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Yunus:
Economic crisis can lead to social change
By CELEAN JACOBSON
Nobel
Peace Prize laureates former South African President Nelson
Mandela, right, and Muhammad Yunus, left, at the 7th annual
Mandela lecture in Johannesburg, Saturday July 11, 2009.
In his lecture to mark Mandela's June 18th., 91st birthday,
Yunus said the global economic crisis can be an opportunity
for positive social change.
JOHANNESBURG
-- The global economic crisis can be an opportunity for
positive social change, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad
Yunus said Saturday during a speech honoring former South
African President Nelson Mandela. Yunus, who pioneered a
micro-financing system for the poor, said the financial
meltdown has shown that traditional ways of doing business
have not worked.
"This economic crisis suddenly awakens us to the fact
that this system is not working. When the system is not
working that is the best time to undo it and redo it in
a new way," he said.
"The
financial crisis on top of the food crisis, the energy crisis,
the environment crisis, the social crisis - all these are
combined. Isn't it time to wake up and redo things?"
Mandela, who turns 91 on July 18, did not address the audience
at City Hall, an elegant colonial building in downtown Johannesburg.
Looking sprightly in a black and white patterned shirt,
he waved as he took to the stage accompanied by his wife
and human rights activist, Graca Machel.
Yunus
founded the Grameen Bank three decades ago in Bangladesh
and while the financial markets are in turmoil, it is flourishing.
The bank has more than 8 million borrowers worldwide and
has lent more than $7 billion to the poor with nearly a
100 percent repayment rate.
"Those
who told us it would collapse, they have collapsed,"
he said.
Yunus
focussed his heartening speech on how wealth can be generated
and poverty eradicated through more socially conscious investment.
He said social businesses - like his bank and other companies
he has created - can be used to bring health care to the
sick, safe drinking water to villages and nutrition to poor
children.
Nobel
Peace Prize laureates former South African President Nelson
Mandela, right, and Muhammad Yunus, left, at the 7th annual
Mandela lecture in Johannesburg, Saturday July 11, 2009.
In his lecture to mark Mandela's June 18th., 91st birthday,
Yunus said the global economic crisis can be an opportunity
for positive social change.
"Whenever
I see a problem, I immediately go and create a company,"
he said, to applause by Mandela. Mandela listened attentively
to the speech through big black headphones, grinning at
Yunus's humorous remarks and clapping enthusiastically to
accounts of the bank's successes. Yunus, who is a member
of The Elders, a group Mandela formed to foster peace, gave
a moving tribute to the anti-apartheid hero and global icon.
"You
rejected prejudices and inspired us to do so. You rejected
hatred and inspired us to do so. You inspired us to love
people, embrace peace. You lifted people from their insignificance
and gave them honor, dignity irrespective of their race,
color, religion.
"And you became the symbol of human spirit. So you
will remain an inspiration for all time to come," he
said, reducing at least one woman in the audience to tears.
This
year will be the first time Mandela Day, an initiative of
the leader's various foundations and charities, is celebrated
on the July 18 occasion.
A
concert is planned for in New York starring a host of musicians
including Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Gloria Gaynor and
Angelique Kidjo. France's first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy,
will also make an appearance.
Organizers
are urging people to spend 67 minutes of their time doing
good in their community in honor of the years of service
Mandela has given to his country.
A
Web site to promote the day suggests feeding the homeless,
visiting the sick or finding another way to volunteer in
communities every July 18. Organizers urged people to stay
involved year-round.
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