Social Business Day Returned to Bangladesh After Seven Years

(中央社訊息服務20250716 14:46:35)The Foundation for Yunus Social Business Taiwan was established with the authorization of Professor Muhammad Yunus, 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Chief Advisor of the interim government of Bangladesh, and to the Foundation. The Foundation has long been dedicated to promoting the global 3ZERO vision—Zero Net Carbon Emissions, Zero Poverty, and Zero Unemployment—through the advancement of social business initiatives. This year, the Yunus Centre Bangladesh will return to Samajik Convention Centre in Bangladesh to host the 15th Social Business Day, hoping to bring together experts and scholars in the field of social enterprises from around the world to discuss the latest trends in sustainability and the solutions promoted by various countries for the 3ZERO goals, solve social problems, and build a sustainable future.

The event attracted over 1,400 participants from nearly 40 countries, including 180 international delegates. Professor Yunus, in his capacity as Chief Advisor to the interim government (equivalent to Prime Minister), delivered the opening address: “We are seed planters—nurturing and protecting seeds until they grow into strong trees. We must also inspire and embrace one another, and encourage action. Even with limited capabilities, change begins once we take the first step. Imagination knows no boundaries and carries no cost. Let this Social Business Day not only transform a single country but inspire the world. Let’s make it happen—together!”

Other keynote speakers included Ismail Serageldin, former Vice President of the World Bank, and Erik Solheim, former Executive Director of the UN Environment Program and former Norwegian Minister of Environment and Climate.

Philippa Tsai, President of the Foundation for Yunus Social Business Taiwan, was invited to speak on a panel titled "Empowering Youth Through Entrepreneurship", alongside representatives from Canada, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and India. She shared the Foundation’s achievements over the past decade, including the establishment of Yunus Social Business Centres (YSBCs) at 14 universities across Taiwan. The Foundation also organizes the Yunus Innovation Awards annually to encourage youth entrepreneurship aimed at solving social issues. For youth who are not yet ready to start their own ventures, the Foundation launched the 3ZERO Activist competition—currently open for submissions—to offer a platform for young people to present action plans through the formation of 3ZERO Clubs. Philippa emphasized her belief that “when young people are given the right stage, even small ideas can grow into significant impact.”

On the evening of June 28, a private celebration was held at Professor Yunus’s residence to mark his 85th birthday. The intimate gathering was attended by just over 20 distinguished international delegates. Philippa Tsai, President of the Foundation for Yunus Social Business Taiwan, was invited to attend along with two team members. Guests joined together to sing “Happy Birthday” to Professor Yunus, creating a warm and joyful atmosphere that fostered meaningful cross-border friendships. Please access the link for Watch the birthday celebration video.

Ranny Chen, Deputy Director of the Foundation, also spoke at a panel with education experts from Portugal, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Bangladesh. The session focused on the importance of integrating social business education into mainstream curricula. She shared Taiwan’s experience in launching the Grameen School program, which leverages government and community resources to empower seniors and disadvantaged groups to pursue a “second life” through entrepreneurship.

Looking ahead, the Foundation will partner with the Ministry of Education and National Chin-Yi University of Technology to launch the ”Third Life University” in the second half of the year. This initiative will introduce sustainable lifelong learning solutions to help older adults address retirement and workforce reentry, contributing to an inclusive and resilient society through triple-win collaboration.

William (Chien-Hsien) Chiu, Manager of the Planning Department, and Jing-Wei Huang, a student representative from Chihlee University of Technology, were selected as speakers at the 3ZERO Clubs Convention. With over 20,000 members worldwide, the 3ZERO Clubs movement has seen strong participation from Taiwan. Of the nine speaker slots across two panel sessions, two were filled by Taiwanese representatives—demonstrating the international community’s recognition of Taiwan’s contributions. The Taiwan delegation also included Professor Yu-Chun Ku, Director of the YSBC at National Dong Hwa University, and two students selected through Chihlee University’s internal process.

President Philippa Tsai reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to advancing the 3ZERO vision in line with Professor Yunus’s guidance and encouragement. She emphasized the Foundation’s role as a collaborative platform for sustainable initiatives and multi-stakeholder partnerships (aligned with SDG 17), and called on enterprises and the public to continue supporting the Foundation’s mission.

For more information and to view Professor Yunus’s speech, please visit the Foundation’s official Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/YunusSocialBusinessTaiwan