At the end of October 2011, the United Nations officially launched the International Year of Cooperatives in New York. During this dedicated year, UN priority goals are to increase public awareness about cooperatives, to promote the establishment of cooperatives and to raise awareness of governments for legislation that is conducive to cooperative movements.
Credit cooperatives, rural, commercial and housing cooperatives stabilise regional economic cycles and provide local employment. Cooperatives do not just contribute to solving economic challenges, but are also major factors in tackling social tasks. They promote decentralised dissemination of renewable energies, contribute to wide-based health care and in organising local amenities and supplies in rural regions. Cooperatives also play a major role in international cooperation.
Cooperatives will therefore be a highlight of our Rural 21 journal in the coming year, and will be the focus topic of our 2/2012 issue scheduled for mid June 2012.
