Ceremony for 102nd Anniversary of International Cooperative Day Holds

The 102nd anniversary of the International Cooperative Day ceremony was held at the meeting hall of the Ministry of Cooperatives and Rural Development yesterday morning.
At the ceremony, Union Minister for Cooperatives and Rural Development U Hla Moe highlighted the history of the cooperative movement. The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) was established in London, England, on 19 August 1895 and has been in existence for 129 years. International Cooperative Day celebrations have been held for 101 years, with 6 July marking the 102nd anniversary. Notably, the United Nations General Assembly designated the first Saturday of July each year as International Cooperative Day in 1994.
Moreover, Myanmar has a rich history of cooperative activity, dating back to the enactment of the Cooperative Society Act in 1904. This legislation led to the establishment of the Sagaing District’s Myinmu Credit Cooperative Society on 3 January 1905, marking the inception of the cooperative movement in the country. To ensure the continued growth and success of these cooperatives, a dedicated ministry was established to provide guidance and supervision for cooperatives of all sizes, resulting in 38,659 cooperatives in the country. This commitment to fostering a robust cooperative network culminated in the Central Cooperative Union’s membership in the International Cooperative Federation on 7 September 1993.
In line with the 2024 International Cooperative Day theme, “Cooperatives Build a Better Future for All”, international cooperatives have a crucial role to play. The Union Minister focused on achieving this goal by upholding the core principles grounded in shared values of ethics and dignity.
Then, the ceremony continued with a congratulatory speech delivered by director U Tun Hlaing, representing the chairperson of the Central Cooperative Society Limited, for International Cooperative Day. Dr Toe Nanda Tin, another director, then read a message sent by the Federation of Cooperatives. To add a festive touch, the celebration featured a song dedicated to International Cooperative Day and a video showcasing various cooperative activities.
Finally, the Union minister and officials presented 27 awards recognizing outstanding achievements in cooperative development activities.
Union Minister U Hla Moe, deputy ministers, permanent secretaries, directors-general, rectors from Universities of Cooperative and Management (Thanlyin and Sagaing), director members of the Central Co-operative Society Limited, principals from Cooperative Colleges (Mandalay and Phaunggyi), departmental directors, cooperative trainees, employees and other responsible people attended the ceremony. — MNA/ TRKM