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Yunus Centre Press Release (November 25, 2018)

Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus was in Paris, and Lille, France from December 19-21 to be a part of the YY ( Yunus and You) Campus tour in response to their interest in getting the updates on social businesses to redesign the economic framework.

In Paris Professor Yunus went to Les Canaux, where the  meeting of the Olympic 2024 Strategic Committee, which is charged with ensuring the social business content of the Paris 2024 Olympics,  took place. Head of Olympic organizing committee, four junior ministers of France, regional Mayors of Paris, civil society leaders of France attended the meeting. Yunus emphasized the need for finalizing the key features of this Social Business Olympic in the next six months so that the preparations and implementations can take place smoothly by 2024. Representatives of the government, athletics and civil society expressed their expectations from this unique Olympic. Committee agreed to prepare and circulate a comprehensive concept document before the next meeting in Spring.

Yunus’s YY Campus Tour started with Université Catholique de Lille in Lille, where  University President-Rector Pierre Giorgini welcomed Professor Yunus on his arrival. He was interviewed in the University Media Lab by Frederik Claeye.  He also had  meeting with representative of the Enterprise & Social Impact Business chair.

At the first YY Campus Tour Conference, Professor Yunus addressed students and delivered his messages for the new generation, inspired by his latest book: A World of Three Zeroes.   A panel of speakers, students and social business activists all very committed to the dissemination of social business were present in the YY campus tour conferences.

After Lille, Professor Yunus went on to SciencesPo in Paris, as the second YY Campus Tour conference. He was welcomed by the Dean and the academic team of the university. Sciences Po is a prestigious and influential academic institution in the social sciences in France. Professor Yunus had meeting with students of the SDG course. 

Professor Yunus was interviewed for the Voyage for Change Documentary. In the framework of  this documentary, 4 teenagers interview personalities from the development world. The film will show, through the eyes of young teenagers, the challenges that their generation face, and what should be done to mitigate them. 

On the final day of his visit Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus signed an MOU to launch Yunus Social Business Center with  Sorbonne University Business School on 20 November, 2018. Sorbonne’s Yunus Social Business Centre is the 65th centre around the world, and the 10th in France. IAE of Paris, the Sorbonne Graduate Business School was created in 1956. Since its inception, IAE de Paris has held an important role at the very core of business management education and research in France.

During this visit Professor Yunus was the key-note speaker at the 10th year celebration of Grameen Credit Agricole Microfinance Foundation that was set up ten years ago by Credit Agricole, a leading European bank, in collaboration with Grameen Trust of Bangladesh, to support microfinance and social businesses around the world.  The gala celebrations were attended among others by guest of honor Grand Duchess Marie-Therese of Luxembourg and Jean Sander the Chairman of Credit Agricole Bank.

On Wednesday, 21st November, the  YY Campus Tour ended with  ESCP Europe. ESCP Europe  is  the oldest business school in the world. It has campuses in Paris, Berlin, London, Madrid, Turin, and Warsaw. ESCP Europe is one of the most selective French Grandes écoles and referred in France as one of the "trois Parisiennes" (three Parisians) together with HEC Paris and ESSEC Business School. Professor Yunus addressed a packed hall of students and faculty to make the point that business schools cannot just train young people to become formidable fighters in the market place to bring the highest profit for the shareholders of the companies for which they will work. Business schools must teach young people how to design and operate social businesses to bring solutions to the problems of the world, including the threatening problem of wealth concentration. Instead of preparing as mercenaries for speeding up of wealth concentration they should be trained to reverse the process to make sure all people of the world can share the wealth equitably.

Caption for Photo: The Olympic 2024 Strategic Committee Meeting was held at Les Canaux in Paris. Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024; Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, Impact Spokesperson 2024; Eric Pliez, President of Les Canaux; Marie Barsacq, Director of Impact and Heritage of Paris 2024; Elisa Yavchitz, Director General Les Canaux; Christophe Divi, Director of Impact 2024; Yoan Noguier, Director of the Yunus Center Paris along with other prominent members attended the meeting in an effort to make Olympic Games 2024 more inclusive.

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