The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) has announced the theme of this year’s International Day of Cooperatives (5 July).
Focused on Cooperatives: Driving Inclusive and Sustainable Solutions for a Better World, the celebration aims to showcase co-operatives’ role in building “inclusive, resilient, and sustainable communities”.
This year, the day is important in the context of the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025.
In addition to this, the global co-op movement is preparing for the UN High-Level Political Forum in New York in July and the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha in November.
“Across the globe, co-operatives are demonstrating that a values-driven enterprise approach can deliver real and lasting solutions,” said Jeroen Douglas, director general of the ICA. “The 2025 International Day of Cooperatives is a moment to recognise this collective strength and reaffirm our dedication to an inclusive and sustainable path forward.”
The day has been celebrated by the ICA since 1923. In 1995 the UN adopted a resolution for the first Saturday of July to be International Day of Cooperatives, marking the centenary of the ICA.
The day’s theme is chosen by the ICA and the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (Copac), in consultation with UN partners and the co-op movement.
“This year’s theme reflects both the identity and urgency of the co-operative model,” said Wenyan Yang, chair of Copac, of which the ICA is a member. “In a time of global uncertainty, co-operatives are showing that development can be democratic, inclusive, and rooted in solidarity. CoopsDay 2025 is our chance to amplify that message to the world.”
Other Copac members include the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (Undesa), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the International Trade Centre (ITC), and the UN Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD).
The 2025 celebration will be the 103rd International Cooperative Day, and the 31st UN International Day of Cooperatives.
Co-ops marking the day can use the CoopsDay logo, which has been redesigned to align with the IYC visual identity, and submit stories to Stories.coop.
In addition to these resources, the ICA has produced a promotional media kit for co-ops to use, which is available at coopsday.coop.
