ICA to host global webinar on cooperatives’ role in preserving cultural heritage
Organised by the ICA and its Working Group on Cooperative Cultural Heritage, the virtual event will also see the launch of a policy brief on intangible cultural heritage and cooperatives, highlighting their contribution to cultural preservation, community livelihoods and sustainable development
BRUSSELS, October 29, 2026 – The International Cooperative Alliance [ICA] will on Friday, October 30, 2026, host a global webinar to explore the role of cooperatives in preserving cultural heritage, protecting traditional knowledge and promoting sustainable development.
The webinar, themed “Cooperation that Echoes through Time”, will bring together cooperative leaders, academics, cultural heritage experts and development practitioners from across the world to discuss how cooperative enterprises are helping communities safeguard their cultural identities and pass traditions on to future generations.
Organised by the ICA and its Working Group on Cooperative Cultural Heritage, the virtual event will also see the launch of a policy brief on intangible cultural heritage and cooperatives, highlighting their contribution to cultural preservation, community livelihoods and sustainable development.
According to the organisers, the webinar will take place from 13:00 to 14:30 Central European Time [CET], equivalent to 3:00pm to 4:30pm East African Time [EAT], and will be conducted via Zoom.
The discussions will examine experiences from different parts of the world, focusing on how cooperatives contribute to the survival of cultural practices, traditional skills and community knowledge while creating economic opportunities for their members.
The event comes as the international community prepares for the International Decade of Culture for Sustainable Development 2027–2036, an initiative aimed at strengthening the contribution of culture to inclusive and sustainable development.
The ICA said the webinar has been selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation [UNESCO] as an event supporting the commemoration of the International Day of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Among the confirmed speakers are Tiago Schmidt of the ICA Working Group on Cooperative Cultural Heritage, Lutz Möller of the German Commission for UNESCO, Prof. Jieun Kiaer of the University of Oxford and Prof. Colombia Pérez of INDESCO.
Other speakers include Miles Hadfield of Co-operative News, Maissan Hassan of the International Institute of Social History, Waltteri Katajamaki of the International Labour Organisation [ILO] and Erbin Crowell of the Neighboring Food Co-ops Association.
The webinar will also feature Ritika Khanna, an international consultant; Prof. Harekrishna Misra of the ICA Asia and Pacific Research Committee; Osamu Nakano of the ICA Working Group on Cooperative Cultural Heritage; and Helena Gorroño of the ICA Youth Committee.
Interpretation services will be provided in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese to enable participation from different regions.
The webinar follows the ICA’s announcement of 63 new Cooperative Cultural Heritage inscriptions, recognising places, institutions and living traditions associated with the development and preservation of the cooperative movement worldwide.
The organisation has also opened nominations for five additional heritage sites and traditions as part of efforts to expand recognition of cooperative cultural heritage.
Through its Cooperative Cultural Heritage programme, the ICA seeks to document and celebrate the historical and cultural contributions of cooperatives, while promoting education, cultural exchange and sustainable development.
The initiative recognises that cooperatives are not only economic enterprises but also institutions through which communities preserve their collective identity, traditional practices and shared values.
The programme forms part of the ICA-European Union Partnership [2024–2028], commonly known as #coops4dev, a five-year international cooperative development initiative designed to strengthen the global cooperative network and position cooperatives as key development actors within the European Union’s development agenda.
The partnership seeks to enhance the visibility and contribution of cooperatives to economic and social transformation, particularly in developing countries.
The ICA has encouraged cooperative organisations, researchers, policymakers, cultural institutions and other stakeholders to participate in the webinar and contribute to discussions on safeguarding cooperative heritage for future generations.
Participants can register online through the ICA’s official channels, while further information about the Cooperative Cultural Heritage programme is available at www.culturalheritage.coop.
https://thecooperator.news/kapchorwa-how-thecooperator-inspired-students-to-embrace-saving-culture/
Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country-wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news
