Bill Drayton (Balliol 1965, Honorary Fellow) has been awarded the Global Treasure Award at the annual Skoll World Forum, held in Oxford on 3 April 2025. The award recognises his contributions to the field of social entrepreneurship and his role in empowering thousands of changemakers to transform innovative ideas into lasting impact.
In his acceptance speech, Bill reflected on the power of giving: ‘Giving is what brings health, longevity, and happiness. Givers want to give. And the greatest gift is helping others grow their giving – changemaking power.’
Regarded as a pioneer in the field of social entrepreneurship, Bill is the founder of Ashoka, the world’s largest network of social entrepreneurs. Today, Ashoka supports over 4,000 fellows across 90 countries around the world, all working to create systemic change. In collaboration with young people and global partners, Ashoka champions the vision of an ‘everyone a changemaker world’ – a world where everyone has the power to identify problems and find solutions.
Past recipients of the Global Treasure Award include former US President Jimmy Carter, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Malala Yousafzai, The Elders, and humanitarian and activist Grace Machel.
Bill Drayton’s acceptance speech at the Skoll World Social Forum: