80 Cooperative Organizations from 80 Countries Gather in Seoul, 'World Cooperative Congress' Held from Next Month 1 to 3

Over 1,000 Participants Share Cooperative Crisis Response and Development Plans
Participation in Seoul City Discussions and Expos... Global Promotion of Seoul City Cooperative Policies and Best Practices

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The "World Cooperative Congress," where cooperative members from around the world gather in one place, will be held in Seoul. This is the second time in Asia since the 1992 Tokyo Congress.

On the 29th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that from December 1 to 3, the 33rd World Cooperative Congress, hosted by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and with Seoul participating as the Korean partner, will be held at the Grand Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjin-gu.

This congress commemorates the 125th anniversary of the founding of the International Cooperative Alliance and the 25th anniversary of the Cooperative Identity Statement. About 1,000 cooperative members from over 80 countries worldwide are expected to participate both online and offline.

During the three-day main event, there will be focused discussions on solutions to modern social issues arising worldwide due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, as well as crisis response and development plans for cooperatives at the center of the changing era. On the 2nd, Kang Min-su, head of the Seoul Cooperative Support Center, will participate in a discussion session to share how Seoul’s cooperatives have overcome crises during the COVID-19 situation.

Additionally, the "Cooperative Innovation Expo," showcasing excellent cases of cooperatives active worldwide, will be held from the 1st to the 3rd. Five cooperatives, including those from Seoul, will participate in the expo to promote Seoul’s cooperative activation policies and outstanding cases to the world.

Prior to the congress, various side events will be held to raise the atmosphere, including a youth cooperative workshop to strengthen domestic and international youth cooperative networks, an academic conference with about 300 researchers and practitioners, and a legal forum discussing international status and issues related to cooperative law. After the event, overseas participants will have opportunities for field experiences to learn about and understand Korean cooperatives, as well as government agency global roundtable meetings.

Han Young-hee, Seoul’s Director of Labor, Fairness, and Coexistence Policy, said, “The World Cooperative Congress, held for the first time in Seoul domestically, will be an opportunity to showcase Seoul’s excellent cooperative policies to the world,” adding, “Furthermore, we hope this historic congress commemorating the 125th anniversary of the International Cooperative Alliance will be a meaningful occasion to discuss the future direction of cooperatives.”