2024 Rochdale Pioneers Award nominations are open until 31 August!

Have you seen our list of speakers?

New names are being added all the time, but don’t miss out on hearing…

Tshering Tobgay, a Bhutanese politician, environmentalist, and cultural advocate, currently serving his second term as Prime Minister, which began in January 2024. He is dedicated to guiding Bhutan into the 21st century while preserving its unique identity through the "Gross National Happiness" (GNH) framework, which emphasises well-being over economic growth.

Sandra Uwera Murasa, the Global Chief Executive Officer at Fairtrade International, a leading global organisation that works to empower producers and consumers to trade fairly and sustainably. She is a Fellow at Eisenhower Fellowships, a prestigious program that connects and inspires leaders from around the world to create positive change in their communities and fields of expertise. 

Revant Himatsingka, popularly known as Food Pharmer, a food crusader who is on a mission to make 140 crore Indians become health literate. He has fought and won against several multinational corporations in the world and has been instrumental in many leading companies reducing their sugar content. He has 3.5 million followers across social media and is one of India's most trusted voices on health. 

Who else is speaking? Ariel Guarco … António Guterres … Udai Shankar Awasthi … Aicha Errifaai … Ameya Prabhu … Ann Hoyt … Cory Efram Doctorow … Cynthia Giagnocavo … Doug O’Brien … Francesca Ottolenghi … Hagen Henry … Howard Brodsky … Jelmer van de Mortel … Jeroen Douglas … Maria Eugenia Pérez Zea … Mirai Chatterjee … Peter Westall … Roeland Monasch … Rose Marley … Satish Marathe … Simel Esim … Sonja Novkovic … Stefania Marcone … Vandana Shiva AND MORE

Youth Opportunities at the Global Cooperative Conference

This month the world celebrated UN International Youth Day (12 August)! Young people are vital to the future of the world and the future of cooperatives, and we are delighted that the 2024 Global Cooperative Conference has so many ways for youth to join in, act and be heard.

At #ICANewDelhi2024 there is...

✨ A reduced registration fee of EUR 200 for under 35s

✨ A Coopathon and youth gathering during the conference 

✨ A Youth Leadership Exchange Program following the event

We are especially excited about the Coopathon because the theme of #IYD2024 was 'From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.' The Coopathon addresses this. 

Led by the ICA Global Youth Network, the hackathon-style event will explore ideas that promote solidarity, resilience, and sustainable development within the cooperative movement, by leveraging technology, data analytics, and social entrepreneurship to address the complex issues of today's world.

What is Coopathon?

"Ever felt like there could be a better way for cooperatives to be known and communicate what they do and how they work? Have you ever thought of how to spark dialogue, share knowledge, solve internal issues, generate knowledge, share with your friends and family what 'cooperative' means, understand the history better... or make this known and fun? That is what the Coopathon in New Delhi will be about," explains Ana Aguirre. 

What are young people hoping to get out of #ICANewDelhi2024?

Ahead of International Youth Day, we caught up with some of the International Cooperative Alliance Youth Network Executive Committee representatives to hear what younger delegates are hoping to get out of the Global Cooperatives Conference.

How do they see cooperatives building a better world?

Click here to hear thoughts from Dulce Bustamante (Vice President, Asia-Pacific), Abubakar Sadiq Labaran (Vice President, Africa) and Marcelina Zjawińska (Vice President, Europe).

Ana Aguirre, the President of the ICA Youth Committee, also had a message to share on International Youth Day. 

Connecting with young people in India

How can cooperatives connect better with young people? One way is by working with schools. Last year, the National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) launched Coop Connect, a forum exclusively for young people, to do just that.

The Coop Connect programme aims to promote and popularise the cooperative model of development among young people, and cooperative education in schools, colleges and universities, The programme has already worked with several private, government and Navodaya schools, where students learn about cooperative values and principles, and the role of cooperatives in the national economy.

The National Yuva Co-operative Society: empowering youth, powering the nation!

Since its inception in 1999, the National Yuva Co-operative Society (NYCS) has focused on developing and nurturing young entrepreneurs across India.

With a strong network operating in 603 districts across India, it provides young people with entrepreneurship training which includes bookkeeping, marketing skills, soft skills, managerial skills, team management, leadership management, and life skills.