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This year’s International Day of Cooperatives (CoopsDay), held under the theme “Cooperatives: Driving Inclusive and Sustainable Solutions for a Better World,” coincides with the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives (IYC2025)—a rare global moment to reflect on the power of cooperatives to foster just, resilient, and compassionate societies.
Cooperatives are enterprises owned and democratically controlled by their members. They exist not to maximize profit but to serve people and meet shared needs. From agriculture and housing to healthcare, clean energy, and education, cooperatives offer practical solutions that uplift marginalized populations and protect human dignity.
Today, over 12% of humanity is a member of one of the world’s three million cooperatives. These cooperatives create work and income for around 280 million people globally—nearly 10% of the world’s employed population. The largest 300 cooperatives alone generate an annual turnover exceeding $2.4 trillion USD.
These are not just numbers—they are a testament to the power of cooperation in transforming lives, especially for groups historically excluded from opportunity: women, refugees, minorities, persons with disabilities, and low-income communities. Cooperatives empower individuals through collective ownership, shared decision-making, and values rooted in social justice and inclusion.
As the world faces mounting challenges—climate change, economic inequality, forced displacement, and political polarization—cooperatives serve as beacons of hope, providing alternative models of development that are community-based, democratic, and future-oriented.
Roya Institute commemorates this day by reaffirming our commitment to promoting cooperative values. We call on policymakers, international agencies, and civil society actors to create enabling legal and financial frameworks that allow cooperatives to flourish—especially in vulnerable communities where their impact is most urgently needed.
Let us work together to support cooperative models that restore hope, dignity, and agency to people everywhere.