The promotor of Yunus Social Business Chair, Muhammad Yunus (born in 28 June 1940) is a Bangladeshi social entrepreneur, banker, economist and civil society leader who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for founding the Grameen Bank and pioneering the concepts of microcredit and microfinance. The Norwegian Nobel Committee noted that "lasting peace cannot be achieved unless large population groups find ways in which to break out of poverty" and that "across cultures and civilizations, Yunus and Grameen Bank have shown that even the poorest of the poor can work to bring about their own development". Yunus has received several other national and international honours, among others: the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2010. In 2011, he co-founded Yunus Social Business – Global Initiatives which manages Incubator Funds for social businesses in developing countries and provides advisory services to companies, governments, foundations and NGOs. In 2012, Yunus became Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland. He is a member of the advisory board at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology. Previously, he was a professor of economics at Chittagong University in Bangladesh. He published several books related to his finance work. He is a founding board member of Grameen America and Grameen Foundation, which support microcredit. Yunus also serves on the board of directors of the United Nations Foundation, a public charity created in 1998 by American philanthropist Ted Turner’s $1 billion gift to support UN causes.
Prof. Muhammad Yunus
Woodstock Festival Poland
Chair
Yunus Social Business Chair at Korczak University in Warsaw was created in October 2013 with the aim to popularise the idea of social entrepreneurship and to support the creation of social businesses. The launch of the Chair was inaugurated by professor Muhammad Yunus.
Activities
research in the field of social economy
postgraduate studies in social business
seminars and conferences on social business and social innovation
publications on social business and policies
projects aimed at empowerment of the disadvantaged
initiatives supporting social entrepreneurs
information materials promoting the idea of social business
Studies
Yunus Social Business Chair has launched postgraduate studies: Entrepreneurship: market, capital, society. "Social Business" which prepare students to start their own economic activities aimed at financial as well as social benefit. Lectures and workshops are carried by practitioners and experts in social entrepreneurship. One third of lectures is delivered in English. More information can be found at: www.wspkorczak.eu
Team
dr Małgorzata Bonikowska
President of the Centre for International Relations
THINKTANK centre for dialogue and analysis’ co-creator and partner
Expert in European Union, foreign policy and international management issues
Graduate from Parisian Sorbonne and Columbia University in New York
Between 1995–1998 current affairs programmes’ editor in Polish National TV
Author of over 100 publications
Prof. Julian Auleytner
Chancellor of Janusz Korczak Pedagogical University in Warsaw
Expert in the field of social policy and economic science
Former vice-president of the President of the Republic of Poland’s Social Policy Council
Order of Rebirth of Poland’s Laureate
Head of Polish Social Policy Association
Author of over 300 scientific publications
Prof. Mirosław Grewiński
Vice-chancellor of Janusz Korczak Pedagogical University in Warsaw
Expert in the field of social policy and social economy
Co-operated with, among others, the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland, the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
European Commission expert
Member of the board of Polish Social Policy Association
Author of over 300 scientific publications
Kamil Wyszkowski
Expert dealing with social economy, social innovation and Corporate Social Responsibility
Expert in the field of EU and UN policies
UN member of staff
Country representative of United Nations Global Compact initiative in Poland
Former member of the Prime Minister’s Team of Strategic Advisers
Co-author of a Long-term National Development Strategy 2030 and co-ordinator of Human Capital Development Strategy until 2020