Lesson from Professor Muhammad Yunus

In the One Young World Summit, we all are born after 1984 and before 1987 representing 192 countries to discuss on the global issues that are ignored. Like some others delegates I was lucky enough to find sponsor and attend the program.

We created a resolution and passed the below resolution.

1.The Environment and its Protection Task Force
In the belief that climate change will seriously affect future generations, we call upon:
Governments to take more deliberate, legislative action to help guarantee that appropriate carbon emissions reduction targets are both agreed and met by 2020.

2.Media - its changing Identity and Power Task Force
In the belief that freedom of speech is promotes a successful society, we call upon:
The media to use its influence and power to help protect truth and personal freedom.
3.Developing Leadership for a Positive Future Task Force
In the belief that upholding human rights is essential, we call upon:
Our political leaders to make clear their stance on humanitarian issues before we consider our support for them.

4.Global Business and its Role in shaping society Task Force
In the belief that multinational corporations have a fundamental responsibility to behave ethically, we call upon:
Global businesses to define and act on their role in the fight against poverty.

5.The Global Health Agenda Task Force
In the belief that all humans have the right to healthcare and nutrition, we call upon:
Businesses, governments and civil society to work together more effectively to prioritize spreading information about and providing access to good healthcare and nutrition.

1. Interfaith Dialogue:
   In the belief that war must never be carried out in the name of religion, we call upon: Leaders and followers of all faiths to unequivocally commit to deliver peace amongst nations, races and creeds.

I will write about the program later but today I will focus on my dream and how I was inspired from the One Young World Summit. One of the delegates from Beijing said that “it’s not the end, it’s just the beginning. There’s work, hard work to be done” while meeting her in the summit. The resolution was created by the youth and about 700 youth voted for the resolution to pass. All the counselors and speakers were inspiring but the one who was the most inspiring speaker ever I found in the summit for me even from my childhood is Dr. Muhammad Yunus. From his inspiration, I opened the micro finance in my country without knowing about the concept of micro finance because most of the Professor Yunus used to say “Sometimes not knowing is a blessing because knowing create a mind set in your mind and you cannot get out from this mess.” I didn’t have any concept of banking and micro finance but I created just like Professor Yunus. However, I got opportunity to listen the talk in front of my eyes about his micro finance only this year.

One young world provides me such wonderful opportunities to link with my ideal person. Professor Yunus point out that when business men are so focused on making money and they disappeared after they succeed. He said that if you are so focused of the money you will forget about other issues which are hampering others from your business. I think this is true that is what our previous generation is doing from years and years so we, our generation , have to change this system because this is creating a mess in the world and according to Yunus that is why the numbers of poor people are increasing day by day. His every word was so inspiring but I remembered some of his sentence “Big things are good to have in mind, but I always think from the smallest things. If you can have impact on one person, then you can multiply the effect and succeed.” That is what we all young people have to do to bring change in our community. While talking about this microfinance, I remembered his sentence saying “Microfinance flourished whilst the major banks were collapsing.” I think this is what we all have to think to bring the positive change in our community. I know still some researcher’s critics the work of Professor Yunus but we should not take it negatively. We have to earn from others critics about our work.

The example of social enterprise that is created by Professor Yunus for children in Bangladesh not only improves the heath of those children but will also provide opportunity for unemployed. As a son of Chittagong, Professor Yunus realized that many rickshaw pullers were unable to buy a pair of shoes and have various types of disease in their leg. Therefore, the most fascinating aim for the future is that now he is in the process to produce a pair of shoes for poor people of Bangladesh with the collaboration of Adidas. The shoes can be bought in less than a $1. Finally he concluded his speech saying that “The world is made by ideas, not theories. We make the rules, and we can change the rules. We should keep reinventing ourselves”. This si what we all have to learn from the profesor Yunus speech. What I have seen is when we made one rule, we think that, that is the best rule ever in the world. Actually the professor speech says that it’s not true and I do agree with Yunus. We have to change the rule according to the time so that the rule will fulfill the desire of the time.

If you want to watch the speech of the Yunus please follow the below link and you can find others counselors speech as well.