Emphasising the transformative power of social business and its strong way to make real and lasting positive changes, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Friday said they can create a “beautiful and better world” for everyone, breaking free from the current gloom and driving meaningful transformation through social business.
“….and the gloomy picture of the world, which is gloomy, for no fault of ours, it is gloomy as some people created it for us. We are not responsible for creating this gloomy world. We want to create a beautiful world, and we can do that,” he said.
The Nobel Laureate said social business can bring change not only in one country but in the whole world and whole civilization. “We can do it. Let’s make it happen.”
The Chief Adviser joined as the chief guest and keynote speaker at the 15th edition of Social Business Day amid a brief rich cultural show.
In his powerful and emotional keynote speech, Prof Yunus reminded all that the world is on the wrong path and only through selflessness, imagination, and social business they can build a just and sustainable future.
From championing “healthcare as a human right” to reimagining education that inspires “creators, not job seekers”, he urged global changemakers to start small, dream big, and work together to build a world of three zeros – zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions.
The 15th edition of Social Business Day, organised by the Yunus Centre and Grameen Group, is taking place at the Samajik Convention Centre in Zirabo in Savar. This year’s theme is: “Social Business is the Most Effective Way to Ensure Healthcare for All.”
Highlighting the terrible things that the world witnessed this year, including wars involving India, Pakistan, Ukraine, Iran, Israel and Palestine, Prof Yunus said, “We want to dream. We don’t give up dreams. We want to build a new world for ourselves. That’s what human beings are all about – chasing dreams. So, we chase dreams. Imagination– this is the core of the dream that we are talking about.”
Turning to the theme of the event, Prof Yunus said they are trying to struggle addressing healthcare issues like other countries in the world.
“No country successfully has resolved that issue – healthcare for everybody. So, that’s a challenging area that we have to tackle, and we can tackle,” he said.
He said what they are trying to bring in is a message of changing the world and they need every nation to participate, every nation to address the issues that they have been raising all these years.
“And the message is a very simple one that we have been repeating again and again. Message is that we are on the wrong path. If you keep on pursuing this path, all will end up with massive disaster. We cannot escape from that,” he said.
Prof Yunus said there are very simple ways to follow a different path and it is not something they have to overnight destroy everything. “You just slowly move in a different direction. That’s all – something very doable and something very concrete.”
“Repeatedly what we are trying to focus on the entire world is built on one dimension of human selfishness. And human beings are defined as selfish beings. That’s what we are objecting to. We say selfishness is very much in us. But don’t forget the existence of selflessness in us,” he added.
The Chief Adviser said the social business day is a gathering of family members and they came together as family members.
“All you have so many stories to tell. We gather together not for making speeches but to inspire ourselves. We always defined our social business day as an occasion for recharging our batteries,” he said.
“We need some excitement. So this is the occasion that brings us excitement back to us by seeing each other, by hugging each other and looking at each other. We don’t have to talk. By being together itself does the magic and that magic pushes us to do things in a much more powerful way than we did before, reaching a higher level than we reached before,” Prof Yunus mentioned.
The Chief Adviser said Bangladesh did something fantastic despite the gloomy world. “They (young people) have done amazing things. Young people came out and they said – enough is enough.”
Prof Yunus said the young people sacrificed their lives and in a very short period of time they moved the country from “extreme darkness to the bright light”.
He said they have not just done it for Bangladesh alone; it is for the whole world.
“The whole world – and young people can do this just the same. Enough is enough. Get out of the way. You made enough problems for us. Let the world grow in its own way, we create a new world for us, and that’s our promise. We want to build a new civilization. And we can do that,” Prof Yunus said.
The Chief Adviser said Bangladesh will become the history for the whole world, not just history of Bangladesh.
The global gathering was kicked off with a welcome session by Chairman of Grameen Group Md. Ashraful Hassan, setting the tone for two inspiring days of dialogue, innovation, and action.
Former VP of the World Bank and co-chair of NGIC Ismail Serageldin reminded the audience that real development is bottom-up – driven by dignity, solidarity, and the vision of social business.
UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis called social business a timely and essential solution to global healthcare inequalities.
Founder of Euglena GG Ltd Mitsuru Izumo shared how a promise made in Dhaka 27 years ago turned into a nationwide nutrition movement through social business.
Honorary President of the IOC Thomas Bach celebrated Prof Yunus’s lifelong commitment to unity and collaboration, and the deep impact of the social business movement.
Olympian and entrepreneur Kady Kanouté Tounkara delivered an electrifying message on the transformative power of sport in empowering youth, uplifting women, and achieving the world of three zeros — with zero excuses.
Relations Manager at Yunus Centre Zenaat Islam also spoke at the inaugural session. Interim government advisers were also present.
The event aims to be a global convergence of knowledge, experience, and innovation—addressing inequalities and limitations across healthcare and other sectors to build a sustainable, just and humane world.
The two-day programme will feature five plenary sessions and eight breakout sessions focused on diverse perspectives and ideas. 15th edition of Social Business Day: Prof Yunus to join as chief guest.
Over a thousand participants, including more than 180 international delegates from 38 countries, are joining the event.
Prominent speakers and guests include Professor Md. Saidur Rahman, Health and Family Welfare assistant to the Chief Adviser, Omar Ishrak, former CEO & Chairman of Medtronic and former Chairman of the Board, Intel Corporation; Erik Solheim, former Executive Director of UN Environment and former Minister of Environment and Climate, Norway.
As part of the extended programme, a special Academia Dialogue will be held on June 29 in collaboration with North South University, engaging teachers, students and researchers to explore the role of social business in driving societal progress.
Besides, the Three Zero Club Convention will take place, focusing on how to achieve zero carbon emissions, zero wealth concentration and zero unemployment in the world.
