Coops to take centre stage as cultural actors at upcoming UNESCO MONDIACULT side event in Barcelona
Globally, the cooperative movement encompasses over three million organisations and one billion members, making it one of the most deeply rooted and community-centred enterprise models
BARCELONA, September 24, 2025 – Cooperatives are set to be positioned as key drivers of cultural diversity, rights, and decent work during an anticipated side event at the upcoming UNESCO MONDIACULT World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development. The event will spotlight the growing recognition of cooperatives as essential to shaping a more just, inclusive, and sustainable global future.
Titled “Cooperatives in Culture for Diversity, Cultural Rights and Decent Work”, the session is being convened by the International Cooperative Alliance [ICA], in collaboration with the International Organisation of Industrial and Service Cooperatives [CICOPA], Abacus Cooperative, and the Arizmendiarrieta Social Economy Think Tank [ASETT].
Scheduled to take place in Barcelona from September 29 to October 1, 2025, the event is expected to serve as both a dialogue platform and a strategic moment in wider advocacy efforts to embed cooperative enterprises in global cultural and policy agendas.
A Platform for vision and influence
Among the key figures slated to participate are Maravillas Rojo, President of Abacus Cooperative; Nadia Quevedo, Commissioner for Economic Promotion at Barcelona City Council; Iñigo Albizuri, ICA Board Member and Director of ASETT; as well as Ariel Guarco, President of the [ICA], who will address attendees via video message. Simel Esim, representing the International Labour Organisation [ILO], will contribute insights on cooperatives’ role in driving sustainable cultural development.
Globally, the cooperative movement encompasses over three million organisations and one billion members, making it one of the most deeply rooted and community-centred enterprise models. Built on seven internationally recognised principles, cooperatives integrate economic, social, and cultural priorities—offering unique value as platforms for democratic participation and inclusive growth.
Their prominence is expected to grow further, particularly in light of the UN’s proclamation of 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives—a rare recognition for an enterprise model and one that underscores their importance in fulfilling global sustainability commitments.
Advancing cultural rights and representation
The upcoming session will explore how cooperatives function as innovative and rights-based structures in the cultural and creative sectors, ensuring pluralism, equitable participation, and shared ownership. Key speakers such as Laia Bonastra [Federació de Cooperatives de Treball], Giuseppe Guerini [Cooperatives Europe], and Giovanna Barni [CoopCulture, Italy] are expected to highlight how cooperatives foster access to culture, protect heritage, and strengthen democratic cultural participation.
Education is also forecast to play a central role in the discussions, particularly in relation to how it reinforces cooperative identity, promotes lifelong learning, and cultivates cultural literacy and democratic values.
Mapping cooperative heritage
One of the event’s major highlights will be the ICA’s global initiative to map cooperative heritage sites, recognising them as living expressions of cultural identity, resilience, and intergenerational continuity. This effort is expected to contribute significantly to cultural preservation and serve as a foundation for future policy development.
Looking ahead: The post-2030 Agenda
The programme will also feature a session dedicated to positioning cooperatives in the post-2030 sustainable development agenda. Policymakers including David Bonvehí [Generalitat de Catalunya], Aicha Errifai [Morocco’s Office for Cooperative Development], and Jokin Díaz [Basque Government] will examine how cooperative values and practices can be embedded in global frameworks moving forward.
The event will close with reflections from Diana Dovgan, Secretary General of [CICOPA], and Francesca Martinelli from the Centro Studi Doc Foundation. Their remarks are expected to reaffirm the strategic role cooperatives can play in upholding cultural rights, promoting inclusive economies, and delivering on the sustainability promises of the international community.
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