DHAKA: Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus addressed the 13th Annual Summit of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates that opened on Monday for the first time in Eastern Europe.
The official motto of the summit is ‘Stand in Solidarity for Peace--Time to Act’, said a press release on Tuesday.
The news release said the Summit is taking place exactly 30 years after Lech Walesa, former Trade Union leader received Nobel Peace Prize for the successful leading of workers at strike in the Gdansk Shipyard, which led to historical downturn of the communist regime by means of negotiation and without violence.
Lech Walesa is also celebrating his 70th birthday this year.
It added that 2006 Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Yunus spoke at opening session along with president de Clark of South Africa and President Lech Walesa.
He also spoke in a plenary session entitled “Human Values in the Time of Crisis” together with the host –Lech Walesa as well as Maired Corrigan Maguire.
Muhammad Yunus presented a special Nobel Summit Medal on behalf of the Laureates to Jerzy Owsiak, Polish social activist, well known in the country for his work with young people. In August every year, he organizes a music festival for young people, known as European Woodstock Festival, where over half a million young people create a city of tents. During the festival they meet opinion leaders, discuss current life issues and listens to rock music.
Thanking for the Medal, Jerzy Owsiak invited Professor Yunus to join him in the next Woodstock Festival in August 2014. Actress and activist Sharon Stone, who is also at the Summit to receive the Peace Summit Award from Professor Yunus on Wednesday, is also invited to attend the music festival.
Professor Muhammad Yunus spoke in the session entitled “Unheard Voices on Tuesday. Inequalities in Social Justice” and on 23 October he will speak in the session on “Youth in Solidarity”.
Summit attracted some 1,500 young attendees from all over the world and representatives of the Polish public and business leaders. Laureates and their organizations will run Civic academy discussions and workshops every afternoon for the participating youth.
Yunus Centre organized two workshops on Social Business for students on Monday afternoon and another for entrepreneurs on Tuesday.
Professor Yunus will address the workshops together with other members of Yunus Centre team.
BDST: 2100 HRS, OCT 22, 2013
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