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Yunus Centre Press Release (05 April,2019)

Professor Yunus was taken on a tour of the Municipal Market of Kypseli by Maria Stratigaki, Vice Mayor of Athens in charge of Social Solidarity and Welfare & Equality to be given an introduction to Greek social entrepreneurship ecosystem.

The Municipal Market of Kypseli is the first Social Market in Greece that hosts the most successful Greek social enterprises, operated by Global Impact Hub Network, which is a social business created in Vienna with the inspiration from Professor Yunus. It has presence in many countries around the world.

While touring the social market, Professor Yunus had a meeting with 20 young Greek social entrepreneurs where the latter presented innovative ideas to him.

On the same day, Professor Yunus visited the Archeological Museum of Athens, which stands on top of Greek ruins. He was received by the Director of the museum who gave an introduction to the museum. He deputed one of his colleagues to give a guided tour of the museum and Acropolis, an ancient citadel located on a rocky hill overseeing the city of Athens.

On the same day, Professor Yunus met the President of Greece, H. E. Mr. Prokopis Pavlopoulos at the Presidential Palace. They discussed about unemployment and microcredit in Greece.

Next event for Professor Yunuds was signing ceremony of an Agreement among 9 leading food companies of Greece. Professor Yunus launched the initiative called "Karpos Frontidas" (Produced With Care) an innovative Greek social business initiative aimed to support local farmers and the young unemployed in a depressed region of Greece. Professor Yunus called the initiative the "Coalition For New Life".

Professor Yunus went to Delphi to give a keynote address at the World Human at the European Cultural Center on the theme of social business to transform the global economic system.

He was given a tour of temple of Delphi which is globally known for its famous “Oracle of Delphi".

Returning to Athens Professor Yunus addressed the opening session of the Convergence conference at Olympia Theater “Maria Callas”. This was attended by the leader of opposition in the parliament, among many leading social and political leaders.

On 2 April, 2019, Professor Yunus was given an Honorary Doctorate  of the Faculty of Economics and Political Science of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in a traditional ceremony attended by Deans, faculty, students, and important members of the city. In his address Professor Yunus highlighted how wrong concepts and theories bring disasters for human beings. He said the world is heading for disaster because we cling to wrong perceptions about beings.  National and Kapodistrian University of Athens was created in 1837 and is the oldest higher education institution of the modern Greek state. Professor Andreas Papandreou from the University of Athens introduced Professor Yunus by giving a detailed analysis of his contribution to the theory and philosophy of economics. This is the 62nd Honorary Doctorate for Professor Yunus.

An important meeting took place between Professor Yunus and Xenophon Kappas, CEO of the known Foundation of Greece, known as,  Captain Vassilis et Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation at Hotel Electra. The Foundation invited Professor Yunus to establish social business programme for their region, particularly in agriculture, with funding from the foundation. Yunus agreed to send a team to formulate some of these social businesses.

Professor Yunus went on an enthralling tour of the ancient city of Olympia at the invitation of the President of International Olympic Academy located in Olympia and established by International Olympic Committee. He was received by the President of the Academy Mr Isidoros Kouvelos. He hosted a formal dinner in honour of Professor Yunus. He thanked Professor Yunus for guiding the athletic world to focus on social issues, and for participating in designing Paris Olympic 2024 as a social business Olympic.

In the morning of April 3, Professor Yunus was taken by President Isidoros to the serene spot where Lighting Ceremony of Olympic Torch for each Modern Olympics is held before the global media. They stood in silence before the memorial of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the Founder of modern Olympics.  His heart is buried under the memorial. Then Professor Yunus was invited to plant an olive tree near the memorial for Baron Pierre de Coubertin honoring Professor Yunus for his contribution to Olympic movement.

President of the Academy and Professor Yunus agreed to launch a joint programme in the Academy for promoting social business for sports.

During this visit, he was given a guided tour of the ancient site of Olympia where ancient Greece held Olympic Games for 1,250 year, and the museum on the history and culture of ancient Olympia, by the Dean of the International Olympic Academy, Konstantinos Georgiadis.


Caption for Photo 1: On 1 April, 2019, Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and the President of Greece, H.E. Mr. Prokopis Pavlopoulos at the Presidential Mansion, with of two Professors of The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and Mr Jean-Luc Perron for Convergence conference.

Caption for Photo 2: On 2 April, 2019, Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus with Professor Andreas Papandreou, Dean of Faculty of Economics and Political Science, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Honorary Doctor of the Faculty of Economics and Political Science was awarded to Professor Yunus in an elaborate academic ceremony.

Caption for Photo 3: On 2 April, 2019, Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus was made the Honorary Doctor of the Faculty of Economics and Political Science of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens during his visit to Greece. This is the 62nd Honorary Degree for Professor Yunus.

Caption for Photo 4: Professor Muhammad Yunus is seen with the President of the International Olympic Academy, Isidoros Kouvelos while he is planting an olive tree on the side of the monument to Barron Pierre de Coubertin, the Founder of the modern Olympic movement. Olympic Games took place in this site for 1,250 years in ancient Greece.

Caption for Photo 5: Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus with the President of International Olympic Academy (on the right of Professor Yunus) along with the high officials at the Olympic Academy, Greece, on 3rd April, 2019. This is the site where Olympic Torch gets the flame at the launching ceremony of Olympics with a grand cultural event in the presence of global media every four years.

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