¶¶Òõ¾«Æ·

Chief adviser to the interim government professor Muhammad Yunus on Saturday said that the youth and students should be placed at the heart of strategies in the Global South as they were committed to creating a new world.

‘We must place the youth and students, who constitute a significant portion of the Global South’s population, at the heart of our strategies. Two thirds of our population are youth. They are the most powerful segment of the society,’ he said.

The chief adviser was virtually addressing the inaugural leaders’ session of the Third Voice of Global South Summit 2024 hosted by India.

He said that the youth were different, capable and technologically far ahead of the previous generation.

Professor Yunus said that the education and financial systems were built only for creating job seekers and providing jobs for them, so the systems should be redesigned.

‘We hope we can do it together in the Global South, which is rich with fantastically creative young population. Combining entrepreneurship with social business can create miracles. We would like to propose some common facilities in the Global South to take coordinated efforts to unleash the creativity and energy of our young population through social business.’

He said that Bangladesh witnessed a ‘Second Revolution’ on August 5, through a mass uprising, spearheaded by its valiant students and joined by the masses.

‘Our young generation has impressed upon the people their aspirations for a revolutionary change, restoration of all institutions of the state to ensure democracy and human rights through a meaningful reform. Our government is committed to ensuring a transition to inclusive and pluralistic democracy and create an environment in which free, fair and participatory elections can be held,’ he continued.

‘The global south must work together to ensure Sustainable Future for our Mother Earth.’

‘We can start with a vision of building a world of three zeroes—zero net carbon emissions, zero wealth concentration, and zero unemployment. If we give an important place for social businesses, that is businesses which are created solely for fixing social and environmental problems, we can set our path to create a world of three zeros,’ he added.

Professor Yunus, also Nobel Peace Laureate, urged the leaders of the Global South to work together for creating social businesses to address all environmental and social problems.

‘We must ensure financial services for all people, particularly women and youth. We can learn from each other how this can be done successfully.’

‘Being old should not mean that you have to retire, withdraw yourself from economic activities. Human creativity never stops on a date fixed by the state. It doesn’t stop until the last breath. We may work together to see how to make societies supportive of creativity of all people as long they live,’ he said.

The Nobel Laureate said that he had been encouraging the power of sports to be utilised for social purposes as he was glad Paris Olympics 2024 paid attention to it.

‘Our task is now to carry out vital reforms in our electoral system, judiciary, local government, media, economy and education,’ said the chief adviser.

Inviting all to visit Dhaka soon so that they do not miss something important, he said that much of Dhaka had turned into the graffiti capital of the world, while young students and children, aged 12-13, had been painting the walls of this 400-year-old city with images of a New Democratic environment-friendly Bangladesh.

Mentioning that there is no central planning or guidance for that and no budget support from anybody, Yunus said that it was just an outpouring of their emotions and commitment to the goals of the Second Revolution.

‘They approach the shopkeepers to buy paints and brushes for them. They make up their own subject and own messages. Messages, they are painting, will thrill anybody. Anybody can read in them what the youth are dreaming of. It is our job to make their dreams come true,’ he said.

He said that in 1952, the Bangladeshi students sacrificed their lives for their mother tongue and it inspired struggles for the right to speak in mother language all over the world.

‘Some seven decades later, our students-led Second Revolution is inspiring youth throughout the Global South to raise their voice for democracy, human rights, dignity, equality and shared prosperity. I am honoured to be the oldest ‘young person’ to take part in this revolution and help them make their dreams come true. They need support from all of you,’ he said, wishing them all the success.

Professor Yunus extended his heartfelt felicitations to the people of India for the country’s 78th Independence Day, which was celebrated on August 15.