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'Nobel rock star' gets standing ovations at Concordia today
Amy Dalrymple, The Forum Published Saturday, March 08, 2008
MOORHEAD - Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus received three standing ovations this morning from a sold-out crowd at Concordia College.
Yunus, who won the Nobel Peace Price in 2006 for founding the Grameen Bank, delivered the keynote address for the 20th annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum.
“Professor Yunus is a Nobel rock star,” Concordia President Pam Jolicoeur said in her introduction.
Yunus told the crowd of 1,750 how the Grameen Bank is bringing
people out of poverty by reversing traditional banking principles.
Instead of lending to rich men, the Grameen Bank gives very small loans to poor women.
“My
story is all about how women make such a big difference in the society
once you let them participate in the life of the nation, in the life of
the society,” Yunus said.
The two-day event concludes this afternoon with a conversation with
Yunus, New York Times Columnist Nicholas Kristof and Norwegian Nobel
Committee Chairman Ole Mjos.
For more on this story, read Sunday’s Forum.
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