The International Cooperative Alliance has today (4 May) announced the theme for the 2026 International Day of Cooperatives (CoopsDay) as Cooperatives for a Peaceful World, highlighting the unique capacity of cooperatives to bring people together to strengthen social cohesion and advance peaceful, inclusive societies.
The announcement comes two months ahead of CoopsDay 2026, which this year falls on 4 July. The International Day of Cooperatives has been celebrated by the international cooperative movement since 1923, and was officially designated by the United Nations in 1995, to highlight the role of cooperatives in economic development, sustainability, and social justice, emphasising a people-centred model.
The theme also aligns with the ICA 2026 Global Conference theme, Building Bridges: Cooperative Contributions for a Peaceful World. At a time when many parts of the world are experiencing conflict, social fragmentation, rising inequalities, economic insecurity, and declining trust, there is a growing need to build bridges and support approaches that strengthen cohesion and rebuild connections across societies. The conference, which is taking place in Panama in September, will explore the contributions cooperatives make towards peace by building bridges between people, communities and ideas and creating inclusive spaces for participation.
The role of cooperatives is underlined in the 2019 ICA Declaration on Positive Peace through Cooperatives, which calls on the cooperative movement to deepen its commitment and strengthen actions that advance peaceful and inclusive societies.
Jeroen Douglas, ICA Director General, said: “Cooperatives have long contributed not only to the absence of conflict, but to the presence of justice, inclusion, and trust; the essential foundations of positive peace. Across sectors and regions, cooperatives contribute to peaceful societies by strengthening local economies, expanding access to vital services, promoting democratic participation, creating opportunities for all and fostering trust and solidarity.”
The theme also resonates strongly with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), and the ICA and COPAC are developing a policy brief to highlight cooperatives' contributions to peacebuilding as part of the IYC2025 SDG policy brief series.
Find out more about International Day of Cooperatives and download the 2026 logos at www.coopsday.coop. The communications kit will be available soon.
About the International Day of Cooperatives
The International Day of Cooperatives has been celebrated globally by the International Cooperative Alliance since 1923 and was officially recognised by the United Nations in 1995. It is held every year on the first Saturday of July to increase awareness of cooperatives’ contributions to development and peace.
In 2026, the celebration marks:
- The 104rd International Cooperative Day, and
- The 32st UN International Day of Cooperatives
The theme is selected jointly by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC), in consultation with UN partners and the cooperative movement.
COPAC’s membership includes the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Trade Centre (ITC), the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), and the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA).
