communities’ ability to say to “no” to fossil fuels and “yes” to sustainable alternatives. The ability to say “no” is increasingly under threat from repressive governments and fossil fuel companies. In this session, we will hear from Indigenous and minority communities from the Amazon and Mekong regions about challenges they’ve faced and lessons learned from their work. We will also discuss ways the international community and Global North can provide allyship to their struggles to defend their communities and the planet.
This session was curated in partnership with EarthRights International.
Intractable problems like climate change and poverty are beyond the capacity of any single actor or agent to solve. Vague statements such as “everything is interconnected” and “collaborate more actively” fail to provide actionable guidance. The session explores the unique perspectives of different actors and facilitates conversations of systems change among them. This 90-minute workshop invites social entrepreneurs, funders, non-profits and social movements, governments, private companies, and network hubs to share diverse perspectives towards shared problems, discuss their dependence and expectations of each other, and close-the-distance that separates us.
This session is curated in partnership with the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford’s Said Business School.
The WHO has declared 2021 the year of the health and care worker and COVID-19 has highlighted the need for entrepreneurial solutions to health workforce shortages and pressures. This panel will bring together senior ministry of health officials from Sub-Saharan Africa whose governments have prioritized strengthening their health workforce with funders who have made (or are planning) significant investments in health workforce to discuss lessons emerging from the pandemic. Panelists will discuss why they are prioritizing health workforce as one of the most consequential areas for impact and how to invest in the right systems to create space for innovation to flourish.
This session was curated in partnership with Clinton Health Access Initiative.
For millennia, across cultures and continents, we have used the stars to navigate when we are lost. In this moment of transformation, in which everything is in flux, we are locked onto old stars that are pulling us in a perilous direction. We need to discover new possibilities, new stars, and reset our course towards a better future.
Join us to see the first glimmers of new constellations we can reorient towards. This experiential session will combine storytelling, sound, reflective and embodied practices, and original audio contributions from adrienne maree brown, Dr Angel Acosta, Audrey Tang, Hilary Cottam, Yo-Yo Ma and other pioneers whose thinking and practice shines light on the way ahead.
This session is curated in partnership with New Constellations.
Equitable climate solutions are not just about reaching a popular consensus, they require us to ensure the voices of all those who will be impacted are actually heard. The latest social science insights are illuminating how communities truly feel about the climate, and are helping us better understand parts of the population who become disengaged by media-prominent activists like Former Vice President Al Gore and Greta Thunberg.
As we rise to the challenge of creating a more climate just future, this panel brings together storytellers, social scientists, policymakers, and community organizers who need to work together as never before.
This session was curated in partnership with Doc Society.
COVID-19 caught most of the world by surprise. In this highly interactive session, participants will meet the creators and implementers of participatory surveillance systems that are engaging directly with communities to help identify potential disease outbreaks faster in some of the ‘hottest’ spots on the planet for the emergence of novel infections, including Brazil, Thailand, Cambodia, Tanzania, and South Africa.
The session will offer the opportunity for everyone, whether you are a social entrepreneur, healthcare worker, philanthropist, corporate leader, or NGO staff, to learn about participatory surveillance and share their ideas for expanding this approach to new communities.
This session was curated in partnership with Ending Pandemics.
All over the world, forests are being cleared to make way for agriculture, often unsustainably and illegally. Together with the impact of climate change, this deforestation has led to a decline in the livelihoods of local communities. In many cases these forests are under the management of indigenous communities. Join representatives from WWF-Mexico, IKEA Social Entrepreneurship (IKEA-SE), Enuma, New Ventures and local communities to explore how community-led-enterprises have improved livelihoods biodiversity conservation in Mexico. We will discuss the potential to scale such projects and connect the local communities who lead them with new market opportunities.
This session was curated in partnership with WWF.
SOLVERS is a new podcast featuring interviews with people who are dealing with big, global problems that are entrenched, complex, messy, and always urgent. But none of that stops them. They've rolled up their sleeves and gotten straight to work. How do they remain resilient in the face of immensely complex problems that have spanned generations? How do they keep going when the issues they work on are bigger than their own lifetimes?
Join hosts Courtney Martin and Nguhi Mwaura as they preview some of their favorite moments from SOLVERS -- brought to you by the Skoll Foundation in partnership with Aspen Ideas.
After two days of collective learning, reflection, collaboration, and connection with one another, we closed the Skoll World Forum with an inspiring, authentic group of leaders who are closing the distance between people and power, between emerging movements durable change. From all over the globe, we acknowledged the space between us, and look for ways to come together with a shared sense of purpose and humanity.
Join a range of networking activities during this program window. There are several great ways to jump-start meaningful connections and invite serendipity. The 'People' tab is a good place to see who is active on the platform and request a 1:1 meeting. Or click the Connect button to join rotating video chats with other attendees--you never know who you'll meet; it's someone new every time! And visit the 'Community Hub' to chat with specific organizations during office hours, meetups, film screenings, and wellness sessions.
Enhance wellbeing while reuniting body and mind with guided meditation. Led by your fellow delegate, Skoll Awardee and Zen priest, Bart Weetjens, this 60-minute session consists of simple body/mind awareness practices, a guided meditation, and the opportunity to genuinely connect with other delegates. No experience required, smiles guaranteed.
Bart Weetjens, Zen Priest
None of the event types selected above are scheduled on this day.
