Youth, students must be central to strategies: Yunus

Bangladesh interim government Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, emphasised the importance of placing youth and students at the forefront of strategies for the Global South. 

Speaking at the inaugural "Leaders' Session" of the third "Voice of Global South Summit" on Saturday, he highlighted that two-thirds of the population in the Global South are young people, who are powerful, committed, and capable of creating a new world.

Joining the Summit virtually from Dhaka, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Prof. Yunus noted that today’s youth are technologically advanced and entrepreneurial. He expressed concern that the education system across these countries is primarily focused on preparing students for jobs, neglecting their inherent creativity and entrepreneurial potential. "All human beings are born as creative beings. They are natural entrepreneurs," he said, stressing the need to redesign the system to harness this potential.

Prof. Yunus proposed combining entrepreneurship with social business to unleash the creativity and energy of the young population, calling for common facilities within the Global South to facilitate this. He emphasized the need for the Global South to work together to create social businesses that address environmental and social problems, which could become a massive force for change.

This appearance marked Prof. Yunus’s first multilateral engagement since taking oath as head of the interim government. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who hosted the session at the Head of State/Government level, had invited him to attend.

The theme of the inaugural session, "An Empowered Global South for a Sustainable Future," aligned with the broader goals of the Summit. Prof. Yunus invited leaders of the Global South to collaborate on fostering social businesses and addressing various societal challenges.

He also spoke on the importance of allowing creativity to thrive at all ages, noting that human creativity does not cease with age or retirement. Instead, he urged societies to support creativity throughout a person’s life.

Reflecting on the aspirations of the younger generation, Prof. Yunus acknowledged their demand for revolutionary change and the restoration of democratic institutions and human rights. He affirmed the interim government’s commitment to ensuring a transition to inclusive and pluralistic democracy, creating an environment for free, fair, and participatory elections.

He invited global leaders to visit Dhaka, now described as the "graffiti capital of the world," where young people have been expressing their visions for a new, democratic, and environmentally-friendly Bangladesh through public art.

Prof. Yunus also drew parallels between the current youth-led movement and the historic language movement of 1952, which inspired global struggles for linguistic rights. He expressed his pride in being part of what he called the "Second Revolution," led by students advocating for democracy, human rights, dignity, equality, and shared prosperity across the Global South.

The summit, envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under the philosophy of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (the world is one family), aims to bring together countries of the Global South to share perspectives and priorities on a common platform. India hosted the first and second editions of the Voice of Global South Summit in January and November 2023, respectively, with participation from over 100 countries.