Co-op News (August 2019)
What is co-operative culture - and why does it matter? This issue looks at how co-op values intersect with the values in organisations, across movements and between countries. Plus 100 years of the Channel Islands Co-operative – and how the new Coop Exchange app is tackling the capital conundrum.
What is co-operative culture - and why does it matter? This issue looks at how co-op values intersect with the values in organisations, across movements and between countries. Plus 100 years of the Channel Islands Co-operative – and how the new Coop Exchange app is tackling the capital conundrum.
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RWANDA<br />
<strong>Co</strong>-<strong>op</strong>erative devel<strong>op</strong>ment global conference <strong>op</strong>ens for registration<br />
Registration is <strong>op</strong>en for the <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>op</strong>eratives<br />
for Devel<strong>op</strong>ment Global <strong>Co</strong>nference in<br />
Kigali, Rwanda (14-17 October).<br />
The global event is organised by the<br />
International <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>op</strong>erative Alliance (ICA)<br />
under the auspices of the government of<br />
the Republic of Rwanda, with the support<br />
of the Rwandan’ co-<strong>op</strong> movement.<br />
It will see co-<strong>op</strong>s share their experiences<br />
in sustainable devel<strong>op</strong>ment, and celebrate<br />
their vital contribution to the United<br />
Nations’ 17 Sustainable Devel<strong>op</strong>ment<br />
Goals (SDGs).<br />
Alongside co-<strong>op</strong>erators from around<br />
the world, the four-day event will bring<br />
together civil society actors, devel<strong>op</strong>ment<br />
agencies, policy makers, institutional<br />
partners, government officials,<br />
representatives from international<br />
and regional organisations, researchers,<br />
and others concerned with devel<strong>op</strong>ment.<br />
Themes explored over the four<br />
days include female empowerment,<br />
preservation of the environment,<br />
eradication of hunger and poverty, decent<br />
work, ethical value chains, affordable<br />
housing, and equality and peace.<br />
Delegates will be welcomed to the<br />
conference by Ariel Guarco, president of<br />
the ICA, and Hon Soraya Hakuziyaremeye,<br />
Rwanda’s minister of trade and Industry.<br />
Among the keynote speakers is<br />
environmental activist Dr Vandana<br />
Shiva, who will talk about how co-<strong>op</strong>s<br />
can help to achieve a more solidaritybased<br />
and participatory society.<br />
Delegates will also hear from president<br />
Paul Kagame, Japheth Magomere<br />
(ICA-Africa president) and <strong>August</strong>in<br />
Katabarwa, (president of the National<br />
<strong>Co</strong><strong>op</strong>erative <strong>Co</strong>nfederation of Rwanda),<br />
among others.<br />
The ICA General Assembly (for ICA<br />
members only) takes place on Thursday<br />
afternoon, with the conference ending<br />
that evening with a gala dinner where<br />
the Rochdale Pioneer Awards winners<br />
will be announced. This recognises,<br />
in the spirit of the contribution of the<br />
Rochdale Pioneers, an individual or<br />
p Dr Vandana Shiva<br />
organisation who has contributed to<br />
innovative and financially sustainable<br />
co-<strong>op</strong>erative activities that have<br />
significantly benefited co-<strong>op</strong> members.<br />
u More information and the provisional<br />
programme is available at kigali<strong>2019</strong>.<br />
co<strong>op</strong>. Registration for the event is <strong>op</strong>en at<br />
register.kigali<strong>2019</strong>.co<strong>op</strong><br />
EUROPE<br />
Agri-co-<strong>op</strong>s take their sustainability<br />
story to MEPs to win support for the sector<br />
Eur<strong>op</strong>ean agri co-<strong>op</strong>s have launched<br />
a campaign to showcase the sector’s<br />
role in meeting the United Nations’ 17<br />
Sustainable Devel<strong>op</strong>ment Goals (SDGs).<br />
The campaign, launched on the<br />
International Day of <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>op</strong>eratives (6<br />
July), will see sector body <strong>Co</strong>pa-<strong>Co</strong>geca<br />
showcase 100 success stories on its new<br />
online platform, and use the hashtag<br />
#17Reasons2<strong>Co</strong><strong>op</strong> on social media to<br />
highlight the work of co-<strong>op</strong>s, as a new<br />
political cycle starts in Brussels.<br />
<strong>Co</strong>geca president Thomas Magnusson<br />
said: “I have noticed in exchanges with EU<br />
stakeholders that examples are better than<br />
long speeches. In a time of permanent<br />
agri-bashing, it is time to show that our<br />
rural areas are creative and resilient and<br />
this is thanks to agri co-<strong>op</strong>eratives. We<br />
benefit our farmer owners, we champion<br />
our employees, we work to understand<br />
and satisfy our customers, consumers and<br />
society. We innovate, invest and work on<br />
long-term sustainable projects.”<br />
Welcoming the move, EU agriculture<br />
commissioner Phil Hogan said agri-co-<strong>op</strong>s<br />
are “successful businesses that unite<br />
farmers around common economic, social<br />
and environmental goals”.<br />
Mr Hogan sent a video message to <strong>Co</strong>pa-<br />
<strong>Co</strong>geca to congratulate the sector on the<br />
International Day of <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>op</strong>eratives.<br />
He said: “This wonderful occasion is an<br />
important <strong>op</strong>portunity to highlight how<br />
Eur<strong>op</strong>ean agri co-<strong>op</strong>s benefit farmers, our<br />
rural economies and our consumers.<br />
The commissioner said he believes<br />
co-<strong>op</strong>s are the backbone of rural areas,<br />
helping to create and sustain quality<br />
employment and viable communities.<br />
He added: “They support our farmers in<br />
improving their production and position<br />
in the food supply chain, ensuring fair<br />
incomes and long-term investments.”<br />
MEP Paolo De Castro, who was recently<br />
re-elected to the Agriculture <strong>Co</strong>mmittee,<br />
also praised agri co-<strong>op</strong>s. “It is essential<br />
to recognise the role of agri co-<strong>op</strong>eratives<br />
that guarantee incomes to our farmers<br />
while being protagonists in supporting<br />
the achievement of the UN Sustainable<br />
Devel<strong>op</strong>ment Goals,” he said.<br />
u Visit www.17reasons2co<strong>op</strong>.eu to see the<br />
<strong>Co</strong>pa-<strong>Co</strong>geca campaign<br />
16 | AUGUST <strong>2019</strong>