International Day of Co-operatives: Sustainable societies through co-operation

The slogan was chosen by a Twitter poll

This year’s International Day of Co-operatives, on 7 July, will highlight how co-operation can lead to sustainable societies.

The slogan for the day – Sustainable societies through co-operation – was chosen via a public vote following a social media campaign on Twitter.

The theme was announced last week at an event at the UN headquarters in New York, in the framework of the 56th session of the Commission for Social Development.

Image: Catarina Santos/International Co-operative Alliance

Every year the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC) decides a theme and slogan for the day, which has been celebrated annually since 1995. The committee includes the International Co-operative Alliance, the International Labour Organisation, the Food and Agricultural Organisation, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the World Farmers’ Organisation.

The theme chosen feeds into the one of the UN’s 2018 High-level Political Forum for Sustainable Development: “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies”.

The International Co-operative Alliance will be releasing a logo and press kit to enable co-ops to promote the day.

Co-operatives can also choose to show their commitment to the UN’s sustainable development agenda by making pledges on the Alliance’s platform Co-ops for 2030.

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