In a milestone initiative to honour and preserve the global cooperative legacy, the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) will convene a key meeting of its “Cooperative Cultural Heritage” Working Group on June 30, 2025, at the historic Rochdale Pioneers Museum in the UK. Recognized as the birthplace of the modern cooperative movement, Rochdale holds special symbolic value for cooperators worldwide.
The event marks the first in-person meeting of the working group and comes as part of the lead-up to the United Nations-declared International Year of Cooperatives 2025. It also coincides with the broader Festival of Cooperatives, a week-long celebration taking place in Manchester and Rochdale, culminating on the International Day of Cooperatives, July 5.
The ICA working group, created in September 2024 and formally launched in February 2025, brings together cooperative historians, cultural scholars, and representatives from ICA’s regional bodies and national cooperatives such as the Organization of Brazilian Cooperatives. Their shared mission is to safeguard the cultural and historical identity of cooperatives globally.
A major highlight of this initiative is the unveiling of a digital world map marking 25 historic cooperative sites across continents. Scheduled to go live later in 2025, the map will provide the public with virtual access to key locations in the movement’s history, serving as both an educational tool and a source of inspiration for future generations.
Alongside this, the group will develop a global framework of standards for identifying and preserving cooperative landmarks, ensuring a consistent and informed approach to cultural heritage conservation. The nomination process for the 25 landmark sites concluded on May 31, with a strong response from ICA member organizations worldwide.
The choice of Rochdale for this historic gathering is deeply rooted in its legacy. In 1844, the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers laid the foundations of modern cooperativism through principles of democratic control, open membership, and fair distribution—tenets that continue to guide cooperatives today.
By spotlighting such heritage, the ICA initiative seeks not just to preserve the past but also to energize the future of the cooperative movement. The Rochdale meeting is expected to finalize the selection of historic sites, establish preservation guidelines, and plan public engagement strategies that resonate with global audiences during the International Year of Cooperatives 2025.
