Singapore celebrate IYC with ‘Co-opaliciouz’ event

Singapore marked the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives (IYC) 2012 with the largest gathering of co-operative members, staff, and families in Singapore’s history at ‘Co-opaliciouz’ – an event held on 9 June 2012 at Marina Barrage.

President Tony Tan Keng Yam launched Co-opaliciouz, which centered on the spirit of ‘Coming together as One’. ‘Co-opaliciouz’ was organized by the Singapore National Co-operative Federation (SNCF) and brought together more than 15,000 people to raise public awareness for Singapore’s co-operative movement of which 1 in 3 residents are members.

“We are proud that Co-opaliciouz served as a platform for the largest gathering of co-operative members, staff and their families in Singapore’s history. This demonstrated the strength of our movement where 1 in 3 Singapore Residents are members. Through this milestone celebration of the International Year of Co-operatives, we hope to raise public awareness of the spirit and value of co-operative social enterprises, as a regulated model of self-help and a viable layer in Singapore’s multi-layered social safety net,” said Ms Dolly Goh, SNCF Chief Executive Officer.

Organised by Singapore National Co-operative Federation (SNCF), the highlights of the event were:

• 6,000 co-operators and their families from 42 co-operative social enterprises participated in a 3-km family fun walk, starting from Tanjong Rhu, through Gardens by the Bay (East), and arrived at Marina Barrage, to symbolise the solidarity of one co-operative movement. Representatives proceeded on stage to place flags and logos of their respective co-operatives, onto a launch gambit which President Tony Tan Keng Yam completed for the launch of Co-opaliciouz.

• 15,000 co-operative members, staff, families and the public dancing to 'Co-opaliciouz - Come together as one’, a song locally composed and choreographed for Singapore celebration of the United Nations declared the International Year of Co-operatives. The dance culminated in a 3-minute firework extravaganza that played in symphony with the Co-opaliciouz music theme.

• The launch of Singapore’s first-ever legal tender co-operative stamps and First Day Covers by President Tony Tan, alongside SNCF Chairman, Chan Tee Seng.

• Chorus Reading of ‘A Very Big Storm’, the first of four children storybooks on co-operative values written by internationally award winning author, Emily Lim.

For more information on Co-opaliciouz, go here.