SCILLA ELWORTHY
SOCIETY
The agents of social change
World-renowned peace activist & Nobel Peace Prize nominee
Scilla Elworthy founded the Oxford Research Group in 1982 to develop dialogue with nuclear weapons decision makers, and set up Peace Direct in 2002 to support local peace-builders in conflict areas. Three times nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize; awarded the Niwano Peace Prize in 2003, she advised Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Sir Richard Branson in setting up ‘The Elders’. She co-founded Rising Women Rising World in 2013; her latest book is Pioneering the Possible: awakened leadership for a world that works and her TED talk on non violence has been viewed by over one million people.
"Do come to the Prague Congress – it will be a fabulous stimulus to your work (which I deeply admire). You’ll be invited to consider new and challenging ideas, and I look forward very much to meeting you all."
Article: www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/scilla-elworthy/love-in-time-of-hatred
The Abstract
“Empowering the adolescent as an agent of social reform”
First it is essential to examine how to deal with fear and uncertainty – the benefits of walking towards what frightens you – ‘the gem under the dragon’s foot’. Then I shall offer a method for adolescents to find out what each can best contribute, to develop your plan of study and life experience, including an exercise where participants are asked to turn to their neighbour and ask each other some simple questions that can be used to help adolescents identify their passion, their skills and their contribution.
If there is time in discussion we shall also examine the values that young people have a right to demand from political, business and community leaders, including: transparency, compassion, listening, integrity and a sense of service.
This will enable us to conclude with reflections on how we can encourage those who light candles in the darkness.
