Bill Drayton – Ashoka – Empathy

Victor "Global X" d'Allant
Former Executive Director, Social Edge

Bill Drayton is angry!

In this two-minute interview, Bill Drayton tells Global X why the largest group of social entrepreneurs who have been selected to become Ashoka Fellows (450 out of 2,400) concentrate on children and young people: "What really matters is whether children master applied empathy, and whether young people (12 to 20) master empathy teamwork leadership and become change makers" through extra-curriculum activities such as tutoring services, help hotlines or community radio stations.

"Those who don’t master applied empathy will be marginalized, and if there are children who didn’t have a chance to develop these skills, it’s our fault, not theirs!" adds Bill Drayton.

The founder of Ashoka, who is now spending a lot of time on the new generation, thinks that we need to have a revolution analogous to the civil rights movement or the women’s movement, so that all young people (and not just the fortunate ones who go to the best schools) grasp empathy and empathy teamwork leadership. "This is the most fundamental revolution that we have to get through!"