YUNUS MEETS NEW UN SECRETARY GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES
Yunus Centre Press Release (Davos, January 22 ,2017):
Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus was invited to a specially organised meeting of the UN SDG Advocates in Davos on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum to meet the new UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
The meeting was attended by the SDG Advocates who were present at the WEF in Davos. They included Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway, Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever and Ambassador Dho of Korea and Professor Yunus. The Secretary General sought the Advocates advice on the ways in which the Advocates can promote the goals to help the UN achieve the SDGs by 2030. He wanted their advice on how he as the UN Secretary General can facilitate their work.
The Advocates each gave their suggestions on the best way to move forward. Yunus strongly recommended that efforts should be focussed on mobilising the women. the youth and civil society in general by building awareness among them and spurring them into action towards the SDGs. He especially proposed that UN SG may regularly address young people at universities as a way to get youth aware and involved in the SDGs briefing them on the accomplishment made in leading countries and the tasks ahead. His addresses at the universities may be covered in the press extensively. Guterres thanked Professor Yunus for his comments and praised him for his contributions in poverty reduction that he has long been an admirer of.
Professor Yunus during WEF week in Davos attended a number of events focussed on the SDGs. He addressed a special breakfast meeting of global infuencers organized by film maker Richard Curtis and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver who are working to reach the message of the SDGs to the widest possible audience using their platform and celebrity. Yunus mentioned that while marketing the SDGs was important it had to be supported by work on the ground to achieve the goals by 2030. He explained the work of the social businesses operating in Bangladesh and around the world and through the new entrepreneurs program in Bangladesh which is turning unemployed youth into entrepreneurs. He explained his focus on three zeroes - zero poverty, zero unemployment and zero net carbon emissions.
He also met with Thomas Gass the Assistant Secretary General of the UN who is the focal point of the UN SDG Advocacy Group and had an interview on SDG Live at the UN Partnership Space in Davos
Photo Caption - 1: Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus is exchanging greetings with the new UN Secretary General, Mr Antonio Guterres during the meeting of the UN SDG Advocates in Davos on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. Photo: Yunus Centre
Photo Caption - 2: Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus is seen along with UN Secretary General and UN SDG Advocates in Davos on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. Photo: Yunus Centre
Source: Yunus Centre
Updated Date: 25th January, 2017