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Yunus Gives Public Lecture at Autonomous University of Mexico

23 Jun, 2019

Fig: Yunus Gives Public Lecture at Autonomous University of Mexico

Yunus Centre Press Release (23 June, 2019)

Mexico, June 17, 2019

While visiting Mexico at the invitation of the President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. of Mexico during June 15 to 18, Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus delivered a public lecture on 17 June at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the oldest Mexican public university. The University prides itself that 70% of the Presidents, including the present President, and cabinet ministers, leading business leaders came out of the alumni of this University over half a century of its history. Professor was welcomed at the event by the Academic Director and the Dean of Sciences of the university. The lecture was attended by leading citizens of the city, political and social leaders, academics and over 700 students. Professor Yunus shared his experience in creating Grameen Bank and introducing the concept of microcredit locally and globally. He described his experience of setting up microcredit programmes in Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Puebla States of Mexico during the nineties. Bangladeshi young experts of microcredit worked along with local youths to reach out to poor women in remote mountainous areas of Mexico. He also narrated his experience of setting up of Grameen America in 15 cities of US. It has now 120,000 borrowers, all women. They received over a billion dollars in loans with no collateral but maintaining over 99% repayment rate. He said 70% of Grameen America borrowers all over the US are Mexican immigrants.

He explained the current theory of economics cannot solve the economic and social problems of the world. Economics, he said, although is known as a social science, it is actually a very individual-profit centric science, devoid of any social vision.

He said his experience led him to believe that all human beings have endless creative power. But economic theory leads young people to accept that job is their only destiny. He said job kills creativity. Natural human being is an entrepreneur, not job seeker. Economics pushed the world in a disaster path by creating untamed global warming through single-minded pursuit personal profit, wealth concentration of extreme proportion. He told the students that they are the most powerful generation in human history. He urged them to use their technological power and creativity to create a new world.

He challenged the young people to take charge of their future and the future of the world. They do not have to wait for guidance and instructions from their elders. They can see the world’s problems in much clearer ways than their elders whose eyes are contaminated by the theoretical economics.

He highlighted the urgency of the drastic actions that are needed to be taken in the context of the climate crisis. He pointed out that the world is left with hardly 30 years to get the environment fixed. If we do not work to limit the global temperature within 2 degree Celsius in the next 30 years, we would reach the point of no return, and humanity would face extinction. The time to act is now, and he urged the young people with all their powers to get into action ignoring the voice of the personal profit-centric business world.

The public lecture was followed by a dialogue between Professor Yunus and four successful Mexican social entrepreneurs working in water supply, reviving indigenous arts and crafts, renewable energy and housing. They discussed what is needed to get more people involved in creating social businesses, also about challenges faced. Prof Yunus said in social business one should always start small. If at first an idea did not work he advised not to abandon it. It needed patience and creativity to find the social business solution to a social problem. One must be determined to find the solution that works. Young people are now the only hope to save the world. Older generation has failed to do it.

UNAM university announced that they plan to set up a Yunus Social Business Centre very soon to pursue the path of social business to create a new world based on harmony and sharing.

Caption for Photos : Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus delivered a public lecture on 17 June at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the oldest Mexican public university. UNAM university announced that they plan to set up a Yunus Social Business Centre very soon to pursue the path of social business to create a new world based on harmony and sharing.

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Yunus Gives Public Lecture at Autonomous University of Mexico

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