International Cooperative Day 2023

July 1st, 2023, will mark the 101st International Day of Cooperatives, which we are thrilled to announce. The International Cooperative Alliance sponsors this yearly event to acknowledge and publicize cooperatives’ crucial contribution to promoting sustainable development on a global scale. This year’s commemoration, with the subject “Cooperatives for Sustainable Development”, draws attention to cooperatives’ vital role in promoting economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

The International Cooperative Alliance established the inaugural commemoration of International Cooperative Day in 1923 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Rochdale Pioneers, who started the modern cooperative movement in 1844. Since then, this day has been celebrated every first Saturday in July to increase public awareness of cooperatives and their influence on communities and societies worldwide.

A group of businesses globally initially endorsed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, and cooperatives have long been at the forefront of advocating sustainable development. Cooperatives accomplish these objectives by embracing collective ideals, resulting in economic growth, social fairness, and environmental stewardship.

Cooperatives and other stakeholders in Curaçao have a unique chance to significantly influence the 2023 theme, “Cooperatives for sustainable development.” By coordinating their efforts with the following areas, cooperatives in a variety of industries, including agriculture, fisheries, and finance, may make a substantial contribution to the SDGs:

1. Economic Sustainability: By fostering fair trade, empowering the local community, and providing sustainable jobs, cooperatives can support inclusive economic growth. Cooperatives help people and communities escape poverty and create sustainable economies by giving access to financial services, training, and market possibilities.
2. Social Sustainability: Cooperatives prioritize the welfare of their members and the community they serve. They can improve the competencies of their participants through cooperative education and training programs, fostering social inclusion, equality, and empowerment. By reinvesting their excess funds in social programs such as community improvement, healthcare, education, and other social endeavors, cooperatives can also prioritize social responsibility.
3. Environmental Sustainability: Cooperatives have a solid commitment to environmental care. 3. Cooperatives reduce climate change and protect natural resources by encouraging sustainable production and consumption methods, lowering carbon footprints, and implementing renewable energy sources. For instance, agricultural cooperatives can embrace organic farming practices and encourage biodiversity preservation.

Fekoskan invites over 31,000 Curaçao cooperators to participate in the International Day of Cooperatives celebration. This festival offers cooperatives a great chance to highlight their successes and potential, showing what they can achieve through cooperation and mutual assistance.

We support Curaçao cooperatives in setting up occasions, training sessions, and conferences emphasizing their contributions to sustainable growth. Cooperatives may encourage information exchange between sectors and inspire others by sharing their successes, best practices, and lessons learned. Cooperatives must also interact with politicians, corporations, civil society groups, and the general public o promote the cooperative model as a practical and realistic strategy for reaching the SDGs.

Let’s commemorate the International Day of Cooperatives and collaborate to create a more sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous future for everyone in Curaçao.