Hey, Skoll Delegates— Here’s What We Need
We’re looking for direction from the global leaders and social innovators attending the 2025 Skoll World Forum
We’re approaching the 2025 Skoll World Forum with a clear purpose. In a world ricocheting not just from crisis to crisis — but from polycrisis to polycrisis — this gathering is a crucial assembly of leaders and doers who are directly confronting our changing world order.
Skoll should be different. This is where the elders of the “improving the world” community gather — philanthropists and practitioners less encumbered by institutional constraints who have been at this work for decades.
Last year’s key messages from Skoll hinged on protecting democracy, leading with empathy, and building trust. Well, we can argue that these fundamentals are even less secure and even more needed in 2025.
We enter this forum at a critical moment when we feel adrift amid global fragmentation. We’re not simply looking to report on panels or collect statistics — we need direction.
We want to know:
- Who is responding most effectively to our interconnected crises?
- What approaches are showing promise amid unprecedented challenges?
- How are the most experienced champions focusing their responses and shaping their narratives?
- What strategic reorientation might guide our work forward?
For our small team dedicated to sharing information about positive change, this forum represents table stakes. If Skoll delivers business-as-usual discussions, we’ll be deeply disappointed since our world these days is far from normal. Seriously, who could have predicted the complete dismantling of USAID in two months of Trump’s presidency?
Yet, we remain hopeful that Skoll will help us all craft a way forward in today’s tumultuous times. We will be searching for the signals amid the noise — specific examples of what’s working and directional guidance from leading voices.
Learn with Us
Here’s how you can follow the Skoll World Forum.
Accessing Content
Virtual participation at Skoll is free and open to everyone. You can register to join the Forum online to watch select sessions and connect with other attendees.
Many sessions are also live-streamed on the Skoll Foundation’s YouTube channel or posted shortly after their conclusion.
This year’s program features over 50 sessions focused on topics such as the impact of AI on media, philanthropy, climate solutions, and women and indigenous leadership. Certainly, the Opening Plenary [Wednesday 2 April, 4:30-6:30 PM GMT] and Closing Plenary [Friday 4 April, 2:30-4:30 PM GMT] should not be missed.
This video provides a good overview of the discussion we anticipate at this year’s Forum.
Featured Speakers
Because Skoll highlights innovators who are driving solutions in their local communities, not all of the panelists are familiar to us. But we are especially excited about the names we do recognize as they are leaders in social innovation and global sustainable development.
Speakers include:
- Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Co-Founder, Malala Fund
- Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland, Member, The Elders
- Trevor Noah, Trever Noah Foundation
- Michael Milken, Chairman, Milken Institute
- Cheryl Dorsey, President, Echoing Green
- Don Gips, CEO, Skoll Foundation
- Christiana Figueres, Founding Partner, Global Optimism, Former Executive Secretary, UN Climate Change Convention
- Mark Suzman, CEO & Board Member, Gates Foundation
- Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation
- Pat Mitchell, Co-Founder, Project Dandelion & Connected Women
Innovation in Action
The Skoll Foundation remains committed to investing in, connecting, and championing social entrepreneurs and innovators who are driving solutions in their local communities.
These five award winners will receive $2 million and be honored at the 2025 Skoll Awards for Social Innovation Ceremony, which takes place on Thursday, April 3, 4:30–6:00pm BST.
- Apis & Heritage Capital Partners (A&H) — restoring the American Dream by helping low- and middle-income employees become owners of their businesses
- Community Health Impact Coalition (CHIC) — ensuring community health workers (CHWs) are salaried, skilled, supervised, and supplied to deliver quality care
- EarthEnable — working with community-based entrepreneurs and local masons to develop and install more affordable, sustainable housing materials in rural Africa
- Healthy Learners — training teachers in Zambia as school health workers, increasing health service access for children
- Pacto pela Democracia (Pact for Democracy) — coordinating the non-partisan pro-democracy movement in Brazil
StartingUpGood supports fresh entrepreneurial approaches to social impact. FOLLOW US on social media:
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Check out SDGCounting for the latest news on tracking the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals. #SDGs #GlobalGoals.
Note: Generative AI tools were used in the creation of this article to assist with research, summarization, and editing.
