I am entrepreneur myself. I started by creating a bank, Grameen Bank, and then moved into a wide number of businesses, all with a social purpose: Grameen Nursing College, Grameen Eyecare Hospitals, Grameen Shakti, etc. Microcredit has shown a way to empower women into entrepreneurship. Grameen Bank proved to the world that entrepreneurship is the solution to poverty. Building on 30 years of experience, and with now more than 8 million borrowers of Grameen Bank, I can say that I have always considered young entrepreneurs to be the most effective solution for the future. Therefore, in my opinion, G20 YES is a fabulous initiative, gathering so much energy and momentum from all over the world. Because of their creativity and leadership, provided that they commit to share the value they create, these 400 young entrepreneurs in this room can change the world.

I am also a member of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) Advocacy Group, advising the Secretary General of the United Nations. As such, I am convinced that this next generation of young people should be handed over the process of the MDGs as soon as possible. These goals need to become theirs, in order for them to create the world which they want to live in. Surely entrepreneurs have a key role to play in fulfilling MDGs, if they are committed to the social value created by their companies, and social business can be part of the solutions.