CGS News

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus to speak at Illinois on March 1, 2010

NOBEL PEACE PRIZE-WINNER TO GIVE PUBLIC TALK ON SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE 21^st CENTURY AT ILLINOIS

March 1, 2010

7:00pm

Foellinger Auditorium

Muhammad Yunus, who received the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his pioneering concept of banking without collateral for the poorest of the poor, will deliver a public talk, “Social Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century,” at Foellinger Auditorium on March 1, 2010.

Yunus received the peace prize along with Grameen Bank, which he founded in 1983, to offer small loans for self-employment for the rural poor, especially poor women.

Bob Easter, the interim chancellor at Illinois, will present the university’s Presidential Award and Medallion to Yunus. The award and medallion is given to recognize those who “support and bring distinction to the university in profound ways.”

“With hope as his main currency, Yunus has proven his motivation and conviction to provide billions of dollars in successful loans made by enterprising borrowers and other advantageous projects derived from the Grameen Bank, the Grameen Trust and the Grameen Fund,” said U. of I. President Stanley Ikenberry. Ikenberry is serving in an interim capacity.

The presentation ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. at Foellinger, 709 S. Mathews Ave., Urbana. Yunus will speak after the ceremony. Yunus will take audience questions after his remarks. If an overflow location is required, information will be posted at the auditorium.

In connection with Yunus’ talk, students, researchers and organizations with social entrepreneurship projects have been invited to display posters and be on hand to talk about their projects. Posters will be on display in the Atrium of the Business Instructional Facility from 4 to 6 p.m. The BIF is at 515 E. Gregory Drive, Champaign.

Poster topics will address several areas of enduring interest to Yunus: micro-credit opportunities for poor people, gender equity, health care and social business.

Yunus is the author of two best-selling books, “Banker to the Poor” and “Creating a World Without Poverty.” He will be available to sign copies in the BIF Atrium from 4 to 5 p.m.

Yunus was born in 1940 in Chittagong, Bangladesh, and studied at Dhaka University in Bangladesh. He received a Fulbright Scholarship to study at Vanderbilt University and earned his doctorate in economics there in 1969. Yunus was an assistant professor of economics at Middle Tennessee State University and led the economics department at Chittagong University.

Yunus serves on the board of directors of the United Nations Foundation.

This event is sponsored by: The Provost's Gender Equity Council. Co-sponsored by: CSAMES-India Studies Fund, Center for Global Studies, Office of the Chancellor, Office of the Provost, Academy for Entrepreneurial Leadership,College of Business, Center for Advanced Study, College of ACES, Illinois-CIBER, International Programs and Studies, College of Engineering, Women and Gender in Global Perspectives Program, College of Fine and Applied Arts, and with generous support from the Fox family.

CONTACT INFORMATION
For more information: e-mail Abby Wilson; abbyw9@gmail.com.