Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church, and Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus have jointly launched the "Pope Francis Yunus 3Zero Club" in Rome, aiming to foster a transformative and inclusive future for humanity.
The 3Zero Club serves as a beacon of hope for youth in marginalized communities in Rome, providing a platform to develop innovative ideas and create sustainable solutions.
In a letter to Cardinal Baldo Reina, the vicar general of Rome, Prof Yunus expressed his gratitude, saying he was "deeply honoured" by the gesture. He also extended his "heartfelt congratulations" to Cardinal Reina on the occasion, according to a statement from the chief adviser’s press wing.
“This remarkable initiative embodies the shared vision of His Holiness Pope Francis and my own aspirations for a transformative and inclusive future,” said Prof Yunus, the 2006 Nobel Peace laureate, on Saturday.
He described the initiative as aiming to achieve zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions, while also fostering the emergence of a new civilization grounded in compassion, equity, and sustainability.
"A civilization where not only should no one be left behind, but where each person can also be the protagonist of their destiny, proud to belong to one human family, as the Holy Father has emphasized in recent years," he said.
Prof Yunus referred to Pope Francis’s encyclical Fratelli tutti, saying: "Let us dream, then, as a single human family, as fellow travellers sharing the same flesh, as children of the same earth, which is our common home, each of us bringing the richness of his or her beliefs and convictions, each of us with his or her own voice, brothers and sisters all."
Inspired by Pope Francis’s unwavering commitment to social justice and his own belief in the power of social business, Prof Yunus highlighted how the 3Zero Club encourages young people to envision and implement projects that drive meaningful change.
“By nurturing their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, we empower these young leaders to become architects of a more just and harmonious society,” he said.
Conveying his "deepest respects and gratitude" to Pope Francis, Prof Yunus urged everyone to join this transformative journey, inspiring the next generation to build a civilization that honors the dignity of every individual and preserves the sanctity of our planet.
According to the latest figures, there are at least 4,600 Three Zero Clubs worldwide, all inspired by Prof Yunus’s vision for a new civilization, with many of these clubs established at universities.
