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Muhammad Yunus was born in the village of Bathuaa in 1940. He is a renowned economist and also the founder of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. In 2006, he and the bank were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their contribution to the welfare of impoverished people in Bangladesh and other countries.
I am pleased to know that World Expo has delivered 150 years of successful service in science, culture and economic development. Being a platform for the exchange of minds and visions among human civilizations, the World Expo has played a strategic role in encouraging the people of the world to explore ways to improve society's general well-being by making better use of the continuous development of modern civilizations. I was personally very happy to know about the achievements of World Expo.
I am happy that Shanghai will host the World Expo in May. With the World Expo, I hope Shanghai will continue to be a leading city in China and an international economic, financial, trade and shipping center. "Better City, Better Life" is an excellent theme for Shanghai to pursue.
The quest for a better life has run through the urban history of mankind. And with increasing modernization, the growth and development of these metropolitan cities are also expected. But there is also a flipside that shows us the problems and challenges faced by people in cities. This theme of "Better City, Better Life" will thus give every nation in the world a chance to show their technology, culture, economies and social harmony to the rest of the world in a much better light.
I wish Shanghai World Expo 2010 every success.
