ICA’s Director General elected Congress President

Iain Macdonald, Director General of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), has been elected to serve as President of Co-operative Congress 2005 in Glasgow. Mr Macdonald said: "Being elected...

Iain Macdonald, Director General of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), has been elected to serve as President of Co-operative Congress 2005 in Glasgow.
Mr Macdonald said: "Being elected president of Congress is clearly a great honour not only for me but for the ICA as well. I&#039m sure it is that link which helped me to be elected, although I think any one of the three candidates would have made a good President."
The other two candidates for Congress President were John Cronan and Sylvia Jones.
Mr Macdonald said his presidentaial speech will reflect co-operatives internationally. "My presidential address will undoubtedly have an international flavour but I hope one which is relevant to the British co-operative movement.
"It will also have some reflective moments but will concentrate on the future and our unique role as co-operative businesses with social purpose," Mr Macdonald commented.
He added that he&#039s looking forward going back to his native country. "I am very pleased that Congress this year will be held in Glasgow, which for nearly 20 years was my co-operative and political base. I don&#039t suppose I imagined when I was appointed as Scottish Sectional Education Officer in 1979 that I would have ended up in this position!
"My experiences as Director General of the International Co-operative Alliance over the last 2 years have convinced me that co-operation is key to progressive change in the world today ? not least in the work towards the elimination of poverty.
Dame Pauline Green, Chief Executive of Co-operatives UK, organiser of Congress, said, "This year&#039s Congress is set to be one of the most innovative and informative for many years and I am sure Iain will bring a interesting, international dimension to this Co-operative Movement event."
Co-operative Congress will be held at Glasgow&#039s Royal Concert Hall. Up to a thousand co-operative members, employees and activists will come together for three days of learning, debate and networking over the weekend of May 20-22.
The business programme is now being finalised, and will include over 20 workshops and seminars covering a huge range of topics, from innovations in co-operative housing, employee engagement, and food politics through to responses to climate change, the Co-operative Business and Enterprise Colleges one year on, and co-operative solutions to global poverty.
Plenary sessions will include a report on the implementation of the recommendations from the 2001 Co-operative Commission, the launch of the code of practice on corporate governance in consumer societies, and hopefully a presentation on the proposed new Scottish Co-operative Development Agency.
Social events will include a drinks reception and buffet on the Friday evening, with the main conference dinner taking place on the Saturday night.
Co-operatives UK is also developing a range of activities and events for the Friday, which is expected to include study visits to Scottish co-operatives, a visit to the New Lanark world heritage site, a film screening and a special performance of a play about co-operation.

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