Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States, will be a keynote speaker at the 20th Skoll World Forum at Saïd Business School next week.
This year's 20th anniversary event will bring together 1,400 of the world's most influential social innovators and partners from across the social sector, philanthropy, government, and business social entrepreneurs. It will be the Forums' largest ever gathering and celebrates two decades of impact and the innovators who have driven social progress. A key element of the event will be uniting leaders with essential partners to collaborate on large-scale social change.
Peter Drobac, Director of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford Saïd, has spoken previously about the pressing need for heightened social entrepreneurship. He said: 'Social entrepreneurship begins with a recognition of possibility, a way to overcome an obstacle, breaking a vicious cycle, exposing an injustice.'
Commenting on this year's event, Peter added: 'We’re excited to welcome the Skoll World Forum back to Oxford and celebrate 20 years of impact in person with the Skoll Foundation. Change really does begin with a conversation, and the Skoll Centre is thrilled to be a part of the annual convening, here at Oxford Saïd, that sparks the beginnings of so much social impact innovation.'
Other influential speakers at the event will include Pulitzer Prize winner Maria Hinojosa, CEO of Futuro Unidad Hinojosa and executive producer of Latino USA, Run DMC co-founder Darryl DMC McDaniels and Emmy and BAFTA winning filmmaker Ava Duvernay who founded Array. The Skoll’s 2023 Awards will also see five winners celebrated as at the forefront of driving social change, with each one receiving $2.5 million to advance their critical, innovative projects. Mr Gore, who is Founder and Chair of the Climate Reality Project, will be speaking at a plenary session on 13 April.
The Skoll Centre, based at Oxford Saïd, equips entrepreneurial leaders for impact within and beyond business. It facilitates ground-breaking research to better understand how social change happens and brings together a community of academics, students, and practitioners to share their expertise. Notably, The Skoll Scholarship also provides full funding to complete an MBA at Oxford's Saïd for social entrepreneurs worldwide.
The Skoll Centre is funded by the Skoll Foundation, which catalyses transformational social change by investing in, connecting, and championing social entrepreneurs and other social innovators who together advance bold and equitable solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. Founded by social entrepreneur and philanthropist, Jeff Skoll, in 1999, the Foundation has invested more than $1 billion worldwide, including the Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship and the Skoll Global Threats Fund since 2021, and have supported 334 social entrepreneurs and other social innovators on five continents.
The Forum will take place from 12 to 14 April at Oxford Saïd. To register for the Skoll Forum’s online events: Register for the Skoll Forum.