By Brianna Bell, Alliance Intern from Smith College
One of the highlights of the Skoll World Forum held in Oxford, England in April was the wide-ranging interview of former Vice President Al Gore by Don Gips, CEO of the Skoll Foundation. Gore had very positive and upbeat perspectives on the possibilities for breakthroughs to many of the daunting challenges we face, from the climate crisis to threats to democracy. We hope you’ll watch to experience his humor and humanity, but here are just a few of the highlights:
“In order to solve the climate crisis we are going to have to address the democracy crisis.”
“When you have some kind of setback or some kind of problem that really seems overwhelming its healing to remember that when you walk down the street you are walking past people who are carrying incredibly heavy burdens and they bear up and they keep going.”
“Its the choice between the hard right and the easy wrong.”
Good News (Facts): Gas emissions are going down. Electric vehicles are taking over the market.
Great election in Brazil that led to the protection of the Amazon.
”Pay attention to the “information ecosystem” (thought this was an interesting concept maybe to use as a part of the language in the newsletter possibly)
“Toxic positivity – the idea that the system will fix itself.“
“Diversity is one of our biggest strengths…When we have different points of view because of our ethnicity, gender, orientation, religion, disability, ability, all of the differences that we point toward when we think about people are all incredibly valuable…Diversity is not just a woke principle that people say. It is essential to the quality and integrity and efficacy of our collective self governance.”
“When you win a battle you have to keep your focus and win the next battle after that but you pile up and pretty soon you are making real progress.”