Yunus Centre Press Release (11 June 2022)

Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus came to Rome on June 5, 2022 at the invitation of Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri. They met  on the following day at the city hall Palazzo Senatorio on the Capitoline Hill. Mr. Gualtieri was previously the Minister of Economy and Finances and member of the European Parliament where he chaired the influential Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee.

The Mayor requested Muhammad Yunus to help the city in designing the concept of Expo 2030.  Rome is a bidding city, where the Republic of Korea, Italy, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia and Russia are bidding countries.

Former Italian diplomat, Guiseppe Scognamiglio, Director General of the Bid Committee Expo 2030 Roma was also present. He emphasised the importance of the proposed theme and how it ties in with Rome’s history and future and then highlighted the city’s characteristics and its aims for the future.

Nicola Zingaretti, Governor of Lazio,  met with Professor Yunus to discuss about his global campaign to have the Covid 19 Vaccine as a Global Common Good. Zingaretti was one of the first signatories of the global campaign launched by Professor Yunus . 

Governor Zingaretti expressed interest in hosting a Global Conference in Rome with all the 153 signatories of the global Appeal which included former heads of states and governments, Nobel Laureates and celebrities. The main purpose of the conference would be to reignite the global efforts towards vaccine access. Yunus mentioned creating social business pharmaceutical companies  would lead the way to bring end to vaccine apartheid.  Zingaretti highlighted a few examples his government has taken to bring healthcare to low income people.

Caption for Photo 1: Yunus meets Governor Zingaretti, Governor  of Lazio,  in his office in Rome, on June 6, 2022, to discuss Yunus's global campaign to make the Covid 19 vaccine a Global Common Good.  Governor Zingaretti was a signatory to the Appeal made by Professor Yunus in 2021 to make Covid vaccine patent-free. Governor Zingaretti agreed to join an initiative to hold a global conference this year to pursue this goal.

Caption for Photo 2: Meeting with Mayor of Rome, Italy, June 6, 2022. Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, Mayor of Rome, invited Nobel Laureate  Professor Muhammad Yunus, to come to Rome, to have a discussion on the theme of Expo 2030.  Yunus's idea of building a new civilization captured his imagination. Before the formal meeting  on the Expo 2030, the Mayor took time to explain the landmarks of Roman history around the office chamber of the Mayor from balcony of his office.

 
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