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28th July 2026 | Tuesday
11:00 AM to 12:30 PM Delhi Time (GMT +5:30) | Zoom Online Meeting
Background
Following the November 2024 decision of the Members of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) to convene a World Cooperative Congress, the global consultation on cooperative identity has moved from reflection to action. The second and final phase of this consultation is now focused on the Statement on the Cooperative Identity itself, with the Cooperative Identity Advisory Group (CIAG) releasing a series of discussion drafts setting out possible changes to the Statement.
Discussion Draft 1 was shared ahead of the 2024 General Assembly and sparked wide ranging conversations across the movement. Discussion Draft 2, which addressed key issues raised during discussions in New Delhi, was released for comment in June 2025, with the comment period closing in November 2025. Discussion Draft 3 (DD3), released on 9th June 2026 along with an accompanying commentary and a set of questions for reviewers to consider, is now open for comment until 31st July 2026.
As a Region with a large and diverse membership base, Asia-Pacific has an important stake in this consultation. The ICA-AP Committee on Cooperative Research (ICA-AP CCR) is therefore organising this Coop Colloquium to disseminate information on DD3 to members, researchers and practitioners across the region, and to gather structured feedback that can be channelled back into the global consultation process before the comment window closes.
Purpose
To disseminate information on Discussion Draft 3 of the Statement on the Cooperative Identity and to collect feedback from ICA-AP members and stakeholders.
About Discussion Draft 3
DD3 sets out a Preamble, Definition, Values and seven Cooperative Principles that together express the shared identity of cooperatives worldwide. The Preamble affirms the ICA’s role as custodian of the cooperative tradition and provides for the Statement to be renewed through the Alliance’s democratic and deliberative processes, while preserving the integrity of the identity passed on from one generation to the next. Reviewers are invited to consider the Definition, Values and each of the seven Principles, namely Voluntary and Open Membership, Democratic Member Control, Member Economic Participation, Autonomy and Independence, Education, Training and Public Promotion, Cooperation among Cooperatives, and Commitment to Sustainable Communities, and to share their views on the proposed changes with the ICA at consultations@ica.coop or through the online Discussion Forum, which supports automatic translation into 38 languages.
Format and Moderation
The session will be moderated by Dr. Sidsel Grimstad, Chair, ICA-AP CCR, who will steer the discussion and open and close the colloquium.
Programme
|
Time |
Agenda |
Speaker / Facilitator |
|
5 mins |
Opening Remarks |
Mr. Balu Iyer, Regional Director, ICA-AP |
|
20 mins |
Keynote: The Global Consultation Process and Contents of Discussion Draft 3 (DD3) |
Prof. Akira Kurimoto, Member, Cooperative Identity Advisory Group (CIAG), |
|
50 mins |
Country Discussions: National Level Consultation Processes and Feedback on DD3 |
· Prof. Seungkwon Jang, Sungkonghoe University, Republic of Korea · Prof. Yashavantha Dongre, Vice Chancellor, Chanakya University, India · Mr. Robby Tulus, Chief Advisor, INKUR · Dr. Patrick John Rico, Vice Chair, ICA-AP CCR, and ACDI Philippines · Mr. Kenki Maeda, Japan Cooperative Alliance (JCA), Japan · Mr. Anthony Taylor, Policy and Government Affairs Manager/Company Secretary, BCCM |
|
10 mins |
Open Discussion and Q&A |
Open |
|
3 mins |
Closing Remarks |
Dr. Sidsel Grimstad, Chair, ICA-AP CCR |
|
2 mins |
Vote of Thanks and Feedback |
Mr. Ayushman Madhwal, ICA-AP |
Registration
Interested participants are invited to register in advance. Registered participants will receive the Zoom link and joining details ahead of the session. Registration details will be shared shortly through ICA-AP communication channels. Click here for registration.
Who Should Attend
- Representatives from ICA member organisations
- Cooperative researchers and academicians
- National and regional cooperative federations and apex bodies
- Practitioners and policy makers interested in the future of the cooperative identity
Expected Outcomes
- Wider awareness of DD3 among ICA-AP members and stakeholders
- Better understanding of the consultation process on cooperative identity
- Stronger Asia Pacific participation in shaping the cooperative identity
