Stephan Chambers – Opening Remarks – Skoll World Forum 2011

Stephan Chambers, MBA and EMBA Director at the Said Business School at the University of Oxford presents the opening remarks of the 2011 Skoll World Forum.

Isn't that amazing? And now you don't have to miss the Sheldonian at all. We met last year as a volcano reminded us that not every thing. We think we control is under our control. We meet this year in the wake of seismic [xx] where seismic is for once not only a metaphor. All the more reason for us to team up [xx] and take part.

This event binds together those with a common purpose and. Along side the extraordinary individuals who make this happen there are some organizations with out which we couldn't do this; they are partners in the fullest sense. They support what we Believe as well as what we do. Cisco helps us with technology, because they understand.

And the network as an emancipatory force. The master card foundation supports us because. they understand the social return on large networks. And in fact, they understand that so well, that I'm able to announce tonight, without even a golden envelope or co-presentor. a master card foundation donation of 45,000,000 dollars to Brack.

That is forty five million dollars.

To Brack, from the Mastercard Foundation, to scale, an innovative micro-finance initiative in Uganda, that is amazing, and I'd like us, briefly to recognize Rita Roy and Muhammad Ali of the foundation and Susan Davis of Brack, who are here in the audience and deserve our congratulations. Our knowledge partners too are critical.

Mackenzie support us because they understand that what we do is about understanding more and better. The Economist supports us because their agenda and ours converge when markets support rather than beggar societies. The BBC is here because they see the global interest in the conversations we are having.

And the Sundance Institute is screening here for the first time because they know that you know something. Its really, really exciting to see how our forum is being extended and improved by their support. Thank you. And thank you to those astonishing individuals who do the work that allows us the privilege of being here.

One hundred people, at the last count, contributed to this production all of whom help the in comparable Pamela [xx] and Paula Kravitz put on this show. Thank you, thank you. ok, we now part ways to begin our forum in in earnest and that means talking and arguing and connecting and even agreeing, it means being change it means, i'm very sorry to say, eating and drinking and staying up late.

And some where at dinner will be the means to change the world. So study carefully your badge and head for the right college. The planet may depend on it. Thank you.
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