YOUTH AND COOPERATIVES OF THE AMERICAS
The Youth sector needs to be incorporated and taken into account in the actions carried out by the cooperative movement, given its condition as an alternative for work and recreational and training space, from which to strengthen the values and principles that exalt human endeavor.
Several years ago, the International Cooperative Alliance for the Americas (ICA-Americas) considered it necessary to create a meeting space for the young cooperative sector, for the exchange and communication of interests and common problems, the presentation of solution proposals, as well as to visualize its presence in the spheres in which cooperativism meets.
History.
In 1997, within the framework of the ICA-Americas Conference in Mexico City, the Preparatory Meeting for the Continental Meeting of Young Cooperative Members was held.
In 1998, the Youth Follow-up Commission met in Bogotá, Colombia, between March and April, and at the end of the year participated in the ACI-Americas Conference in Montevideo, Uruguay.
In 1999, the First International Youth Meeting was held: America is Young in San José, Costa Rica.
In 2003, for the first time, a Youth representative was elected worldwide: Bibby Scullion from England.
In 2004, the initiative was continued with the Second Meeting of Cooperative Youth during the Regional Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
In 2005, the youth sector was encouraged to maintain a presence on the ICA Board of Directors, and it was at the ICA World Assembly, held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, where a youth representative was elected to the Board for the second time: the young Juan Carlos Mejía Cuartas, originally from Colombia.
In 2006 in Lima, Peru, the III Meeting of ICA-Americas Youth was held. And it is in this year when it was decided that the Youth should maintain representation before the Advisory Council of ICA-Americas and a representative from Canada, the young François Talbot, was elected.
In 2007 in the Dominican Republic, in the activity of the Youth Network, the Young José Antonio Chávez Villanueva from Mexico was appointed as President of the ICA-Americas Youth Network, who replaced François Talbot.
In 2008, within the framework of the XVI Regional Conference of the ICA-Americas, the V Youth Meeting was held in Costa Rica, whose objective was to promote a more influential participation of youth in the development of cooperatives.
In 2009, as part of the activities of the I Cooperative Summit in Guadalajara, Mexico, the VI Youth Meeting was held out of this contribution to the Declaration of Guadalajara. That same year, at the World Assembly in Geneva from November 16 to 20, José Antonio Chávez, current president of the Network, was elected as world youth representative.
In 2010, the XNUMXst Youth Assembly was held, where the Regional Youth Committee of ACI Americas was formed for the first time, made up of young people from different regions - Argentina, Peru, Dominican Republic and Uruguay - and Franklin Ferreras was elected President. This took place within the framework of the XNUMXth Youth Meeting held during the XNUMXth
Regional Conference.
In 2011, the Regional Youth Committee developed and published the Strategy for the Promotion of the Youth Cooperative Model, whose mission is to promote the real and effective participation of youth in the cooperative movement. It is based on three basic aspects of participation, training and resource management, it seeks to involve integration organizations, cooperatives and young people.
In 2012, within the framework of the celebration of the International Year of Cooperatives, the first world youth art contest was developed in which cooperative values and principles were expressed through music, video and photography. The contest was called "CoopArte" and had a large worldwide participation, mainly from the Americas region. Two of the first three places were obtained by young people from America.
During 2013, a new youth representative is elected to the ICA Board of Directors for the 2013-2017 period, Gabriela Buffa from the Americas region being elected, who will continue with the work developed by José Antonio Chávez from Mexico.
In 2014, within the framework of the III Cooperative Summit of the Americas, the III Youth Assembly of the Regional Youth Committee of Cooperatives of the Americas was held, in which elections were held for the Committee's Board of Directors. Álvaro Ernesto Guevara as President, Gabriel Di Francesco as Vice President, Amarilys Roldán as Secretary, Yilda Adary Oviedo Gómez as Treasurer and Carlos Medrano, Leidy Lorena Restrepo Ramírez and Alicia Edith Chávez García as Members were elected. Prior to the Assembly, the X Youth Meeting was held on the theme "How to contribute to change?"
Board of Directors 2022-2026
