Last week, several members of Echoing Green’s leadership team and more than 50 Echoing Green Fellows attended the Skoll World Forum, an annual convening that gathers thousands of leaders across the social innovation field in Oxford, England. The following includes highlights from the impactful week, as well as reflections.

For the second year in a row, Echoing Green President and Skoll Foundation Board Member Cheryl Dorsey was a co-emcee alongside Celina de Sola, Co-Founder and President of Glasswing International. Bringing the authenticity, leadership, and warmth she’s known for, Cheryl set the tone for the event and kept engagement high throughout a jam-packed schedule of programming. In the Plenary, she reflected on the current state of the world and how social innovators are meeting this moment:

“Many things in our world may feel broken, but this is a group of repairers. That’s right – repairers – people who heal the fractures. People who re-imagine, who re-think, and see a way forward through the cracks to create something even more beautiful,” said Cheryl.

Cheryl Dorsey (right) moderates panel. Photo Credit: Skoll Foundation.

Cheryl also moderated a timely panel on redefining progress and what’s next for the field of social innovation. She orchestrated a dynamic conversation featuring perspectives from Jeroo Billimoria of One Family Foundation, François Bonnici of Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship and World Economic Forum, Wawira Njiru of Food4Education, and Neera Nundy of Dasra. In her remarks, Neera discussed meeting this moment by challenging the status quo and taking strategic risks:

“We’re seeing an opportunity — we’re also asking folks: it’s a time to find courage. You’re going to find that courage in figuring out how we’re going to take risks together. The optimism and energy, at least in India and Asia, is coming from that we’re going to reorder the powers that be. It’s no longer going to be about the Global North, about USAID. [Indian wealth holders] it’s time to step up.”

Gayatri Datar ‘14 on stage accepting Skoll Award. Photo Credit: Skoll Foundation.

Echoing Green Fellow Gayatri Datar ‘14 received a 2025 Skoll Award for her transformative work leading EarthEnable. This annual award recognizes exemplary social innovators and organizations creating a more sustainable, peaceful, and prosperous world. In her acceptance speech, Gayatri shared her perspective on EarthEnable’s vision and the intersection of housing and belonging:

“Home isn’t just a metaphor for safety and belonging, it’s a strategy to build it. And this is the world that Earth Enable is building. Every single one of us deserves to live in a home where they feel proud, safe, where we feel we belong, where we are home,” said Gayatri.

• Read Echoing Green’s announcement
• Learn more about EarthEnable’s work in this mini documentary

Aerial photo of How Social Innovators Are Changing the World panel room. Photo Credit: Marmalade Festival.

Ricardo Jara, Nasser Diallo, Francesca Raoelison, and Mariolga Reyes Cruz at the Marmalade Festival panel.

As one of the official independent events that runs concurrently with Skoll World Forum, the Marmalade Festival creates a space for bold conversation through a systems change lens. Echoing Green Senior Director, Community Ricardo Jara moderated a candid conversation on How Social Innovators Change the World, which featured Echoing Green Fellows Nasser Diallo ‘22, Mariolga Reyes Cruz ‘21, and Francesca Raoelison ‘23. As panelists shared common challenges, a sense of community filled the packed room. Attendees remarked how refreshing it was to experience an innovator-centered conversation focused on support and well-being.