Nobel laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus has been awarded the Olympic Laurel at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics last July 23, 2021. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that Yunus would become the second recipient of the laurel, which was introduced in 2016 to honor people who have “made significant achievements in education, culture, development, and peace through sport.”
The first-ever Olympic Laurel was awarded to the Kenyan Olympian and social change-maker Kip Keino on August 5, 2016, during the opening ceremony of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Initiated in Rio 2016, the Olympic Laurel is awarded at the opening ceremony of each summer edition of the Olympic Games.
In his acceptance speech, Yunus said, “I am honored and overwhelmed to receive this Olympic Laurel. And so sad I can’t be there with you. The IOC is taking the social dimension of sports very seriously. You, athletes of the world, can provide the leadership in transforming this world. And create a world of three zeros: zero net carbon emission, zero wealth concentration to end poverty and once for all, zero unemployment by unleashing the power of entrepreneurship in everyone.”
Source: Dhaka Tribune / Muhammad Yunus
