87^th  International Co-operative Day 

 4 July 2009
15^th UN International Co-operatives Day8th  Tanzania International

Co-operatives Day 

Message from the International Co-operative Alliance

“Driving Global Recovery Through Co-operatives”

This year’s international Day theme focuses on recovery rather than crisis. It highlights the role of co-operatives in both promoting economic growth and, ethical values — values that have been severely challenged in the financial food crisis. It underlines that cooperatives can effectively contribute to global economic recovery through co-operative values and principles which guide their operations. International Day of Co-operatives will be celebrated worldwide on 4 July 2009. This year’s International Co-operative Day celebrations looks at how co-operatives, in various sectors, are performing right now. Records shows that some are reporting high result this period than the same period last year, while others are feeling the impact of the downturn of the economy. However it is important to remember that co-operatives measure their success by the ability to serve their members’ needs, which means that success is measured economically, socially and/or culturally.  While profit margins might slump, co-operatives have the ability to retain their workforce or continue to provide an essential service at affordable prices—ways that they can help communities withstand the worse aspect of the global downturn. Co-operatives are not tools to address crisis, but a sustainable form of enterprises that outlines crisis and drives recovery.