The United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 64/136 proclaiming the year 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC). The United States is joining countries around the world to celebrate the benefits cooperatives deliver to the communities which they serve.
The theme of the International Year of Cooperatives is “Cooperative Enterprises Build a Better World.”
The purpose of the International Year of Cooperatives in order to recognize the power of cooperatives to promote economic and social development and their work in eradicating poverty. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that "Cooperatives are a reminder to the international community that it is possible to pursue both economic viability and social responsibility."
Cooperatives are a major economic force in developed countries and a powerful business model in developing ones. Worldwide, over 800 million people are members of cooperatives. The economic activity of the largest 300 cooperatives in the world equals the 10th largest national economy.
The International Year offers all of us in the cooperative community an unparalleled opportunity to promote cooperatives, to raise public awareness of the contribution of cooperatives to social and economic development and promote the formation and growth of cooperatives.
In July, the US Senate passed unanimously Senate Resolution 87, which states the Senate's commitment to celebrating IYC.
NCBA has created materials to support US cooperatives in promoting and celebrating the year and will post those materials as well as other news about the US celebration to the US International Year of Cooperatives website.
