He underlined the urgency of stopping the process to let human beings survive saying time is running out very fast.
“We must act decisively and very fast,” said the Nobel Laureate while addressing top industrialists of Russia in Moscow.
A dinner party was hosted in honour of Prof Yunus by the Chairman of Chamber of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Russia in Moscow, said a press release on Saturday.
Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus with First deputy Governor of Bank of Russia Ksenia Yudaeva. Photo: Courtesy
Prof Yunus was given a guided tour of the famous Moscow Museum called ‘Collection’, founded by David Lakobachvili.
This museum claims to hold the largest private collections in the world, which contains more than 20,000 items of global cultural heritage.
Prof Yunus was invited by the Governor of the Central Bank of Russia to address the 28th International Finance Conference in St Petersburg.
On his way to St Petersburg an elaborate programme was organised for him in Moscow by Microfinance Association of Russia and Our Future Foundation.
Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus with former deputy minister of finance and current Chairman of the Account Chamber Alexei Leonidovich Kudrin. Photo: Courtesy
The focus of the programme was addressing the International Social Business Day celebration.
This included a press conference on social business addressed by the leaders of microfinance and social businesses and Deputy Minister of Economic Development.
The International Social Business Day (ISBD) is celebrated in Russia every year on June 28, following the initiative of Yunus Centre in Bangladesh.
It is celebrated nationally since 2013. The events arranged this year on this day brought together social entrepreneurs, senior authorities, public organisations and passionate stakeholders who want to tackle underlying issues plaguing our society.
Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus with chair and members of chamber of Industrialists and entrepreneurs, Rusia. Photo: Courtesy
Since 2013, 518 events in 67 regions have been hosted, involving more than half a million people in Russia.
Launching of Prof Yunus’s book “A World of Three Zeros” in the Russian language was the part of the celebration.
A special edition of the book was printed for this occasion which was jointly sponsored by the Microfinance Association of Russia, and Our Future Foundation.
Prof Yunus had lunch with Prof Mikhail Eskindarov, Rector of the Financial University of Russia, one of the leading Russian Universities.
He was joined by Deputy Rectors. The Rector announced his decision to set up a Yunus Social Business Centre (YSBC) in the University.
As part of these annual events roundtables, social business design contests, seminars, workshops, lectures, open door days for social projects take place all over Russia.
Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus with former Deputy Speaker of Russian Parliament. Photo: Courtesy
The Agency for strategic initiatives, OPORA Russia, Business Russia, Russian Chamber of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and the leading educational institutions of the country act as partners of these celebrations.
Our Future Foundation and Microfinance Association of Russia play central role in organizing the annual celebration.
The major topic of discussion at the conference this year was ‘Review of results of the International Social Business Day celebrations in Russia’ – where the future of social entrepreneurship development in Russian regions in relation to the legal status of social entrepreneurship and social businesses was discussed.
Along with Prof Yunus, other eminent speakers at the event included Sergei Katyrin, President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, Natalia Zvereva, Director of ‘Our Future Foundation’ as well as Director of the Fund for regional social programmes Vadim Zhivulin, Deputy minister of economic development of the Russian Federation; Mikhail Mamuta, Head, Service for Consumer Protection and Financial Inclusion, Bank of Russia; Dmitry Sazonov, Member of the State Duma (Russian Parliament), deputy chairman of the Committee on economic policy, industry, innovation development and entrepreneurship.