Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus on Saturday called on social business practitioners from around the world to translate their ideas into concrete action, saying imagination must be coupled with sustained efforts to build a more inclusive and sustainable future.
He was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 16th Social Business Day, organised by the Yunus Centre and Grameen Group at the Samajik Convention Centre in Savar.
He also said that the annual gathering provided an opportunity for participants to exchange ideas, learn from one another and renew their commitment to advancing the global social business movement.
‘If the world has to survive, we will win. We will make sure the world becomes a world of three zeros,’ he added, referring to his vision of zero poverty, zero unemployment and zero net carbon emissions.
Expressing confidence in the social business movement, Yunus said it would ultimately succeed because it offers solutions to the world›s pressing challenges.
Yunus stressed that imagination is humanity›s greatest strength and urged participants never to abandon their dreams of creating a better world.
‘Imagine the world that we want in detail, and just keep on imagining, and it will happen. That has a strange power,’ he added.
Professor Yunus called for a fundamental transformation of the education system, saying it should inspire young people to become creative entrepreneurs and problem-solvers instead of becoming job seekers.
He said the conventional education system confines human potential in what he described as a ‘bonsai’ mindset, limiting people›s creativity and independence.
‘Human beings are not born to work for somebody else,’ he added, saying that every individual possesses the innate capacity to create, innovate and contribute to solving social problems.
At the welcome address, Lamiya Morshed, executive director of the Yunus Centre, said that Social Business Day serves as a platform for sharing experiences, exchanging ideas and exploring innovative solutions to address social and economic challenges.
Ashraful Hassan, chairman of Grameen Group, highlighted the importance of strengthening the global social business movement through collaboration and innovation.
The event brought together 219 participants, including entrepreneurs, global leaders, academics, policymakers, innovators and youth from around the world.
This year’s theme is ‘Social Business: The Language of Peace in a Fractured World.’
The two-day conference would feature five plenary sessions and seven breakout sessions, including keynote addresses, innovation showcases, country forums and networking opportunities centred on critical global challenges such as poverty, healthcare, financial inclusion, climate action, education, food security and youth empowerment.
This year, Grameen would mark two historic and deeply connected milestones: 50 years of Grameen Bank and 20 years since the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Professor Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank, recognising the idea that poverty is not created by the poor but by the systems that surround them.
