Professor Muhammad Yunus honored at the Foundation's 50th Board of Trustees meeting

 

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus participated in 50th Board of Directors Meeting of the Foundation May 28, 2026, thus marking eighteen years of fruitful partnership between the Grameen Trust and the Foundation.

Arriving in Paris on May 27, Professor Yunus led a delegation including key figures from the Grameen movement, including Md. Ashraful Hassan, Vice President of the Foundation, Lamiya Morshed, Executive Director of the Yunus Center, and Shazeeb M Khairul Islam, Managing Director of YY Ventures.

During the welcome dinner, Professor Yunus spoke with Eric Vial, the new Chairman of the Crédit Agricole Group, alongside senior executives Olivier Gavalda, Raphaël Appert, Chairman of the Foundation and Véronique Faujour, its general delegate.

The following day, May 28, Professor Yunus participated in a public meeting alongside Aurore Bergé, Minister for Gender Equality and the Fight Against Discrimination. This conference, moderated by Véronique Faujour, brought together more than 150 people.

Professor Yunus shared his vision with the audience... Three zeros: zero poverty, zero unemployment, zero net carbon emissions. Using the metaphor of Aladdin's lamp, he reminded them that the world belongs to the youth, endowed with unprecedented power. "You are born with Aladdin's lamp in your hand. If you ask for a cup of coffee, you waste the magic. But if you ask to end poverty and create a world with three zeros, the genie will grant your wish," he declared, inviting young people to dare to reimagine the world.

The Professor also shared lessons learned from the July uprising in Bangladesh, where students, including many women, led a peaceful revolution against corruption, illustrating the transformative potential of engaged youth. "Suddenly, the streets filled with girls and young women on the front lines," he recounted.

Minister Aurore Bergé reminded everyone that Inclusion is not a cost, but a strategic investment. «The greatest risk we face is not failure, but indifference,» she stated. The Minister emphasized the need to rethink public policies to prevent exclusion from the outset, rather than correcting it after the fact. She stressed that societies thrive when women and marginalized groups have equal access to opportunities.

Professor Yunus's presence at this 50th Board of Trustees meeting represents much more than a simple visit: It reaffirms the unwavering commitment of the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation to the issues of financial inclusion and economic empowerment.

As Professor Yunus reminded us: "Let's create a new civilization. The world belongs to the youth. It's up to them to think big and show imagination! »"A call that resonates more than ever, as the Foundation continues its commitment through its LIFT 2028 strategic plan to build fairer, more egalitarian and more prosperous societies for all.

Watch the full conference by clicking here.