United Nations mark end of a historical year for the co-op movement

As the International Year of Co-operatives comes to an end, the global co-operative movement is getting ready to celebrate its success at the United Nations' closing ceremonies taking place in New York.

Themed “Promoting Co-operatives beyond 2012”, the closing event at the UN's headquarters will focus on assessing how the International Year can lead to a Co-operative Decade and how young people can be involved in co-ops.

On Monday, 19 November, a panel discussion will assess “Global Food Security and the Role of Cooperatives”. The discussion will be chaired by H.E. Ambassador Od OCH, permanent representative of Mongolia and panelists include Dame Pauline, President ICA; Jack Wilkinson, Director, Nipissing-Sudbury Cooperative; and Nora Ourabah Haddad, Gender, Equality and Rural Employment Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. At this panel discussion the FAO will also present a short film.

The day will continue with a Youth Forum focused on how co-operatives empower young people, which will ultimately present an international statement on youth and co-operatives. Following the introductory remarks of Nicola Shepherd from Focal Point on Youth, DESA; Monique Leroux, CEO of Desjardins, will hold a keynote speech.

The Forum continues with two interactive dialogues. The first one, themed “Cooperatives and Youth: Empowerment, Employment and Engagement” will feature as panellists Simel Esim, Chief of International Labour Organization's Coooperative Branch; José Antonio Chávez Villanueva, Chair of ICA Youth Network Executive Committee and Afua Boamah, Youth Delegate, Ghanian National IYC Committee.

The second Interactive dialogue will focus on drafting the International Cooperative Youth Statement and will be chaired by Mr Villanueva and moderated by Stéphanie Guico, Desjardins Youth Delegate.

The International Cooperative Youth Statement will be finalised at the Youth Forum Working Group’s dinner meeting.

The Official Closing Ceremony will take place on Tuesday, 20 November and will be chaired by Daniela Bas, Director, Division for Social Policy and Development.

UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, will also make a statement for the Official Closing Ceremony, with a statement also being read out on behalf of José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director-General.

Dame Pauline Green will also take part in the discussion on “Moving Cooperatives Forward” that will assess policy dialogue and research pathways. Various reports from National Committee will also be presented at this panel discussion.

The ceremony will continue with the release of the Youth Statement and a statement from COPAC — the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives, of which the International Co-operative Alliance are members alongside the FAO, ILO and the UN .

The event ends with the IYC Short Film Festival and Awarding Ceremony.

• See the full agenda below.