Our members across the region have started hosting national launch events and activities to kick off IYC 2025 celebrations.

India – The National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) kicked off IYC 2025 with its Centre for Entrepreneurship Development and Cooperation (CEDC) by hosting the inaugural meeting of the Committee of Women Entrepreneurs (CoWE). The meeting, attended by 20 women entrepreneurs from NCUI’s Incubation Centre, focused on empowering women artisans through innovative ideas, product development, branding, and promotional initiatives. Dr. Sudhir Mahajan, Chief Executive of NCUI, highlighted CoWE’s potential to support Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and foster collective empowerment. Advisor Sumit Singh outlined the Incubation Centre’s achievements, including mobilizing over 5,000 women and training 1,500 as entrepreneurs. Participants shared success stories showcasing the transformative impact of the initiative. CoWE aims to strengthen SHGs by enhancing the visibility and marketability of their products, fostering collaboration, and promoting women’s economic independence. As a cornerstone of NCUI’s IYC efforts, CoWE is poised to drive innovation, sustainable development, and women’s empowerment through cooperative frameworks in 2025 and beyond.

Malaysia – Malaysia marked the launch of IYC 2025 at ANGKASA’s headquarters on 12 December 2024. The event, officiated by Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives YB Datuk Ewon Benedick, highlighted the UN’s recognition of cooperatives and Malaysia’s commitment to strengthening cooperative networks domestically and globally. As part of Malaysia’s ASEAN 2025 chairmanship, the government has endorsed the ASEAN Cooperative Dialogue, to be hosted by ANGKASA with full governmental support. Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced an RM1 million allocation for ANGKASA to bolster regional economic cooperation through the ASEAN Co-operative Organization during the ASEAN 2025 Summit.

The minister emphasized that the cooperative movement in Malaysia has the potential to address global challenges and lead the regional cooperative agenda. He also announced that a draft amendment to Malaysia’s 30-year-old Cooperative Act is in its final stages, set to be presented to the Cabinet this month and to Parliament next year. The amendment aims to enhance legislation and enable cooperatives to generate greater revenue for their members. Feedback from ANGKASA and cooperative leaders will be incorporated into the draft. Datuk Seri Dr. Abdul Fattah Abdullah, President of ANGKASA, encouraged state governments to hold IYC 2025 launch events to strengthen local cooperative engagement and awareness. States were also urged to implement programs that support the growth and competitiveness of cooperatives on a global scale. This milestone event underscored the importance of cooperatives in Malaysia’s economic development and their potential for regional and global impact in 2025.

Vietnam – On 11 December 2024, the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance hosted a ceremony to honor outstanding cooperative products and present the inaugural Mai An Tiem Award 2024 (Coop Gold Product Awards 2024). The awards celebrate high-quality and competitive products from reputable cooperatives and cooperative unions in Vietnam, highlighting their role in developing the collective economy. These awards aim to improve productivity and quality, promote cultural identities and traditional values, and meet market demands while standardizing product branding and evaluation criteria. This year, 100 exemplary products were selected from numerous submissions in sectors like agriculture, handicrafts, and food and beverages. The event also marked the launch of the Month of Action for Cooperatives and the International Year of Cooperatives 2025. The ceremony was attended by Nguyen Thi Thanh, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly.

Australia – The national apex Business Council of Cooperatives and Mutuals (BCCM) launched the BCCM Icons campaign. It is a year-long celebration for 2025, aimed at highlighting the history, achievements, and impact of Australia’s co-operatives and mutuals. Through social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, the campaign will feature inspirational stories of co-operatives and mutuals, emphasizing their positive influence on members and communities. The campaign encourages active participation from members, stakeholders, and networks to amplify content and increase social media engagement, creating a collective effort to showcase the value of co-operatives and mutuals during the IYC 2025.

Sri Lanka – On 7 January 2025, the Department of Cooperatives and the National Council of Cooperatives in Sri Lanka held a ceremony to launch IYC 2025 in Columbo.

China – All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives will organize the Shanghai Expo (a cooperative expo aimed at promoting trade among cooperatives in the region) in November 2025 as a key regional IYC 2025 activity.