Yunus Centre clarifies issues over Unesco award

Yunus Centre yesterday said Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus received an invitation from Baku Forum XI that he would receive an award from Unesco during the conference held in Baku, Azerbaijan from March 14 to 16.

"The Secretary General of the Nizami Ganjavi International Centre (NGIC), that organises the Baku Forum, Mr Rovshan Muradov sent an email to Yunus Centre informing that in addition to addressing the Conference, Professor Yunus would receive an award from UNESCO on the closing day of the conference," said a statement from Yunus Centre.

The statement came in response to Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury's remarks that Unesco did not give him any award called "Tree of Peace".

The statement said the official programme of the Baku Forum sent by NGIC to Yunus Centre also mentioned that Professor Yunus would receive an award from Unesco.

"During the closing dinner of Baku Forum, Professor Yunus was specifically reminded to attend the event to receive Tree of Peace award onstage on March 16."

It said, "Yunus Centre mentioned the award by UNESCO in its press release. The Tree of Peace presented to Professor Yunus is the same sculpture by the same artist as was presented in 2014 to the Honorable Prime Minister."

 Talking to the reporters on Wednesday, Mohibul Hassan said, "Dr Yunus was conferred the 'Tree of Peace' award by an Israeli sculptor, upon invitation from the Ganjavi Foundation in Azerbaijan."