Celebrating The International Year of Cooperatives

This year, we at October Books are thrilled to join the global co-operative community in celebrating the United Nations' International Year of Co-operatives 2025! The launch event, held at a global conference in India, brought together over 3,000 change-makers, including a delegation of UK co-operative leaders, to highlight the incredible potential of co-operatives worldwide.

As a community benefit society, we’re proud to be part of this movement that works tirelessly to build stronger, fairer, and more sustainable communities. The International Year of Co-operatives shines a spotlight on the vital contributions of co-operatives like ours and others across the UK, including Green City Wholefoods in Glasgow, Leeds Bread Co-op, Grimsby Community Energy, and FC United of Manchester.

The event emphasized several key priorities for the global co-operative movement:

• Advocating for policies and ecosystems that enable co-operatives to thrive
• Updating the Statement on Co-operative Identity to address modern challenges
• Empowering youth, women, and girls through lifelong learning
• Tackling inequality to create a just and resilient future

One of the highlights was a stunning photography exhibition showcasing the diversity, power, and achievements of co-operatives around the world. It’s a beautiful reminder of what we can achieve when we come together as a community, guided by shared values and a commitment to collective good.

We are planning events this year to highlight the knowledge gaps in our communities around alternative business models and to celebrate their impact 🌍✨

 Here’s to a year of inspiration, collaboration, and meaningful change!