A Global Message of Solidarity and Strength
Dear entrepreneurs, policymakers, scholars, and global changemakers,
It is my profound honor to address you on MSMEs Day 2025, a day formally recognized by the United Nations General Assembly following the historic ICSB World Congress at the UN Headquarters on June 16, 2016.
Each year on June 27, we unite in recognition of the vital contributions of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to our global economy and social fabric. But this year, we mark the day with deeper urgency and renewed vision.
ICSB declares MSMEs Day 2025 as the Global Day of Resilience in Entrepreneurship.
🌊 The 2025 Theme: “Permanent White Water”
The New Reality for MSMEs
This year’s theme — Permanent White Water — is a powerful metaphor drawn from the world of white-water rafting.
In this metaphor:
The “white water” symbolizes constant turbulence, where calm waters are rare, threats are often hidden and unpredictable, and success depends on agility, coordination, and resilience.
MSMEs today are no longer navigating temporary disruptions.
They operate in a new normal, —a world where disruption is permanent, complexity is unrelenting, and the pace of change is ever-accelerating.
This is Permanent White Water.
The Core Response: Entrepreneurship
In this environment, resilience alone is not enough.
MSMEs must be adaptive, creative, and visionary — not merely reactive, but proactively shaping their path.
At the heart of this transformation is the entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is not just about launching ventures. It is about leading change.
It is about moving people, solving real problems, and building communities that are stronger and more inclusive.
Humane Entrepreneurship: A Global Imperative
At ICSB, we champion a model called Humane Entrepreneurship — an approach that places people at the center of business. This philosophy is rooted in three foundational pillars:
- Empathy – understanding and valuing the human experience,
- Empowerment – providing individuals with the tools and autonomy to act,
- Enablement – creating systems and cultures where people can thrive.
We believe that the future does not belong to the most powerful firms, but to the entrepreneurs who uplift humanity.
The goal is not only to build better businesses, but to cultivate better entrepreneurs — who, in turn, build better societies.
A Call to Action: Let Us Act Together
On this important day, we celebrate the resilience and creativity of MSMEs. But we also recognize the challenges they face — and the support they need.
To navigate Permanent White Water, MSMEs must become:
- Learning organizations that adapt quickly,
- Rooted in human-centered cultures,
- Powered by an entrepreneurial mindset that brings opportunity, inclusion, and dignity to all.
- This transformation requires collaboration — between governments, academia, industry, and civil society.
Together, We Rise
Let this MSMEs Day be more than a commemoration.
Let it be a turning point.Together, we scale new heights. Together, we rise beyond the turbulence. Together, we create a better world — through Humane Entrepreneurship.
Thank you.
Dr. KiChan Kim
