The 2025 UN IYC was officially launched on 25 November 2024 in Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, India, at the ICA Global Cooperative Conference and General Assembly.

The conference opening and IYC2025 launch ceremony witnessed participation from over 3,000 delegates, including India’s Prime Minister, H.E. Narendra Modi; Bhutan’s Prime Minister, H.E. Dasho Tshering Tobgay, and the Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji, Hon. Mr. Manoa Kamikamica. Other guests included Mr. Amit Shah, Minister of Home and Cooperation, Government of India; Mr. Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator in India, and Dr. Ariel Guarco, ICA President.

Dr. Guarco thanked IFFCO and other ICA members in India for hosting the conference. He said, “Proud of that Identity, let us go out to embrace the new generations, those who do not know the practice of organised cooperation, to integrate this great family of a billion to a billion more, who surely cooperate today to live - and some to survive - and let us continue to demonstrate that this is the best way for all of us to have a dignified life, leaving no one out and leaving no one behind.”

Prime Minister Mr. Modi delivered a keynote address highlighting the important role cooperatives play in India. India is home to 800,000 cooperatives, including IFFCO, the world's largest cooperative by turnover on GDP per capita. He said, “For the whole world, cooperatives are a business model, but for India, cooperatives are a way of life; cooperation is the basis of our culture.” He said that one in every four cooperative societies of the world is in India, emphasising how the partnership between the Government of India and cooperatives was key to sustainable growth and how this growth "should be seen in a human-centric way".

He further proposed that the cooperative movement should collaborate to form a global financial institution to support cooperatives worldwide, building a prosperous world with a global cooperative spirit. Mr. Modi thanked the UN for declaring 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives. "In this IYC we will move forward with this cooperative spirit, we will be empowered and prosperous," he concluded.

Mr. Sharp called India "a nation synonymous with cooperation”. He praised the Indian government for creating the Ministry of Cooperation and said “When people come together the world is a better place".

Mr. Tobgay said “'We want to build a hub in the south of the country which is based on mindfulness and innovative thinking - this is very much in line with the human-centric cooperative values.” "Fiji is here to listen, learn and execute," said Mr Kamikamica.

United Nations Secretary-General Mr. António Guterres also addressed the conference via a video message. “Cooperatives like the ones you represent demonstrate the importance of standing together to forge solutions to global challenges,” he said. He also spoke about the crucial role of cooperatives in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in light of the upcoming Second World Summit on Social Development. 

IYC2025, with the theme,  “Cooperatives build a better world”, is an opportunity for the global cooperative movement to share and celebrate their stories of impact and achievements and plan for a future that builds prosperity for all. 

Over the next year, the ICA will work to increase the visibility of cooperatives and raise public awareness about their contributions to sustainable development; advocate for enabling environment and supportive legal and policy frameworks for strengthening their entrepreneurial ecosystem; and promote the growth and development of cooperatives through capacity-building initiatives, knowledge-sharing, and collaborative partnerships. The ICA is also planning a range of activities to inspire young people to join the movement in 2025.

How can you get involved?

The UN General Assembly resolution proclaiming the IYC 2025, recommends ways to celebrate and encourages all Member States, the United Nations, and relevant stakeholders to leverage this event to promote cooperatives’ contribution to social and economic development. Member States and cooperatives are also invited to consider establishing national committees to coordinate and prepare for all IYC2025 activities. Find the guidelines for creating National Committees here.

Organisations interested in using the IYC2025 logo must adhere to specific guidelines provided by the UN here.

The Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC) has created a new website, https://2025.coop/, to celebrate the IYC featuring all the relevant information and events from across the world. Stay tuned!

For all the social media buzz, keep following #IYC2025 #CoopsYear #cooperativesbuildabetterworld.