In November 2024, co-operatives gathered in New Delhi, India, for the official opening of the 2025 International year of Cooperatives (IYC2025). 

Twelve months later, the IYC closing ceremony took place during the programme of the UN World Summit for Social Development in Doha, Qatar. Two major milestones for co-ops emerged from the summit: they were recognised as leaders of the social and solidarity economy in a political declaration adopted by member states; and the UN is considering a proposal to establish an recurring IYC every 10 years.

Co-hosted by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and the UN Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (Copac), the closing event of the IYC celebrated a year of co-operative action and activity, and looked at how co-ops can continue to ‘build a better world’ beyond the end of 2025. 

Delegates heard from Bjørg Sandkjaer, assistant secretary-general at the UN, who highlighted the scale of the economic and social impact of co-operatives. “This model has helped us build resilient, inclusive societies,” she said, adding that co-ops are effective because “when people own solutions together, they trust them.”

Continued commitments to the co-operative sector were made by a number of government officials who attended the event, including  Monica Mutsvangwa (minister of women affairs, community, small and medium enterprises development, Zimbabwe), Javiera Toro (minister of social development and family, Chile) and David Obonyo, commissioner of co-operative development, Kenya).

Mutsvangwa highlighted the contribution of women’s co-operatives in Zimbabwe, noting that “when women form co-operatives, they lift entire communities,” which in turn impacts employment creation and social stability. Toro also spoke about the transformative nature of co-ops, which “teach democracy by doing”. She explained that co-ops build stronger societies because “they allow people to practice participation, negotiation, and shared responsibility in their everyday lives”… Continue reading.

WE APPRECIATE YOU!

Big thanks to you, our member-owners, for being such an integral part of the cooperative model. To show our appreciation, we encourage you to utilize your member-owner benefits at the final Member-Owner Appreciation Week of 2025. If you haven’t made it to The Co-op yet this week, make sure to stop in, get 10% off* any one shopping trip and enter to win a variety of great raffle prizes. Thanks you our friends from Maine Grains, Colvard & Co., Sandy’s Simply Delicious, Summer Dawn Organics, Dragon Herbs, Morning Dew Farm, and Kimchi Beyond Compare for making this week special.
*some restrictions apply.