A “Pope Francis Yunus 3Zero Club” has been established in Rome by Bangladesh Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church, in an attempt to bring about a more inclusive and transformative future for all people.
For the young people in Rome’s underprivileged neighbourhoods, the “3Zero Club” is a ray of hope, offering a forum for the generation of creative concepts and the development of tangible, long-lasting solutions.
Prof. Yunus told Cardinal Baldo Reina, the Vicar General of Rome, in a letter that he was “deeply honoured” by the gesture. He extended his “heartfelt congratulations” to Cardinal Reina on the occasion, the chief adviser’s press wing said today.
“This remarkable initiative embodies the shared vision of His Holiness Pope Francis and my own aspirations for a transformative and inclusive future,” the 2006 Nobel Peace laureate said on Saturday. “This initiative not only aims to achieve zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions but also aspires to foster the emergence of a new civilisation-one grounded in compassion, equity, and sustainability,” he wrote. “A civilisation where not only should no one be left behind, but where each person can also be the protagonist of their destiny, proud to belong to one human family, as the Holy Father has emphasised in recent years,” he said. “In his encyclical Fratelli tutti, he writes, “Let us dream, then, as a single human family, as fellow travellers sharing the same flesh, as children of the same earth, which is our common home, each of us bringing the richness of his or her beliefs and convictions, each of us with his or her own voice, brothers and sisters all.” “Inspired by Pope Francis’s unwavering commitment to social justice and my belief in the power of social business, the 3Zero Club encourages young minds to envision and implement projects that drive meaningful change,” Prof Yunus said. “By nurturing their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, we empower these young leaders to become architects of a more just and harmonious society,” he said. Conveying his “deepest respects and gratitude,” to Pope Francis, Prof Yunus urged all “to embark on this transformative journey together, inspiring the next generation to build a civilisation that honours the dignity of every individual and preserves the sanctity of our planet.” According to the latest counts, there are at least 4, 600 Three Zero clubs across the globe, all inspired by Prof Yunus’s vision for a new civilisation. Many of the clubs are set up in universities.
