On 25th November 2024, Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) Global Cooperative Conference 2024 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Delhi.
- PM Modi also launched the United Nations(UN)’ International Year of Cooperatives 2025 and released a commemorative postal stamp.
Key People:
Union Minister, Amit Shah, Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA), Tshering Tobgay, PM of Bhutan, Biman Prasad, Deputy PM of Fiji, Ariel Guarco, President of ICA, Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation, and other dignitaries were present during the event.
ICA Global Cooperative Conference 2024:
i.The Conference was hosted by Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), in collaboration with ICA and Government of India(GoI), and Indian Cooperatives AMUL and KRIBHCO.
ii.The conference was held from 25th to 30th November 2024.The theme of the conference is “Cooperatives Build Prosperity for All” is in line with Indian Government’s vision of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi” (Prosperity through Cooperation).
iii.ICA Global Cooperative Conference and ICA General Assembly are being organised in India for the first time in the 130-year history of the ICA.
iv.The conference featured discussions, panel sessions, and workshops, addressing the challenges and opportunities faced by cooperatives worldwide in achieving the United Nations(UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in areas such as poverty alleviation, gender equality, and sustainable economic growth.
Click here to know more about ICA Global Cooperative Conference 2024.
International Year of Cooperatives 2025:
The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) declared 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC2025) which is to be celebrated under the theme “Cooperatives Build a Better World.”
i.The theme highlights the global impact of cooperatives and emphasizes that the cooperative model is a crucial solution for addressing various global challenges.
ii.A soft launch of the IYC2025 took place on 9th July 2024 during the UN High-level Political Forum at the UN Headquarters in New York, the United States of America(USA).
iii.As a part of “International Year of Cooperatives,” Indian government will promote a new dimension to India’s cooperative movement by introducing a new cooperative policy.
Commemorative postal stamp:
i.PM Modi launched the commemorative postal stamp which symbolises India’s commitment to the cooperative movement.
ii.The stamp features a lotus, the symbol of peace, strength, resilience, and growth, this reflects the cooperative values of sustainability and community development.
iii.The five petals of the lotus represent the 5 elements of nature (Panchatatva), highlighting cooperatives’ commitment to environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
iv.The design also incorporates sectors like agriculture, dairy, fisheries, consumer cooperatives, and housing, with a drone symbolising the role of modern technology in agriculture.
Points to note:
i.Union Minister stated that the National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) and Bhartiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL) will increase the participation of farmers in world trade and work to inspire cooperatives all over the World as to how a small farmer can reach all the markets of the World.
ii.The GoI is committed to connect every village and farmer with the cooperative movement. Various efforts have been taken to explore new areas and extend the scope of cooperatives.
About International Cooperative Alliance (ICA):
The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) is a non-governmental cooperative organization founded in 1895.
President– Ariel Guarco
Headquarters– Brussels, Belgium
