The closing ceremony of the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives 2025 will take place on the morning of next November 4 in Doha, as part of the program of the Second World Summit for Social Development organized by the UN. Thirty years after the first Social Summit, held in Copenhagen in 1995, the second Summit will be held at the Qatar National Convention Centre, with the cooperative movement and the social economy playing a leading role as driving forces in shaping the new global social contract.
The official closing ceremony will bring together various international heads of state, representatives of the United Nations, as well as cooperative leaders, governments and international partners to celebrate the achievements of the International Year of Cooperatives and outline a bold roadmap for the coming years.
On this occasion, the ICA will launch three flagship initiatives: the ICA Global Strategy 2026-2030, which sets priorities for the next decade of cooperative action; a special edition of the World Cooperative Monitor dedicated to the International Year of Cooperatives 2025; and finally, a manifesto and Commitment Plan from the group of cooperative and mutual leaders — CM50 — entitled “A Contract for a New Global Economy.”
“Cooperatives have demonstrated their power to build fairer and more resilient economies and societies. Both the recent draft of the Doha Political Declaration and the UN Secretary-General’s report recognize this unique contribution,” explained ICA President Ariel Guarco, who added: “As we close the International Year of Cooperatives in Doha, we look to the future with renewed vigor to expand the cooperative presence as a key accelerator for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”
A global cooperative vision
During the event, the Doha Political Declaration of the World Social Summit will be presented, in which the UN Member States explicitly recognize the role of cooperatives as leaders of the social and solidarity economy through the promotion of entrepreneurship, the creation of decent work and the advancement of social inclusion.
This Declaration highlights cooperatives as key actors in the eradication of poverty and social transformation, reaffirming their central place in sustainable development strategies.
The text is based on the 2025 report of the United Nations Secretary-General, published in August, on cooperatives in social development, which emphasized the importance of cooperatives for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and urged governments to strengthen enabling environments for their growth — milestones that reinforce the global consensus that cooperatives are indispensable partners in building fairer, more democratic and more sustainable societies.
A shared event
The closing event of the International Year of Cooperatives will be broadcast live through the United Nations Web TV. Organizations accredited for the World Social Summit (November 4–6, Doha) will be able to participate in person. The meeting of the CM50 group will take place on November 3 at the Hilton Doha. The full program and materials will be published soon.
