Richard Gere joined global changemakers at the Skoll World Forum 2026 in Oxford, where The Gere Foundation took part in one of the world’s leading gatherings on social innovation. From a fireside chat at the Skoll Awards ceremony to the screening of Wisdom of Happiness, our founder championed a message that has guided us for more than three decades: compassion is the foundation of meaningful, lasting change.
A Global Gathering for Social Change at Oxford
Held from April 21 to 24, 2026, the Skoll World Forum convened social entrepreneurs, philanthropists, policymakers, and storytellers from over 100 countries. Hosted at Oxford by the Skoll Foundation, the Forum is recognized as the premier annual platform for advancing systemic, large-scale solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.
The Gere Foundation was honored to participate in this year’s edition, joining a community committed to translating values into tangible impact. The Forum’s spirit reflects something we hold central to our mission: meaningful change is rooted in shared responsibility, collective dialogue, and sustained collaboration across borders.
Richard Gere in Conversation with Pat Mitchell at the Skoll Awards
A defining moment of the week was Richard Gere’s fireside chat with Pat Mitchell, journalist, media executive, and longtime advocate for women’s leadership. The conversation took place during the Skoll Awards ceremony on April 23 at the New Theatre in Oxford, a setting that brings together the global social impact community to honor extraordinary work.
The dialogue between Gere and Mitchell explored the role of awareness, presence, and ethical leadership in a moment when the world is navigating overlapping crises — from displacement and inequality to climate disruption and erosion of human rights. The conversation also pivoted around the leading role women are called to play for a more peaceful and safe world. Their exchange reaffirmed a core conviction of The Gere Foundation: that lasting transformation begins with how we relate to one another.
Honoring the 2026 Skoll Award Recipients
The Skoll Award for Social Innovation is one of the most respected recognitions in the social entrepreneurship field. Each awardee receives 2 million USD in unrestricted funding to scale proven solutions that drive systemic change.
This year’s recipients are advancing transformative work in three regions:
- ChildLife Foundation (Pakistan) — strengthening pediatric emergency care across public hospitals, where it has reduced child mortality tenfold in the emergency rooms it manages.
- SmartStart (South Africa) — building a network of community-based early learning programs that currently reach 160,000 children every week, with the goal of reaching one million by 2030.
- Indus Action (India) — helping millions of citizens access the public benefits and social protection programs to which they are entitled, bridging the gap between policy and people.
We extend our deepest congratulations to the three organizations and to the leaders, frontline teams, and communities driving their work. They embody what is possible when courage, creativity, and systems thinking meet a clear sense of purpose.
“Wisdom of Happiness”: Compassion on Screen
Among the most resonant moments of the Forum was the screening of Wisdom of Happiness, the documentary executive produced by Richard Gere that offers an intimate conversation with His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the nature of compassion, inner peace, and human responsibility.
The screening was followed by a panel discussion featuring Richard Gere and Tencho Gyatso, President and CEO of the International Campaign for Tibet, moderated by Felipe Estefan. The conversation examined how compassion, awareness, and ethical responsibility can serve as practical foundations for addressing today’s most complex global challenges — not as abstract values, but as guiding principles for action.
For The Gere Foundation, the film and the discussion that followed reinforced the throughline of our work: that the wellbeing of communities, ecosystems, and future generations is inseparable from the inner qualities we cultivate as individuals and as societies.
Compassion as a Driver of Sustainable Progress
The Skoll World Forum reaffirmed what we see every day in our partnerships: compassion is not a soft alternative to strategy — it is what makes strategy meaningful. When dialogue is honest, when collaboration is genuine, and when leadership is rooted in human dignity, progress becomes both possible and durable.
At The Gere Foundation, we remain committed to:
- Fostering dialogue across cultures, sectors, and generations.
- Supporting collaborative initiatives that put the focus on voices of affected communities.
- Contributing to a future grounded in dignity, awareness, and shared responsibility.
We thank the Skoll Foundation for creating a space where ideas become commitments and commitments become impact. The conversations sparked at Oxford this April will continue to shape our work in the months ahead — and we look forward to walking that path alongside the global community of changemakers we are proud to call partners.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Skoll World Forum? The Skoll World Forum is the world’s leading annual gathering for social entrepreneurs, funders, and changemakers, held each year at Oxford by the Skoll Foundation. The 2026 edition took place April 21–24.
Why did Richard Gere attend the Skoll World Forum 2026? Richard Gere participated as the founder of The Gere Foundation, taking part in a fireside chat with Pat Mitchell during the Skoll Awards ceremony and joining a panel discussion following the screening of Wisdom of Happiness.
What is Wisdom of Happiness? Wisdom of Happiness is a film executive produced by Richard Gere that features His Holiness the Dalai Lama in a heart-to-heart conversation about compassion, inner peace, and the path to genuine happiness amid global uncertainty.
Who won the 2026 Skoll Award for Social Innovation? The 2026 Skoll Awards were presented to ChildLife Foundation (Pakistan), SmartStart (South Africa), and Indus Action (India), each receiving 2 million USD in unrestricted funding.
The Gere Foundation supports humanitarian and human rights initiatives around the world, with a longstanding commitment to the Tibetan people and to communities working toward dignity, justice, and compassion in action.
