Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus attended the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday at St. Peter's Square, paying his final respects to the late pontiff.
The solemn ceremony, which began at 10:00am Vatican time, was attended by numerous world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Thousands gathered at the historic square to honor the memory of Pope Francis, who will be laid to rest following the funeral Mass.
Pope Francis was known to be a great admirer of Professor Yunus' lifelong efforts for marginalized communities and his vision of a "Three Zero World"—a future with zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero carbon emissions. Reflecting their shared ideals, the Vatican had earlier partnered with Professor Yunus to launch a joint Three Zero Initiative in Rome.
Prior to the funeral, Chief Adviser Yunus visited Bangladesh House in Rome on Friday and signed the visitor’s book, according to Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder.
Shortly after arriving in Rome from Doha, Qatar, Professor Yunus visited St. Peter's Square on Friday afternoon to pay homage to Pope Francis’ mortal remains.
The Vatican announced that 130 delegations, including 50 heads of state and 10 reigning sovereigns, confirmed their participation in the funeral, underscoring the global significance of the event.
Professor Yunus’ presence at the funeral represented a profound tribute to the late pontiff, with whom he had built a deep and enduring bond rooted in shared values and a mutual commitment to human dignity and social justice.
The Chief Adviser was received in Rome by the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Italy and the Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Vatican City.
He is scheduled to depart Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport around 8:00am (12:00pm Bangladesh Standard Time) on Sunday and is expected to arrive in Bangladesh early Monday morning, Azad confirmed.
