A few links to some international events, lest we get too parochial:

– Peter Rees says the 2nd Canadian Conference on Social Enterprise has been "nice". Kind of praising with faint damn, I think. He then goes on to mention what’s happening at the Harvard conference, and gives a pretty complete listing of that March event….

– Meanwhile, at Davos, an article in the NYtimes (subscription needed, but here’s a link to a place where it’s not) looks at some social entrepreneurs who are there. Interesting, if patronising new strapline: "Do-Gooders with spreadsheets". Obviously the old do-gooders were using abacuses. Anyway, it gets better from there and ends with:

"It’s one of the most hopeful and helpful trends around. These folks
aren’t famous, and they didn’t fly to Davos in first-class cabins or
private jets, but they are showing that what it really takes to change
the world isn’t so much wealth or power as creativity, determination
and passion."

Which is all good.

– Ok, not so international, but couldn’t help but pick up on John Bird, the founder of the Big Issue/social entrepreneur, putting himself forward to be London mayor; I heard that rumour at the conference in Manchester, but didn’t really give it too much credence….but turns out to be true. I read it in the Evening Standard the other evening, and you can see some of the discussion in the blogs here (check the comments!) and here. It is unclear whether he will be the Tory candidate, or go as an independent; suffice to say that, if he does enter the race, it won’t be dull. He’s far from a spin doctor’s on-message dream, and I mean that as a hearty compliment.