On June 19, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly officially designated 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC2025). The resolution, A/78/L.71, was adopted during a session recorded from 02:44:05, emphasizing the pivotal role of cooperatives in global social and economic development.
This marks the second time the UN has dedicated a year to cooperatives, underscoring their consistent adaptation to contemporary challenges and their contributions to all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Ariel Guarco, President of the International Cooperative Alliance, highlighted the ubiquitous presence of cooperatives and their historical resilience. Li Junhua, the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, noted the timeliness of this resolution, particularly as it pertains to sustainable development and progress toward the SDGs leading up to 2030.
The preparatory phase for IYC2025 includes a soft-launch scheduled for July 9, 2024, at the UN Headquarters in New York during the UN High-Level Political Forum. This hybrid event, facilitated by the UN Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC) in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Mongolia to the United Nations, will introduce the theme, roadmap, and various communications materials for IYC2025. This event will also coincide with the International Day of Cooperatives, which is celebrated globally on the first Saturday of July each year.
The theme for IYC2025, “Cooperatives Build a Better World,” aims to draw attention to the cooperative model as a vital solution to global challenges and its significant role in advancing the SDGs by 2030. The theme reflects the cooperative movement’s enduring impact and its potential to inspire cooperative development worldwide.
The official launch of IYC2025 will be held in New Delhi, India, from November 25-30, 2024, during the ICA Global Cooperative Conference and General Assembly. This event is expected to gather global leaders and further motivate the cooperative community globally. The year-long celebration will include reflections on cooperative achievements and discussions on future actions to strengthen the movement and improve lives globally.
The International Cooperative Alliance plans to enhance the visibility of cooperatives, promote their growth through capacity-building, share knowledge, foster partnerships, advocate for supportive legal and policy frameworks, and engage young people in the cooperative movement.
This initiative follows the success of the first International Year of Cooperatives in 2012, which focused on their impact on poverty reduction, employment generation, and social integration under the theme “Cooperative Enterprises Build a Better World.” This upcoming international year aims to continue and expand upon these efforts, demonstrating the cooperative model’s capacity to build a better world.