November 26, 2025

JOINT OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 17th ICA-AP REGIONAL ASSEMBLY AND 12th ASIA PACIFIC COOPERATIVE FORUM

Theme: Cooperatives Build a Better World: Strengthening Resilience, Sustaining Investment, and Smart Communication

Venue: Cinamon Lakeside Hotel

Speaker

Master of Ceremonies (MC)

Mr. G.D. Weerasiri, President, National Council of Cooperatives, Sri Lanka (NCCSL)

Dr. Chandrapal Singh Yadav, President, ICA-AP

Honorable Mr. Wasantha Samrasinghe, Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development.

Mr. Srinivas Tata, Director, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), Bangkok

Prof. Ahilan Kadirgamar, Senior Lecturer, University of Jaffna, and Chairman of Northern Cooperative Development Bank

Dr. Ariel Guarco,  President, International Cooperative Alliance

Mr. Balasubramanian Iyer, Regional Director, ICA-AP

Activity

Group Photo and Break

Opening Plenary: Cooperatives as Catalysts for a Better Future

Overview: The Plenary Session will set the stage for the discussions under the overarching theme IYC 2025: Cooperatives Build a Better World. This session will reflect on the achievements of cooperatives, their contributions to sustainable development, and strategies to further integrate the cooperative model into mainstream economic and social policies. The plenary session will provide a platform for high-level dialogue, inspiring cooperative stakeholders to take bold steps in advancing their impact and advocacy efforts. 

Key Discussion Points:

• The significance of IYC 2025 in reinforcing cooperative values, resilience, and innovation.
• Cooperatives as enablers of economic democracy, social inclusion, and sustainable growth.
• Role of governments and policymakers in creating an enabling environment for cooperatives.
• Cooperative success stories that show impact in employment, food security, environmental sustainability, and digital transformation.

Chair: Mr. Jeroen Douglas, Director General, ICA 

Speakers:

• Ms. Joni Simpson, Director, ILO Country Office for Sri Lanka & the Maldives
• Dr. P.A. Kiriwandeniya, Chairman, SANASA Federation Limited
• Emeritus Professor Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. Noor Azlan Ghazali, Professor of Economics, UKM-GSB, Malaysia

Lunch Break

Three Parallel Breakout Sessions:

Session 1 – Tackling the Cooperative Capital Conundrum with Resilient Financing 

Venue: TBC

Overview: Cooperatives continue to face significant challenges in accessing affordable credit and long-term capital, as their member-owned structures and ethical frameworks are often poorly aligned with traditional financial markets. Yet, as economies undergo financial, digital, and ownership transitions, the need for sustainable cooperative financing is greater than ever. This session will explore innovative approaches to cooperative capital, with a focus on worker buyouts of family businesses, ownership transition models, social impact funds, and green finance. These models illustrate how cooperatives can safeguard jobs, ensure continuity, embed democratic governance, and align with climate finance opportunities, while also attracting new forms of mission driven capital.

Key Discussion Points:

• Examples of family businesses converted into worker-owned cooperatives.
• Ownership transition models (including employee-ownership and worker-led buyouts).
• Cases of social impact funds and philanthropic foundations financing cooperatives.
• Green finance and climate-linked investment opportunities for cooperatives.

Chair: Mr. Balasubramanian Iyer, Regional Director, ICA-AP

Speakers:

• Ms. Anitha Munasinghe, Country Manager of Solidaridad Network in Sri Lanka
• Mr. Satish Marathe, Veteran cooperative leader and banking professional with over four decades of experience in the financial sector
• Prof. Sidsel Grimstad, leading academic in cooperative studies, mutual enterprises, and sustainable housing

Session 2 – Framing Cooperative Prosperity Through Progressive Policy 

Venue: TBC

Overview: This session will showcase practices from countries that have successfully created enabling environments for cooperatives, providing insights to strengthen the cooperative ecosystem. The session will also focus on how partnerships, cooperative-friendly policies and legislative reforms can help cooperatives scale up and thrive.

Key Discussion Points:

• Legal recognition of cooperatives: How laws impact cooperative growth and sustainability.
• Financial support and investment: Cooperative-friendly banking and funding mechanisms.
• Partnerships: Strengthening cooperation between governments and cooperatives.
• Case studies on successful policy frameworks from leading cooperative-friendly nations.

Chair: Prof. Ann Apps, Lecturer, University of Newcastle, Australia

Speakers:

• Mr. Pankaj Kumar Bansal, IAS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India, and Managing Director, National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)
• Mr. Abdel Fattah Al-Shalabi, Director General, Jordan Cooperative Corporation (JCC), Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Session 3 – “We are COOPs” – Telling Our Story through Cooperative Branding and Communication

Venue: TBC

Overview: This interactive session will explore how cooperatives can harness storytelling, branding, and diverse communication platforms to amplify their visibility and impact. Through real stories, fireside interviews, and hands-on activities, participants will learn practical approaches to craft, share, and scale cooperative narratives across traditional, digital, and visual media.

Key Discussion Points:

• Storytelling for cooperative identity and visibility
• Leveraging traditional and digital media platforms
• Creative branding strategies for cooperatives
• Practical tools for impactful, scalable communications

Facilitators:  Mr. Jay-vee Marasigan Pangan, Multimedia Journalist & Educator, Philippines, and Ms. Shivali Sarna, Lead – Communication and Membership Development, ICA-AP

Storyteller: Chennai Women Auto Drivers’ Cooperative (TBC)

Speakers: 

• Ms. Gurpreet Kaur Bhatia, Regional Communications Director: Asia, Heifer International
• Mr. S. Swaminathan, Communications Professional, and Livelihoods & Collective Enterprise Consultant, India
• Mr. Tony Lim, Chairperson, Love Empowered Co-operative Limited, Singapore

Break

Closing Plenary

• Report from the breakout sessions
• Joint Declaration and Recommendations
• Closing address (TBC)
• Closing speech by Mr. Balasubramanian Iyer, Regional Director, ICA-AP

Vote of thanks (TBC)