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Delegates gathered on the morning of the final day of Congress to discuss Living the Co-operative Identity Within the Social and Solidarity Economy

On the final day of the World Cooperative Congress delegates in a parallel session heard about affordable housing and energy. The session started by stating that the world was facing a global climate crisis and we were close to the tipping point. This had already hugely disrupted our society and could in the near future threaten all human life. The seventh cooperative principle of care for our community calls on us to tackle the climate, energy and housing crisis together. 

Introducing a session on living the cooperative identity through integrated health and social care, Dr Carlos Zarco, President of the IHCO and Director of Fundacion Espriu, Spain, said the pandemic had highlighted people’s worries over healthcare. “Patients want to get the best health care at the lowest cost. And cooperatives allow patients to work together to work with health providers, and even become the owners of the health resources.”

Dear attendees, As you know, the 33rd World Cooperative Congress, both in-person and online, was interrupted after a Covid case was detected. The protocol from the health authorities of the Republic of Korea was activated immediately, and the situation is under control – but this situation prevented us from continuing the activities. It is important …

How do cooperatives address new ways to ensure production in food systems, and how does this contribute to building sustainable, ethical and inclusive value chains? These questions were explored in parallel session 4.3, entitled Living Our Cooperative Identity With Enhanced Food Security, on the final day of the World Cooperative Congress.

The cooperative contribution to the world of work was explored in a World Cooperative Congress parallel session on 3 December.

Delegates at the #WorldCoopCongress explored how cooperatives offer effective approaches to sustainable development, with a plenary comprising a panel of experts and researchers, who examined how the UN global policies are being turned into effective local actions.

Delegates gathered on the morning of 2 December for parallel session 2.2 of the World Cooperative Congress, which explored how the coop movement can commit to its identity by supporting an ethical value chain.

Case studies from around the world were presented to a parallel session on committing to our cooperative identity for strengthening the community at the Congress.

What are the lessons to be learned from successes and failures in international cooperative development? This question was explored in parallel session 3.3 on Committing to Our Cooperative Identity for Cooperative Development Across the World on the afternoon of 2 December at the World Cooperative Congress.

Delegates to the World Cooperative Congress on the second day discussed one of the most important issues facing us all – the survival of the planet, in particular action on climate change. The session was chaired by Graciela Fernandez, President of the Cooperatives of the Americas and ICA Board Director, who is based in Uruguay. She started by saying that everyone should reflect on COP26 in Glasgow which was a red alert to the planet and was a warning to us all that we must change the way we do business. 

The third plenary of the World Cooperative Congress included a round table on committing to our cooperative identity for a positive global change

A panel of researchers and co-operators explored how cooperatives are helping to maintain and promote peace, during a Congress parallel session on 2 December.

Opening session 3.5 – Committing to our Identity … for facing crises with strength – Sangyoun Lee (Professor at Korea’s Sungkonghoe University) asked delegates to consider three important questions. How do cooperatives get through crisis times, like COVID-19? What should we do more of in the future? And how do these efforts strengthen cooperative identity? …

Ela Bhatt, veteran cooperative organiser, founder of the Self-Employed Women’s Association of India (SEWA), gave the keynote at the plenary on committing to our cooperative identity for positive change.

A plenary session was held on the afternoon of 2 December to summarise sessions centred around the second key theme of Congress: Strengthening Our Cooperative Identity. Consumer cooperative specialist Ann Hoyt chaired the session with a group of rapporteurs who shared each session’s highlights.

Cooperative entrepreneurship and innovation take many forms, delegates at the 33rd #WorldCoopCongress heard. But regardless of sector, a person-centred approach is key.

Delegates at the World Cooperative Congress heard from an international panel in a session on Meeting Future Capital Needs on the second day (2 December 2021). 

Parallel Session 2.3 focused on the importance of having a strong entrepreneurial network, with panellists exploring how cooperatives can work together and form partnerships with other organisations.

Parallel session 2.1 of the World Coop Congress explored how the cooperative movement can strengthen its identity by taking advantage of the digital age.

Plenary 2 of the World Cooperative Congress focused on strengthening the cooperative identity and making it a competitive advantage in the global market.

A plenary session was held on the afternoon of 1 December in order to summarise sessions centred around the first key theme of Congress: Examining Our Cooperative Identity. Consumer cooperative specialist Ann Hoyt chaired the session with six rapporteurs who had been tasked with attending each session that had taken place to gather key themes and ideas.

A pre-recorded session on Examining Our Cooperative Identity Through Educational Opportunities was presented at Congress on the afternoon of 1 December, where a number of cooperators from various educational institutions shared information, experiences and insights from their work.

During his speech at the opening of the World Cooperative Congress ICA President, Ariel Guarco highlighted the role of cooperatives in tackling some of humanity’s greatest challenges. After taking a minute of silence in the memory of those who lost their lives during the pandemic, he described how cooperatives around the world helped local communities …

Cooperatives must be seen as critical partners in the long term, helping to build more resilient communities and to strengthen local economies, said Guy Ryder, Director General of the International Labour Organization (ILO).