The amazing power of cooperatives coming to the ICA Expo

The 2012 International Summit of Cooperatives is proud to confirm its participation at the ICA Expo in Manchester. Marking the closing of the International Year of Cooperatives, this event will be the ideal opportunity to highlight the outcomes of the Summit, taking place less than a month earlier.

The international scope of the Summit and ICA Expo, and their inclusion of all cooperative sectors, make them two of the cooperative world’s not to be missed events for 2012. They will help the International Year of Cooperatives pave the way for the decade of cooperatives.

Both events share the same goals: facilitate discussions and networking opportunities between cooperatives from around the world, and encourage business partnerships. But in addition to business opportunities, the Summit will also be a chance for cooperatives to draw on the movement’s best practices, learn from their peers, and ensure the development and longevity of cooperative businesses.

This first International Summit of Cooperatives, which aspires to become a regular event, will be held in Quebec City, Canada, this coming October 8 to 11. It will bring together some 1,500 leaders, delegates, stakeholders, decision-makers and researchers from the cooperative world, representing 90 different countries and a wide range of cooperative sectors.

World-renowned speakers and unpublished studies
The Summit will welcome over 130 keynote speakers, who will discuss current and future challenges shared by cooperatives. These speakers include prominent figures such as Jacques Attali, Nobel prize recipients such as A. Michael Spence, leading contributors from the cooperative sector and academics such as Riccardo Petrella, as well as various presidents and CEOs of cooperative businesses such as Peter Marks, CEO of The Co-operative Group (United Kingdom), host of the ICA Expo in Manchester.

During the Summit, the results of six groundbreaking studies will also be revealed by McKinsey & Company (major global trends and challenges, development strategies, best practices), Deloitte (productivity, financing and capitalization), Ipsos-UQAM (member expectations) and the Institut de recherche et d’éducation pour les coopératives et les mutuelles de l’Université de Sherbrooke - IRECUS (socio-economic impact of cooperatives). These results will then be shared during the ICA Expo.

The amazing power of cooperatives
There is no doubt that cooperatives will have a greater role to play in the coming years. The future belongs to businesses that put human capital ahead of financial capital, not those that seek excessive returns, which, as we’ve seen, can lead to disastrous economic results. The Summit and ICA Expo can play a pivotal role in this respect, which is why we’re encouraging as many representatives from the cooperative movement as possible to participate in these two milestone events of the International Year of Cooperatives.

For more information, visit:
www.2012intlsummit.coop

Romanian participation at ICA EXPOCOOP 2012

In the framework of the International Year of Co-operatives, the latest edition of ICA EXPOCOOP represents an event of great magnitude, intended to convey a message of solidarity, force and competitiveness to co-operatives from around the world. The trade fair will re-affirm that the co-operative movement represents a solution for difficult economic and social problems of the contemporary world. Certainly, the participation at the Expo will be an important promotional engine for co-operative societies, a means to increase their visibility and to promote their economic potential, expertise and knowledge.

The Romanian production co-operative movement understands the importance of this event and confirms its participation at ICA EXPOCOOP for the second time, conviced that the results, both co-operative and pragmatic, will meet its expectations.

The National Union of Handicraft and Production Co-operatives of Romania - UCECOM will participate with 10 of its associated members, handicraft co-operative societies (producers and service providers) that cover a large range of products and activities, such as:

•  Garments for women, men and children: dresses, blouses, skirts, trousers, jackets, coats etc., including sport and ski garments.
• Knitwear: pullovers, dresses, skirts, jackets, costumes etc.
• Small furniture and other wooden articles: toys and games, boxes, newspapers supports etc.
• Textile handicraft: embroidered folk blouses, folk scarves, folk dolls etc. and wooden handicraft - figurines, vases, folk spoons etc.;
• Food products: candies (drops, sweet and breath refreshing tablets), sorbets, food essences, flavors and dyes.

The Romanian presence at ICA EXPOCOOP represents a possibility to promote the co-operative societies from this country, their products and services. The expo also provides an opportunity to develop new relationships, partnerships and business networks with organisations from the UK and other countries of the world, which will benefit both the exhibitors and the other UCECOM members.
At the same time, the exhibition and the related events can strengthen the connections with other co-operative structures present at the trade fair.

Romanian Exhibitors thank the organizers in advance for the valuable effort, dedication and competence demonstrated in the preparation of this important event for co-operatives from around the world, assuring that ICA EXPOCOOP provides all with the best service.

Romanian exhibitors also wish a successful participation to all the participants, with the sincere hope to increase solidarity, understanding and openness which represents the co-operative movement and assures its sustainability, despite the difficulties imposed during almost two centuries of existence.

We welcome you to The National Union of Handicraft and Production Co-operatives of Romania – UCECOM stand to meet your Romanian colleagues and discover a part of the Romanian people’s tradition and soul.