Incoop emphasizes the importance of cooperativism for the country and its great contribution to economic and social development

Headquarters of the National Institute of Cooperativism (Incoop). Photo: Kindness Incoop

Asuncion, IP Agency.- The National Institute of Cooperativism (INCOOP) emphasizes the importance of cooperativism for the country, and its great contribution to economic and social development. Today marks the National Day of Paraguayan Cooperativism – Coop Ára; as well as the International Day of Cooperatives – CoopsDay, celebrated on the first Saturday of July of each year.

“We emphasize the importance of cooperativism for the country, and its great contribution to economic and social development,” said Carlos Romero Roa, who, together with the members of the INCOOP Board of Directors, congratulated the great cooperative movement in the country.

In Paraguay, Law No. 6124/2018 declares the first Saturday of July as the National Day of Paraguayan Cooperativism, remembering cooperative heroes. In this context, INCOOP reaffirms “the principles and values ​​of cooperativism and invites governments and organizations to support its doctrine of peace, solidarity, fraternity and positive achievements.”

The organisation recalls that modern cooperativism began in 1844 when a group of 28 artisans working in the cotton mills of the town of Rochdale, in the north of England, established the first modern cooperative company. This movement, which sought to offer quality products and use surpluses for the benefit of the community, has grown and spread to all sectors of the world economy.

The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), founded 125 years ago, has been instrumental in the expansion of the cooperative model. In 1923, the ICA celebrated the International Day of Cooperation for the first time. In 1992, the United Nations General Assembly officially proclaimed this day, highlighting the importance of cooperatives in promoting solidarity, economic efficiency, equality and world peace, aligning them with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It highlights that on June 19, 2024, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution proclaiming 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives, highlighting that cooperatives build a better world thanks to their impact worldwide. This motto focuses on the cooperative model as a fundamental solution to numerous global obstacles, and highlights its importance in accelerating work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030.