Global Launch of the International Year of Cooperatives 2025 Set for November in New DelhiThe International Year of Cooperatives (IYC25) is set to officially commence with a grand launch event in New Delhi, India, from 25-30 November 2024. This significant occasion will take place during the ICA Global Cooperative Conference and General Assembly, attracting global leaders dedicated to galvanizing cooperatives around the world. A year of commending the societal impact of cooperatives will kick off, focusing on their accomplishments and exploring steps to fortify the cooperative movement for the betterment of all.
On June 20, the UN General Assembly spotlighted cooperatives’ global influence by proclaiming 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC25), to be celebrated with the theme “Cooperatives Build a Better World.” This theme emphasizes the cooperative model as an essential instrument for tackling global challenges, highlighting its role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
The UN’s resolution A/78/L.71 suggests methods for commemorating the year and calls on all UN Member States, the United Nations System, and key stakeholders to use this opportunity to promote the socio-economic advantages of cooperatives. It suggests that Member States consider setting up national committees to steer IYC25 celebrations.
Li Junhua, the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, regards the General Assembly’s decision as timely, recognizing cooperatives’ innovative contributions to sustainable development as vital for hastening the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals nearing 2030. He stresses that IYC25 presents a chance to engage all stakeholders in bolstering and proliferating cooperatives for a more favorable global milieu.
A precursor to the official launch, a soft opening of IYC25 is slated for 9 July 2024 at the UN Headquarters in New York during the UN High-level Political Forum. This event, a collaboration between the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC) and the Permanent Mission of Mongolia to the United Nations, will present the theme, a detailed roadmap, and communications materials for IYC25. Furthermore, this occasion will also acknowledge the International Day of Cooperatives, observed globally on the first Saturday of July annually.
IYC25’s primary goals include:
- Fostering an enabling environment for cooperatives by governments.
- Raising public awareness and developing new leaders through cooperatives.
- Enhancing support for cooperatives via education and international collaboration by institutions and development agencies.
- Bolstering public understanding and support for cooperatives.
Reflecting on the first International Year of Cooperatives in 2012, this momentous initiative aims to underscore the key role of cooperatives in socio-economic development, especially in poverty alleviation, employment creation, and social integration, continuing the legacy of cooperative enterprises in building a better world.
