INTERNATIONAL DAY OF COOPERATIVES
Quick Facts
The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Cooperatives recognizes and reaffirms the role of cooperatives in economic, social and cultural development and in the achievement of social policy objectives.
Local names
| Name | Language |
|---|---|
| International Day of Cooperatives | English |
| Día Internacional de las Cooperativas | Spanish |
International Day of Cooperatives 2013 Theme: “Cooperative enterprise remains strong in time of crisis”
Saturday, July 6, 2013
International Day of Cooperatives 2014
Saturday, July 5, 2014
The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Cooperatives is observed on the first Saturday of July each year. Some of the day’s goals are to increase awareness on cooperatives, as well as strengthen and extend partnerships between the international cooperative movement and other supporting organizations including governments.
International Day of Cooperatives remembers what cooperatives do to improve the world’s economic and social development.©iStockphoto.com/ alexsl
What do people do?
Cooperatives around the world celebrate the International Day of Cooperatives in many ways. Activities include: messages from the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and the UN translated into local languages for worldwide distribution; news articles and radio programs publicizing the awareness of the day; fairs, exhibits, contests and campaigns focused on the topics related to the day; meetings with government officials, UN agencies and other partner organizations; economic, environmental, social and health challenges (such as tree planting); and sponsored cultural events such as theatres and concerts.
Public life
The UN’s International Day of Cooperatives is a global observance and not a public holiday.
Background
Cooperatives are important in the world’s economic and social development. Based as on the principle of cooperation, cooperatives help create new ethics and values in business and economics. In 1895 ICA was formed and since 1927 it observes the first Saturday of July as International Cooperative Day. In 1994 the United Nations recognized and reaffirmed that cooperatives were vital in the world’s economic, social and cultural development. However two years earlier – on December 16, 1992 – the UN General Assembly proclaimed the first Saturday of July 1995 as the International Day of Cooperatives, marking the centenary of ICA’s establishment.
Symbols
The United Nations’ logo is often associated with marketing and promotional material for this event. It features a projection of a world map (less Antarctica) centered on the North Pole, enclosed by olive branches. The olive branches symbolize peace and the world map represents all the people of the world. It has been featured in colors such as white against a blue background or blue against a white background.
Promotional material used to publicize the day included images featuring an array of colors similar to those of a rainbow. These colors are linked with those that are used by ICA, which, together with the UN and other organizations, plays a big role in promoting and coordinating events for the day.
International Day of Cooperatives Observances
| Weekday | Date | Year | Name | Holiday type | Where it is observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat | Jul 1 | 1995 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 6 | 1996 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 5 | 1997 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 4 | 1998 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 3 | 1999 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 1 | 2000 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 7 | 2001 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 6 | 2002 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 5 | 2003 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 3 | 2004 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 2 | 2005 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 1 | 2006 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 7 | 2007 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 5 | 2008 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 4 | 2009 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 3 | 2010 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 2 | 2011 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 7 | 2012 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 6 | 2013 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 5 | 2014 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance | |
| Sat | Jul 4 | 2015 | International Day of Cooperatives | United Nations observance |
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BEAUTIFUL, ALSO, ARE THE SOULS OF MY BLACK SISTERS 