ICA-AP Highlights Children’s Leadership at National Conference on Children’s Cooperatives 2026

Reinforcing the importance of empowering young people through cooperative values, International Cooperative Alliance – Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP) Regional Director Mr. Balasubramanian Iyer participated as Chief Guest at the National Conference on Children’s Cooperatives 2026, held on 29 and 30 July at Vishwa Yuva Kendra, New Delhi, India. The conference was organised by Butterflies, in partnership with Misereor, with support from Comic Relief and Butterflies USA.

Joining the inaugural session alongside Ms. Rita Panicker, Executive Director of Butterflies, Dr. K. C. George, CEO of Deepalaya, and Mr. Saksham, a 15-year-old member of Butterflies, Mr. Iyer highlighted the transformative role of cooperative values in nurturing responsible citizens and strengthening communities from an early age.

In his address, Mr. Iyer commended Butterflies for its pioneering efforts in advancing children’s cooperatives and shared inspiring examples from across the Asia and Pacific region. Drawing on the experiences of Rah-e-roshd educational cooperative in Iran, university cooperatives in Japan, laboratory cooperatives in the Philippines, and school cooperatives in Malaysia, he illustrated how young people can actively participate in cooperative enterprises while developing leadership, democratic decision making, and a sense of collective responsibility.

The conference brought together child leaders, cooperative practitioners, academicians, and development professionals to explore how children’s cooperatives can promote participation, inclusion, and lifelong learning. It also marked the launch of two publications, Learning to Fly: Stories of Dreams and Resilience and Voice, Agency and Participation: Children at the Centre of the Cooperative Movement, both highlighting the importance of creating spaces where children can lead, learn, and contribute meaningfully to society.

ICA-AP congratulates Butterflies and its partners for successfully organising the conference and for their continued commitment to promoting children’s participation in the cooperative movement. The event reaffirmed that investing in young cooperative leaders today is essential for building stronger, more democratic, and inclusive communities tomorrow.