E1S13 From Vision to Action: John Marks Discusses Peacebuilding and Social Entrepreneurship

The Social Change Career Podcast

We open Season 13 of the Social Change Career Podcast with —John Marks, one of the world’s most insightful changemakers and the founder of Search for Common Ground.

In this episode, John shares hard-earned lessons from his extraordinary career, offering practical advice on building a career that connects social impact and peace. We’re also thrilled to preview his upcoming book, “From Vision to Action: Remaking the World Through Social Entrepreneurship,” set to be published in early September. The book is packed with real-world examples and strategies drawn from John’s extensive experience in creating meaningful change.

What We’ll Cover:

• Building Bridges for Peace: Insights from decades of experience in conflict resolution and social entrepreneurship.
• Transformational Leadership: How to lead change in challenging environments.
• Adapting to the Unexpected: Lessons learned from navigating global conflicts.

About John Marks: John Marks is one of the most insightful changemakers in peacebuilding and social change. In 1982, he founded Search for Common Ground with a bold mission: to transform the way the world handles conflict—from confrontation to cooperation. Under his leadership, the organization became the largest peacebuilding nonprofit globally, with offices in over 35 countries and a staff of 600, tackling some of the world’s most challenging conflicts.

John’s work has taken him into the heart of conflict zones, where he developed innovative approaches to peacebuilding, using media to bridge divides in war-torn societies and fostering dialogue between deeply opposed groups. His efforts have earned global recognition, including a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for Search for Common Ground in 2018.

Beyond his work with Search for Common Ground, John is a Skoll Awardee for Social Entrepreneurship, an Ashoka Senior Fellow, and a visiting scholar in peacebuilding and social entrepreneurship at Leiden University. He is also an accomplished author, known for his books on intelligence and peacebuilding, including The CIA and the Cult of Intelligence, a New York Times best-seller, and the award-winning Search for the “Manchurian Candidate.”

John’s upcoming book, “From Vision to Action: Remaking the World Through Social Entrepreneurship,” dives into his approach to negotiation, conflict resolution, and social entrepreneurship. It’s essential reading for anyone passionate about making a real difference.

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