#CoopsDay Day of Cooperatives 2026
On July 6, cooperatives around the world will celebrate the Day of Cooperatives.
Co-operatives have been acknowledged as associations and enterprises through which citizens can effectively improve their lives while contributing to the economic, social, cultural and political advancement of their community and nation. The co-operative movement has been also recognized as a distinct and major stakeholder in both national and international affairs. Co-operatives’ open membership model affords access to wealth creation and poverty elimination. This results from the co-operative principle of members’ economic participation: ‘Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their co-operative.’ Because co-operatives are people-centred, not capital-centred , they do not perpetuate, nor accelerate capital concentration and they distribute wealth in a more fair way. Co-operatives also foster external equality. As they are community-based, they are committed to the sustainable development of their communities – environmentally, socially and economically. This commitment can be seen in their support for community activities, local sourcing of supplies to benefit the local economy, and in decision-making that considers the impact on their communities. Despite their local community focus, co-operatives also aspire to bring the benefits of their economic and social model to all people in the world. Globalization should be governed by a set of values such as those of the co-operative movement; otherwise, it creates more inequality and excesses that render it unsustainable. The cooperative movement is highly democratic, locally autonomous, but internationally integrated, and a form of organization of associations and enterprises whereby citizens themselves rely on self-help and their own responsibility to meet goals that include not only economic, but also social and environmental objectives, such as overcoming poverty, securing productive employment and encouraging social integration.
The 2026 theme of the United Nations International Day of Cooperatives, “Cooperatives for a peaceful world”, affirms the contribution of cooperative enterprises to social justice, inclusion and solidarity. It recognizes cooperatives as people-centered institutions that can help build trust, strengthen social cohesion and bring communities together around shared needs and aspirations. In a world marked by conflict, inequality, social fragmentation and declining trust, the theme recalls that peace is more than the absence of violence: it also requires inclusion, fairness, dialogue and economic security. Announced by the International Cooperative Alliance, this year’s theme also reflects the capacity of the cooperative model to serve as a bridge between people and communities. Through democratic ownership, open membership and collective responsibility, cooperatives create spaces in which people can participate, be heard and work together across social and economic divides. Rooted in communities and connected through an international movement, they support livelihoods, decent work, poverty reduction, social integration and peacebuilding among peoples, communities and nations.
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Day of Cooperatives
