Distinguished Guests,
Professor Muhammad Yunus,
Members of the Global Social Business Summit,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honor and pleasure to join you today at this remarkable global gathering, which brings together social entrepreneurs, policymakers, academics, business leaders, and young people to explore the role of social business in building a more peaceful and sustainable world.
This year's gathering is especially meaningful as we celebrate two historic milestones: the *50th anniversary of Grameen Bank* and the *20th anniversary of Professor Muhammad Yunus receiving the Nobel Peace Prize*. These anniversaries remind us that a single idea—when rooted in human dignity—can transform millions of lives and inspire the world.
Today, we live in a world facing unprecedented division. Wars are expanding, polarization is deepening, hate speech is spreading, and trust between nations and communities is steadily eroding.
In the midst of this reality, one question stands before us:
*What language can still unite humanity when politics fails to do so?*
I believe the answer is *social business*.
When politics fails to bring people together, social business can unite them around our shared human values. Peace is not simply the absence of war; it is the presence of justice, opportunity, dignity, and solidarity. Social business is the universal language that translates these values into realities that people experience in their daily lives.
Social business does not ask about a person's religion, ethnicity, nationality, or political identity. It sees only a human being who deserves dignity, opportunity, and hope.
Every school we build, every hospital we open, every family that gains access to clean water, every young person who finds meaningful employment, and every woman empowered to build her own enterprise represents more than a development project—it is an investment in peace.

Yet today we face a troubling reality.
At a time when humanitarian needs are rising dramatically, global investment in social development and social business is declining. Economic crises, growing nationalism, prolonged conflicts, and shifting political priorities have reduced resources dedicated to development, while millions continue to suffer from poverty, displacement, lack of education, and inadequate healthcare.

This decline is not only a humanitarian crisis—it is a direct threat to global peace. Wherever justice and opportunity disappear, despair grows. And where despair grows, violence and extremism find fertile ground.
Supporting social business, therefore, is not an act of charity. It is an investment in peace, security, and long-term stability.
In this context, Professor Muhammad Yunus remains one of the world's greatest sources of inspiration. He transformed our understanding of development by proving that poor people do not lack talent—they lack opportunity.
Through microfinance, he enabled millions of women and families to become entrepreneurs and build lives of dignity. More importantly, he introduced the concept of *Social Business*—businesses designed not to maximize profits, but to solve society's most pressing challenges while remaining financially sustainable.
His vision demonstrated that investing in people is the most powerful investment any society can make.
Today, as traditional development funding continues to decline, we must expand this vision by building stronger partnerships among governments, civil society, universities, the private sector, philanthropists, and young innovators. We must also harness technology and artificial intelligence to increase transparency, improve efficiency, and expand social impact.
Above all, however, we must restore the value of human solidarity in global discourse.
In an increasingly divided world, humanitarian assistance must never become hostage to political interests or geopolitical calculations. Human dignity is not negotiable. It is a universal value that belongs equally to every human being.
Peace does not begin only when wars end. Peace begins when people know that someone believes in their right to education, healthcare, freedom, opportunity, and dignity.
That is why social business is far more than a response to crises. It is the language that builds trust between people, the bridge that carries societies from division to coexistence, and from conflict to lasting peace.
Let this summit become a renewed commitment to placing human beings at the center of development, making social business a cornerstone of peace, and transforming inspiring ideas into partnerships that change lives.
Because the future of peace will not be built by military power alone, nor by political agreements alone. It will be built when every person feels seen, heard, empowered, and able to shape their own future.
*Social business is not simply the language of peace. It is the pathway to peace.*
Thank you.