Member States

 

The United Nations General Assembly invites Member States to set up national committees responsible for promoting activities related to the preparation and observance of the IYC.  Experience from previous international years indicates that participation of strong National Committees is essential to the success of the IYC. The national committees should be inclusive and envisioned to be composed of local governments, UN country teams, cooperative movement representatives, private sector leaders, and civil society organisations.

 

UN Agencies

Many UN agencies work with various cooperative sectors and are positioned to add value to the IYC. UN agencies can contribute significantly in raising awareness, providing technical assistance and supporting national activities within the context of the IYC. List of Focal Points for UN Agencies.

 

Cooperative Movement

Crucial to the success of the IYC are cooperatives, big and small, from all sectors: agriculture, banking and credit, consumer, fisheries, health, housing, insurance, industry and services, tourism, utilities and social cooperatives. Cooperatives will, among others:

• provide materials for research and compilation of success stories and lessons learned for posting on the UN IYC official website and other IYC websites;
• organize coordinated efforts to raise awareness about cooperatives;
• promote the IYC through newsletters, brochures, and other publicity vehicles.

Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC) is a committee made up of the cooperative movement, farmers´ organizations, and the United Nations and its agencies. Members work together on equal terms to promote and coordinate sustainable cooperative development by promoting and raising awareness on cooperatives, holding policy dialogues and advocating policies that enable cooperative success, working together on technical cooperation activities and sharing knowledge and information.




ICA: The international Co-operative Alliance has been a major cooperative partner in support of the IYC. ICA is an important partner and will highlight the activities of an estimated 1 billion cooperative members, how they benefit from cooperatives, and how cooperatives contribute to economic and social development.