Nobel Peace Prize winner Prof Muhammad Yunus will be among those speaking at the three-day Pangkor International Development Dialogue (PIDD) beginning Monday.
In his keynote address, Muhammad Yunus will be speaking on social business and how it can be a tool to narrow income gaps and address poverty and unemployment.
“Every country and state should achieve three zeroes – zero poverty, zero unemployment and zero carbon emission.
“And all this can be done through social businesses,” said the founder of the Grameen Bank and Yunus Centre at a pre-event at the Casuarina@Meru Hotel here Sunday.
Muhammad Yunus said he is thrilled to be speaking at PIDD for the first time.
“It’s a very good initiative, especially as it involves young people.
“Already, social business has roots in Malaysia. Its citizens are becoming active in solving their problems rather than relying on the government alone,” he added.
Other notable speakers at PIDD include Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Madius Tangau, India’s Bhartiya Janta Party information technology national head Arvind Gupta, top leadership guru Arthur Carmazzi, and UN Resident Coordinator for Malaysia Michelle Gyles-McDonnough.
The dialogue will be opened by Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
Earlier when addressing the first-ever SEHATI event organised by the Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC) at the dialogue, Dr Zambry told participants that he wanted to see more Perakians in the world of entrepreneurship.
“Perak has talent. We just need to look for the potential in each of us and never feel inferior to others. Never compare yourself with others for what they have.
“I came from a very poor family, a very hopeless situation. Like my father, I, too, was a fisherman.
“But I believed in myself. I looked within myself and searched for my best potential to overcome poverty,” he said.
