Noble Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrives at the Parliament House in New Delhi yesterday to deliver a speech at Second Prof Hiren Mukherjee Memorial. Photo: PIB, IndiaNobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus yesterday called for creating a well-functioning and visa-free South Asian Union by 2030.
In the union, he envisages, there will be a common flag, alongside the national flags of the member countries, a common currency, and a large area of common domestic and international policies.
In a lecture delivered at the joint meeting of the members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha of India in the Central Hall of Indian Parliament, Yunus also pushed forward a number of targets for the South Asian leaders.
He said the first career choice for every child growing up in South Asia will not be to work for some company but to launch his or her own enterprise.
"Let's dream that by 2030 we'll create a robust financial system to provide easy access to financial services to every single person," Yunus said.
He urged a range of creative and effective social businesses working throughout South Asia to solve social problems.
Yunus hoped South Asia will set up a reliable state-of-the-art healthcare system that will provide affordable services to all people.
Quite upbeat on the region, he said: "Let's dream that by 2030 we'll make South Asia the first poverty-free region of the world. Let's prepare to challenge the world to find a poor person anywhere in South Asia.
"Do all these dreams sound impossible? If they do, that means they are likely to come true if we believe in them and work for them. That's what the history of the last 50 years teaches us."
The Nobel laureate delivered the speech in honour of academician and parliamentarian Prof Hirendranath Mukherjee, better known as Hiren Mukherjee, whose commitment to social justice spanned over 60 years until his death in 2004.
Mukherjee joined the Communist Party of India in 1936 and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kolkata North East constituency for five consecutive terms beginning in 1952.
Yunus' lecture revolved around the role of social business and also social stock markets in making the "dreams" come true.
A social business, he said, is a business where an investor aims to help others without taking any financial gain himself. At the same time, the social business generates enough income to cover its own costs. Any surplus is invested in expansion of the business or for increased benefits to society.
The social business is a non-loss and non-dividend company dedicated entirely to achieving a social goal, he said.
He made clear the sources of fund for such businesses.
One source can easily be the philanthropy money going for creating social businesses but one problem of charity programmes is that they remain perpetually dependent on donations. Charity money goes out to do good things, but that money never comes back, he said.
But if a charity programme can be converted into a social business that supports itself, it becomes a powerful undertaking.
"Now the money invested is recycled endlessly. A charity taka has one life, but a social business taka has endless life. That's the power of social business," Yunus said.
Besides philanthropists, he said, many other people will invest in social businesses just to share the joy of making a difference in other people's lives. People will give not only money but also their creativity, networking skills, technological prowess, life experience, and other resources to create social businesses.
He came up with examples of social businesses he set up.
Some of them are created in partnership with large multinational companies. The first such joint venture with a multinational company was created in 2005, in partnership with the French dairy company, Danone.
The Grameen-Danone social business is aimed at reducing malnutrition among the children of Bangladesh, he said.
As a social business, Grameen-Danone follows the basic principle that it must be self-sustaining, and the owners must remain committed never to take any dividend beyond the return of the original amount they invested.
The success of the company will be judged each year not by the amount of profit generated, but by the number of children getting out of malnutrition in that particular year.
"Many other big companies are now approaching us to create social businesses jointly with us," Yunus said.
Once they become experienced in social business, they will take the concept wherever the need exists, he added.
"We have a joint venture social business with Veolia, a French water company. The Grameen-Veolia Water Company was created to bring safe drinking water in the villages of Bangladesh where arsenic contamination of water is a huge problem. Villagers are buying water from the company at an affordable price."
There are more others--BASF-Grameen, Grameen-Intel, Grameen-Adidas and Grameen-Otto.
About social stock markets, he said: "I am happy to say there are already initiatives in Europe and Japan to create social business funds to provide equity and loan support to social businesses.
"We'll soon need to create a separate stock market for social businesses to make it easy for small investors to invest in social businesses."
Only social businesses will be listed on this social stock market, Muhammad Yunus said, adding that investors will know right from the beginning that they will never receive any dividends when they invest in social stock market.
The dome of the historic Central Hall of Indian Parliament reverberated with repeated clapping during Yunus' over-an-hour-long speech, reports our correspondent in New Delhi.
Among the distinguished listeners of Prof Yunus were Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress party President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Hamid Ansari who is also the chairman of Rajya Sabha, and Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.
As soon as Yunus ended his scripted speech, there was the loudest round of applause from the lawmakers and leaders.
Later, Prof Yunus was seen talking to the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The Indian premier described Prof Yunus as a great visionary and said India has much to learn from him as he had applied his brilliance in reducing the poverty of millions.
Opposition leader LK Advani was also present at the lecture by the noble laureate.
Thursday, December 10, 2009 02:57 AM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
Henry Kissinger's multi-polar world. Then, eventually just one government world. ;)
Thursday, December 10, 2009 04:09 AM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
If only our country understood him,,its unfortunate that he couldnt deliver the same speech to our own national parliament (Because BNP likes him and hence Awami League must dislike him)
Thursday, December 10, 2009 07:25 AM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
Prof Yunus is an institution; the nation can get many things from him. But problem is, we are such a nation, who doesn't want to be prosperous itself. We sincerely should follow his vision, sincerity. I don't know why we are criticising instead of respecting him. We should use him for the betterment of the country. Every citizen has right having vision to make the nation better, prosperous. The person who thinks for the betterment of himself can only criticize Professor Yunus. If some one loves the nation, he or she can not disrespect its one of the best sons like Prof Yunus. May Allah bless us!!!
Assistant Prof
BAU, Mymensingh
Thursday, December 10, 2009 07:25 AM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
I disagree with Dr. Yunus for the following reasons
1. Such a union will limit our orientation to the other Asian nations. We'll become a subject of mutual interests
2. Resources in Southeast Asia are limited. We'll limit our selves to a cage. We'll then intervene in each others factor rationales for own interests
3. We did not fight for our independent to become a part of a common government system
4. We are only looking for a biological and secular identity not something that relates culture. I doubt how we are going to accept nations as Pakistan and Afghanistan in the system or what Mongoloid major Myanmar will expect from the Dravidian or Info Dravidian counterparts
5. Instead of an ASIAN union why should we lean on a regional union?
6. Our inflation rate adjustment will not happen anytime soon
7. As we belong to a unique culture for what had to fight and pay lives
8. India's main agenda is to check China while China's main target is to restraint India in a financial limit. China actively fuel Pakistan to fight against India and make it bleed. On the other hand, most of the Western intelligences are executing campaigns against our regional integrity from the bases as Thailand and Pakistan.
9. Some civilized kingpins always egg nationalism in our region and they will. No wonder what makes them such hyper.
10. An economic union will not only make us a subsystem and a component of the main Indian chassis but also disrupt our growth and unique expedition for the economic prosperity.
11. However, we can form a sub-union apart from a common Asian union that I expect to span from Turkey to the end far Eastern border of China. We can simply go for a subsystem but its better not to match with long engineered EU. It's an impossible dream.
12. If you wanna loose control over resources go for it. India itself is starved. What do you expect from them?
13. It makes no sense to me. I'm sorry!!
Thursday, December 10, 2009 07:38 AM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
Is it possible to change the mindset of the indian politicians by 2030?:With out changing this our position will be like that of before 1971 while we were with Pakistan.Even today in 2009 there is big brotherly attitude of them towards us.We have seen behaviour of them regarding Tipaimukh,Talpatti,Ganges water sharing etc.So Nobel laureate`s dream should be a dream not a reality.Can we forget the deeds they have done towards our ancestors?Possibly no.Prof Yunus is a visionary personality.But his this dream should not come to be true.Sir, you spend your time for the betterment of your people not of others.
Thursday, December 10, 2009 08:50 AM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
welcome the idea!
basically going back to pre1947. isnt it?
while it is dreamt, at the same time a framework and continuous learning or education is needed as to how these diverse population would live together while there would free movements and so on.
Thursday, December 10, 2009 09:24 AM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
It's very heartening going through this article. It speaks how Prof. M. Yunus is dreaming to bring whole of South Asia togather in a common platform.
Thursday, December 10, 2009 10:19 AM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
Manmohan Singh of India have lots of things to learn form Prof Muhammad Younus but we don't have. We (political leadrs) promise not to learn any lesson from anyone other than history and death person. We can use him branding our coutry along with expansion of tourism, built deep sea port and proverty reduction. If we honour our best men we will not lose. It will help to built other best men of the world from our community.
Thursday, December 10, 2009 12:51 PM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
We really proud for him.
Thursday, December 10, 2009 12:52 PM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
It is in deed a great moment for Bengali & Bangladesh. A Bengali Nobel Laureate have lectured in the joint session of world largest democratic institution in the honor of another Great Bengali, Prof. Hiren Mukerjee. In all account Prof. Yunus is unparallel.
A visionary, a Philanthropist by heart, a simple and most dignified soul, a robust worker. Bangladesh is immensely proud of him.
Thursday, December 10, 2009 03:03 AM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
Yunus is obsessed by Christian Boys' club Europe. Turkey or the past Ottoman Empire applied to join in EU 60 years back. EU came out with meaningless causes to hinder Turkey's access. Forget about the Balkan nations.
EU's main motto is to check China's 21st century domination.
Anyways, unity is O.K as long our interests are not exploited.
I gave a speech last week on India and China relationship. My counterpart a Chinese gov. rep. mentioned that China will continue to dominate over India's interests with water sharing tricks. Tibet is India's central nervous point.
Also, India will never become a true global power because India doesn't have a direct access to North America and EU unlike China. China can move its freights through the Pacific routes; while, India and subcontinental nations need to use Straight of Malacca, Hormuz ~ Gulf of Aden, Suez, Panama whatsoever.
Dr. Yunus is mimicking the same words as Henry Kissinger. Is he a neo-classical prophet of hyper-capitalism?
Thursday, December 10, 2009 02:48 PM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
Dr. Yunus is a visionary with large heart equal of which would be rare in his audience. I remember the reaction of Indian Home Minister recently when he was asked to comment on some Bangladeshis being suspected of involvement in terrorist activities in India. He expressed his angered dismay at the large (?) number of Bangladeshis getting visa to travel to India. How was his feeling when the great Noble Laureate was dreaming of visa-free region? I am afraid political leaders of this region cannot yet be as open minded as those of Europe and elsewhere. Their narrow-mindedness will keep our countries on the verge of turmoil for more time to come.
Thursday, December 10, 2009 05:47 PM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
With all due respect to Prof Muhammad Yonus, I think his dream of a union of South Asian is too early to be visioned.
Following are the reasons:-
1. Compared to EU, it will have over a dozen of religions. Look, Turkey is still struggling to join EU.
2. Population at large in all of these countries are illiterate.
3. Our political leaders do not talk to each other, even feels shy to say 'Hello' to each other!!
4. Our political leaders are ill educated in most cases or have never stepped in to the stairs of any University.
5. We still could not recover the land from India that we are supposed to get in exchange for the land that we have had already given to them.
6. We still do not like to share natural resources that are meant to flow unobstructed beyond boundaries and end up in the sea.
Mr. Younus, I am not against your dream but it is too premature.
Thursday, December 10, 2009 05:56 PM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
Dr Yunus' is good but South Asia is the wrong part of the world such good ideas.
India is not trusted by any of the nations. From Nepal to Bhutan to China the entire region distrusts India.
India distrusts the entire region. India wants to ensure the the entire region is unstable, underdeveloped so that it can dominate.
Sorry, Dr Yunus. A good and noble like yourself deserves a better region to plant your ideas.
Thursday, December 10, 2009 09:01 PM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
There is perhaps a discernable trend in the world to understand each other, in other words, to accept other with the otherness. But war, vanity, arrogance also frequently moves us backward. So union of people in a common goal is hard to achieve. But such goal is worthy of pursuing.
Dr Yunus is a doer. We may not agree with him on all his ideas. But we must not deny his contribution in doing things that we cannot do ourselves.
It probably is a big misunderstanding that is pro BNP. Because he toyed with the idea of breaking the duopoly in Bangladesh politics, so he is so disliked particularly by our parochial political elite. It is a right for any individual to form opinion or party of his liking. He need not be denigrated or vilified because he expressed his views.
Thursday, December 10, 2009 10:38 PM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
Mr. Siddqui, you actually agreed with Dr. Yunus.
Thursday, December 10, 2009 11:35 PM GMT+06:00 (204 weeks ago)
We've a man with a dream, a vision, a concept to achieve it. His vision might well one day lead the world out of greedy capitalism toward a humane economic system. I'm srongly in fabour of South Asian integration, economic-cultural and political. Peace brings in prosperity. Thanks Prof. Yunus for giving us a vision, a dream.