Dhaka, Jul 03 (UNB): Prof. Muhammad Yunus has been felicitated in Manila on the 40th anniversary of his receiving the Ramon Magsaysay Award. This was made a part of the 65th Anniversary of the Magsaysay Award itself. The event honored the Filipino awardees of the Magsaysay, often called the "Nobel Prize of Asia", in the presence of the diplomatic community.
 
Susanna B Afan, President of the Foundation behind the prize, in her introductory speech mentioned how the Magsaysay Award given to Prof. Yunus in 1984 was the first international honour he received, and more than 20 years before he received the Nobel Peace Prize. She stated how his pioneering concept of microcredit lifted up billions of the poor around the world. She went on to elaborate how Professor Yunus's work impacted on many social leaders around the world to follow his work and made significant contributions in lifting the poor out of poverty. He counted how many of them received Magsaysay Prize in the Asian region for playing a leadership role in their countries in bringing microcredit to the poor communities.
 
She introduced Dr Aris Alip who was present at the ceremony. Dr. Alip created CARD MRI, a Grameen replicator in Philippines Center for Agriculture and Rural Development-Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD-MRI), established in 1986, and received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2007. It has reached 9 million clients today across the Philippines, as a social business.
 
She also highlighted two other Magsaysay awardees from Indonesia and Pakistan that had received the prize for their achievement in micro finance in their respective countries.
 
In Indonesia, Dompet Dhuafa, a humanitarian institution founded in 1994, was awarded the Magsaysay Prize in 2016. In 2021, Muhammad Amjad Saqib from Pakistan became a Magsaysay Laureate for founding Akhuwat in 2001. Both these organizations empowered communities through microcredit.
 
She noted that the Executive Director of NWTF Suzzette Gaston, another Grameen replicator in the Philippines, is attending the event representing her father who received the Magsaysay Award in 1973. Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation (NWTF) is the host organisation which organised the 14th Social Business Day 2024 with Yunus Centre, on June 27-29 in Manila and is this year celebrating 40 years of their foundation. Professor Yunus travelled to Bacolod on this visit to attend the celebration.
 
They started microcredit following Prof Yunus' guidance and support from Grameen Trust 35 years ago and are now reaching nearly 600,000 families empowering their women with microcredit and financial services. They are also investing in social business and powering the creation of 3Z clubs on the island of Negros Occidental.
 
Professor Yunus and the awardees from the Philippines received a portrait each from the foundation in a program called Celebrating Greatness of Spirit. A special volume 'Greatness of Spirit: Stories of Love Courage and Service' has been curated on the 65th anniversary of the Ramon Magsaysay awards. The event was attended according to the foundation by 18 ambassadors and 130 high-level participants from Filipino society including members of Magsaysay family.
 
The Ramon Magsaysay Award is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society.
 
Ms Susan Afan had addressed the opening ceremony of Yunus Centre's annual event Social Business Day 2024 on 27th June and commemorated 40 years of the Magsaysay Award to Professor Yunus, showing photos from the ceremony in 1984 and paying rich tributes to him.
 
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