The combined forces of the Higher Council of Co-operatives, the International Co-operative Alliance, KONFEKOOP, COCETA and the Spanish and Basque governments made it possible on 1 July, International Day of Co-operatives, to hold the international conference ‘Cooperatives for Sustainable Development’ at the Donostia-San Sebastian Town Hall.
The common thread of the event, followed by streaming from different parts of the world, was the demonstration of how the cooperative formula is the best tool for building a better world. 2023 is a pivotal year for the United Nations 2030 Agenda, as in September, the UN will organize a summit to review the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As Ariel Guarco, President of the International Cooperative Alliance, stated, “we want to say loud and clear that sustainable development is only possible hand in hand with cooperatives”.
Six Blocks
The Cooperatives for Sustainable Development conference was divided into six blocks, five to identify and work on the 17 SDGs and a complementary one dedicated to youth. Sustainable Development, the goal of cooperatives
Patxi Olabarria, President of the Higher Council of Co-operatives-Kooperatiben Kontseilua assessed the scope of the conference. “The fact that we have managed to bring together cooperative members from all five continents is the best way of explaining the cooperative’s commitment to sustainable development”, he said.
‘Cooperatives for Sustainable Development’ international conference’s photo gallery.
