Austrian Chancellor inaugurates the Global Social Business Summit
Chancellor of Austria Werner Faynman today inaugurated the third Global Social Business Summit in Vienna at the Congress Centre of Vienna. Mayor of Vienna, Dr. Michael Haupl greeted the nearly the audience of more than 500 delegates from 56 countries.
Under the motto "Pioneering for Results" the Global Social Business Summit 2011, taking place from 9th to 12th November, brings together more than 500 individuals from the worldwide Social Business movement coming from the corporate, political, civil society and academic world. The event offers a unique opportunity to network and to gain an in-depth understanding of Social Business as a way to address social problems faced by communities around the world.
At a time when the world is in the midst of an unprecedented financial crisis, Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus in his speech at the ceremony said that, "When the crisis is at the deepest, the opportunity is the greatest." He said that we must place faith in the unlimited capacity for creativity inherent in human beings to recreate the world in such a way that is fairer to all and sustainable.
Other noted speakers were Boris Marta, Director on the Board of Erste Foundation, Thomas Stelzer, the Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter Agency Affairs and Hans Reitz, founder and creative director of the Grameen Creative Lab. Dr. Fatima Al-Balooshi, the Minister of Social Development of Bahrain also attended the inauguration ceremony.
Thomas Stelzer read a message from the Secretary General of the United Nations, H.E. Ban Ki-Moon. The Secretary General, in his message, said that the private sector, including social business has a strong role to play to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and announced the UN would support the YY Social Business Millennium Tour through Africa in 2011.
High-level representatives from international companies such as Danone, Sandoz, BASF or Intel as well as high-ranking government representatives from Austria, Brazil, India and Bahrain, the EU Commission and the UN will gather to exchange experiences, initiate future projects and develop concrete goals. The discussions will focus on how to tackle new challenges through the globalization and the creation of political frameworks for Social Businesses worldwide.
