Cooperative friends: we know the slogan that headlines this message well. As we well remember, it is in line with what was adopted exactly a decade ago by the United Nations, when it declared 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives.
Today, we see that more and more national governments and international organisations value the capacity of our business model to build economic, social and cultural relationships that promote social justice, equity, inclusion and solidarity.
That is why we want to reaffirm this message as the focus of the International Day of Cooperatives 2022. This celebration is also special for another reason: it is the 100th edition since the ICA established this date, in 1923.
This centennial edition fills us with pride and brings great responsibility. It certainly gives us the opportunity to show the world that our doctrine is more valid than ever and that it is key to building a better world.
In the current scenario, this translates into rapidly expanding modes of production and consumption that are in the hands of communities, generating more inclusive, supportive and equitable economies; economies that respect the environment and result in positive peace – that is, peace not as a mere absence of conflict but as the result of integrated social structures based on common values and principles, where no one is left out and no one is left behind.
Our more than century-old presence in various fields, in thousands of towns and cities on all continents, is complemented by the immense capacity for innovation that we are demonstrating in areas such as digital transformation, renewable energy and the care sector.
That is why we can proudly say that we carry a unique Identity, with deep historical roots and that today we must go deeper to offer the world a better future.
