International Year of Cooperatives

The United Nations (UN) has declared 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC) and the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All.

Cooperative enterprises can help create jobs and foster social integration.

©iStockphoto.com/kali9

Aim of the year

The International Year of Cooperatives aims to raise awareness of how cooperative enterprises can:

• reduce poverty
• generate employment
• foster social integration

IYC focuses on boosting the growth and establishment of cooperatives worldwide. It also encourages people to recognize the role of cooperatives in helping to achieve various goals such as reducing poverty, boosting education and healthcare, and sustaining the environment. Various activities are planned, including conferences, photo exhibitions, and website launches specifically to promote the year.

Background

Cooperative enterprises are owned by the members that they serve, so decisions made are not just for profit but also for the interest of members and their communities. The UN recognizes that cooperatives,  in  their  various  forms, help boost economic and social development, as well as contribute to reducing poverty.

Symbols

The logo for the International Year of Cooperatives is based on the slogan for the year, which is "Cooperative Enterprises Build a Better World". The logo shows figures of people working together to lift and support a cube. The cube represents the various projects, goals and aspirations on which cooperative enterprises are built, and the achievements that can be made.