Yunus Speaks at Parliamentary Breakfast in the German Parliament

Yunus Centre Press Release (04 June 2022)

With Prof. Dr. Rita Suessmuth (born 1937), a long time friend and supporter of Yunus's programmes, came to meet Professor Yunus to hear him speak. She is the former two term President (Speaker) of German Parliament, November 1988 – October 1998 and Federal Minister of Family Affairs, Women, Youth and Senior Citizens; September 1985 – November 1988. She is a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)

Nobel Laureate Professor Yunus was invited to a Parliamentary Breakfast at the Bundestag (German Parliament) on June 2 by Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Research, Mario Brandenburg. He moderated the hour-long discussion during the breakfast.  The breakfast was attended by 10 parliament members from diverse political parties. Yunus was invited to speak on the current trend in rise in poverty, impact of pandemic on the low income people, impact of Ukrainian war, and the experiences of application of social business concept in addressing these issues.

 

Yunus highlighted the collapse of the global system in bringing vaccines to the people of low income countries. He pleaded with the parliament members to support the campaign to make vaccine a common good by withdrawing intellectual property right. He also shared his proposal to create social business pharmaceutical companies to bring vaccines and medicines to all people at affordable prices.

 

Parliamentary Secretary Mario Brandenburg told the participants that he has already submitted a proposal in which he called for a greater governmental support for social business entrepreneurship. All MPs present acknowledged that entrepreneurially driven social business can go a long way in solving social problems.

 

Among the MPs present were  Dr. Holger Becker (SPD), MP Frank Muller-Rosentritt (FDP), MP Sandra Bubendorfer-Licht (FDP), MP Volkmar Klein (CDU), MP Dr. Christiane Schenderlein (CDU), MP Alexander Radwan (CSU) and MP Canan Bayram (Bundnis 90/Die Grunen).

 

Professor Yunus is visiting Berlin to attend the tenth anniversary celebration of Yunus Social Business (YSB) a company created in Berlin ten years back to promote social businesses around the world. The company headed by Saskia Bruyesten operates in Brazil, India, Colombia, Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda help create social businesses in these countries. YSB has supported around 2070 social businesses in 5 countries with USD 18 million disbursed capital, creating employment of 1.3 million income earners and engaging atleast 17.8 million customers.

 

Tenth year celebration was held on June 2 attended by 150 people coming from all the  countries where YSB operates, and supporters of YSB in Germany and other Europeans countries, corporate leaders,  senior executives of YSBs in all countries where it operates, and media representatives. Yunus expressed his happiness that YSB which was initiated by two German young women fresh out of university  in their late 20s with no funds,  has  reached so many people around the globe. YSB delegates shared their achievements and plans for the next decade.

 

Yunus left Berlin on June 3 for Trento, Italy to speak at the "Trento Festival of Economics", a global economic conference on social entrepreneurship for sustainable economic development.

 


 Yunus addressing the gathering in Berlin on june 2 on the occasion of 10th Year Anniversary of the company Yunus Social Business

Caption for Photo 3 : Yunus at the discussion during the breakfast meeting in German Parliament. Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Research, Mr Mario Brandenburg who is moderating the meeting is to the left of Professor Yunus.

 

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