This year on July 6, cooperatives around the world will celebrate the International Day of Cooperatives with the theme "Cooperatives Build a Better Future for All." Cooperatives will have the opportunity to showcase their current and historical contributions to building a sustainable future, accelerating efforts to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030. The theme aligns well with the objectives of the upcoming UN Summit of the Future whose theme is “Multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow”.
The 2023 UN Secretary-General Report on Cooperatives in Social Development acknowledged that cooperatives have a track record of promoting the economic and social development of all people including marginalized groups. Cooperatives consistently show their resilience in times of social and economic crises. The United Nations recognizes the cooperative movement as its key partner in accelerating sustainable development and calls on its member states to support and strengthen cooperatives’ entrepreneurial ecosystems. This can increase their capacity to create more social, economic, and environmental impact in society.
"As we celebrate the significant and often quiet contributions of cooperatives, it is also time for us to reflect on what we have accomplished to build a better future, and what we can do better together," says Jeroen Douglas, the Director General of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA). "Let's use this day to be inspired to collaborate, examine all the possibilities to reach the SDG goals, and take action to achieve them."
This day will build the momentum towards the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives, which was declared by the UN last year.
The ICA will help all who want to celebrate the 2024 #CoopsDay, with a media kit, that will include the logo, key messages, and other digital resources. This will be available soon on the CoopsDay website at www.coopsday.coop
Read the full press release in the documents attached.
