ICA-Americas organised its first International Year of Cooperatives event of 2025 on 12 May in Santiago, Chile, bringing together cooperators and government representatives from the Americas region and beyond.
Themed, "Cooperatives Promoting Productivity and Territorial Development," the event highlighted the strategic role that cooperatives play in the region's sustainable and inclusive development.
The opening featured a message from the President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, who praised the movement for its contribution to regional development.
"We are pleased to welcome various international leaders of the cooperative movement. We are proud of you and greatly value your work; your organisational model is tremendously virtuous." He also highlighted the work of the INAC, created a year ago, as a fundamental entity for cooperative development in the country.
“Cooperatives drive development in communities large and small. Their efforts are essential in a world facing complex challenges. We will continue to urge governments to recognise their role through national budgets and development plans,” he said.
The event, which sought to foster a dialogue between governments, multilateral organisations, and the cooperative sector, was co-organised by the National Institute for Associativity and Cooperativism of Chile, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the International Labor Organization.
A further three events are planned for 2025, looking at finance, education and care.
Read the full report (in Spanish) here.
