ADM Invited to Attend Skoll World Forum
ADM’s Director of Mercy & Justice Ministries, Margo Leach, was privileged to attend the 2018 Skoll World Forum on social entrepreneurship in Oxford, England. Running over four days in mid-April, the Skoll World Forum seeks to connect the world’s leading social entrepreneurs and accelerate their impact in large-scale social change.
The Skoll World Forum is a time for invited global leaders of social change initiatives to connect and share ideas, celebrate achievements and explore challenges as they work to address some of the world’s most pressing problems.
Inspiration was provided in plenary sessions through keynote addresses by international leaders including President Jimmy Carter, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka – the Executive Director of UNWomen – and Fred Swaniker, the Founder and CEO of African Leadership University.
Challenge was prompted through the many panel discussions on topics ranging from impact investing, emerging technologies and climate change initiatives, through to gender equity and power structures.
Connection was created through ‘quick connections’ introduction meetings, serendipity dinners at various colleges around Oxford, structured small group conversations and through sharing of personal experiences over coffee and lunch.
The theme for this year’s gathering was ‘The Power of Proximity’. Participants were all seeking to be effective ‘proximate partners’, whether they were funding or implementing initiatives for change.
Margo says:
“It was truly inspiring to be around so many talented, thoughtful and determined people who, in their enormous variety of ways, were all seeking to make an impact for good in the world – to be merciful, to achieve justice, to serve those in need and, ultimately, to advance the common good.”