"The global financial and economic crisis has also demonstrated the resilience of alternative financial institutions such as cooperative [...] I encourage all stakeholders to continue building awareness and pursuing policies to strengthen cooperatives everywhere. By contributing to human dignity and global solidarity, cooperatives truly do build a better world."
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Theme for 2012: Cooperative enterprises build a better world
In 1992, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed, in its resolution 47/90 of 16 December 1992, the International Day of Cooperatives to be celebrated annually on the first Saturday of July.
The aim of this International Day is to:
- Increase awareness on cooperatives;
- Highlight the complementarily of the goals and objectives of the United Nations and the international cooperative movement;
- Underscore the contribution of the movement to the resolution of the major problems addressed by the United Nations;
- Strengthen and extend partnerships between the international cooperative movement and other actors, including governments, at local, national and international levels.
This year's theme links to the observance of the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives. It seeks to encourage the growth and establishment of cooperatives all over the world, and to recognize the actions of cooperatives in helping to achieve internationally agreed upon development goals, such as the Millennium Development Goals.