Welcome to the official website on the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC). Here you will find information on events planned throughout the year, as well as suggestions on how to get involved and participate.

International years are declared by the United Nations to draw attention to and encourage action on major issues. The International Year of Cooperatives is intended to raise public awareness of the invaluable contributions of cooperative enterprises to poverty reduction, employment generation and social integration. The Year will also highlight the strengths of the cooperative business model as an alternative means of doing business and furthering socioeconomic development.

For more information on the aims and objectives of the Year, please visit our "About IYC".

New Call for Submissions! International Year of Cooperatives Short Film Festival. Deadline is 30 September 2012.

New Ms. Daniela Bas, Director of the Division for Social Policy and Devlopment (DSPD) on the contribution of cooperatives to socio-economic development.

IYC Icon Panel Discussion on the occasion of the International Day of Cooperatives on "Sustainable Development Goes Local: How New York City Cooperatives Are Advancing the UN Millennium Development Goals”, 12 July 2012, United Nations Headquarters, New York.

IYC Icon International Day of Cooperatives on the theme of Cooperative enterprises build a better world, 7 July 2012. Message of the United Nations Secretary-General English | French | Spanish| Chinese | Russian | Arabic

IYC Icon Rio+20 outcome document has affirmed that Cooperatives are key for sustainable development.

IYC Icon United Nations Annual Ministerial breakfast roundtable on the topic: “Promoting productive capacity for sustainable livelihood: the role of co-operatives”, 5 July 2012.

IYC Icon Panel Discussion on “Cooperatives and the Role of Information and Communication Technologies” , 6 June 2012, United Nations Headquarters, New York.

IYC Icon Advisory Group Members of IYC.

IYC Icon Cooperatives and Women Blog.

IYC Icon Rabobank Group has come forward as the first donor to the International Year of Cooperatives.

IYC Icon United Nations launched the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC) at the UN General Assembly Hall on Monday, 31 October 2011 | Programme | Photos | Videos | Summary of Events during the IYC launch.

For more news on the year, please visit: http://uncoopsnews.org.