Yunus urges action for three zeros

Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus on Saturday called on social business practitioners from around the world to renew their commitment to building a world of “three zeros”, saying imagination, innovation and collective action are essential to addressing global challenges.

Speaking at the opening of the 16th Social Business Day, organised by the Yunus Centre and Grameen Group at the Samajik Convention Centre in Zirabo, Savar, Prof Yunus described the annual gathering as a platform for participants to exchange ideas, inspire one another and strengthen the global social business movement.

“We gather together again on Social Business Day and talk to each other, getting inspired by each other’s work.

Our batteries are completely recharged, ready to go and take the whole world with us,” he said.

Expressing confidence in the future of social business, Prof Yunus said the movement offers practical solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

“If the world has to survive, we will win. We’ll make sure the world becomes a world of three zeros,” he said, referring to his long-standing vision of zero poverty, zero unemployment and zero net carbon emissions.

He urged participants never to abandon their dreams of creating a better world, describing imagination as humanity’s greatest strength.

“Imagine the world that we want in detail, and just keep on imagining, and it will happen. That has a strange power,” he said, while stressing that imagination must be matched by sustained action.

Prof Yunus also called for a fundamental transformation of the education system, arguing that schools and universities should nurture creative entrepreneurs and problem-solvers rather than graduates whose primary goal is securing employment.

“Human beings are not born to work for somebody else,” he said, adding that every individual possesses the capacity to innovate and contribute to solving social problems.

He criticised what he described as a conventional education system that limits creativity and entrepreneurial thinking, saying it often takes pride in producing job seekers rather than job creators.

To support that vision, Prof Yunus announced the establishment of Grameen University in Bangladesh as a social business university dedicated to advancing the goals of zero poverty, zero unemployment and zero net carbon emissions.

He said applicants would be required to submit essays outlining the kind of world they aspire to create, placing imagination and creativity at the centre of the university’s educational philosophy.

Prof Yunus also congratulated Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on his election as President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, expressing hope that his tenure would bring further distinction to Bangladesh.

Welcoming delegates from across the globe, he noted that Japan sent the largest overseas delegation to this year’s event, followed by Pakistan and Malaysia, and encouraged participants to continue working together to advance the global social business movement.

The opening ceremony was also addressed by Lamiya Morshed, Executive Director of the Yunus Centre, Ashraful Hassan, Chairman of the Grameen Group, and Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, Chairman of Grameen Bank. Video messages were delivered by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and President José Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste.

The two-day conference has brought together entrepreneurs, policymakers, academics, innovators, business leaders and young participants from around the world.

This year’s theme is “Social Business: The Language of Peace in a Fractured World.”

The programme includes five plenary sessions and seven breakout sessions featuring keynote speeches, innovation showcases, country forums and networking events focusing on poverty, healthcare, financial inclusion, climate action, education, food security and youth empowerment.

Lamiya Morshed said Social Business Day provides a platform for exchanging ideas, sharing experiences and developing innovative solutions to social and economic challenges.

The Yunus Centre also noted that 2026 marks two significant milestones for the Grameen movement—the 50th anniversary of Grameen Bank and the 20th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize awarded jointly to Professor Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank.

It said the anniversaries offer an opportunity not only to celebrate past achievements but also to reflect on opportunities missed in advancing the social business movement.