On the eve of the second regional event of the International Year of Cooperatives 2025, held in Cancún, the 104th session of the Board of Directors of Cooperatives of the Americas, the organization's highest governing body on the continent, was held.
At this session, the Council approved the 2026 budget proposal submitted by the Regional Directorate and received the Audit Committee's report on its visit to the Regional Office.
The agenda also included a review of the official events of the International Year of Cooperatives in the Americas. Regarding the event in Chile, a report was presented on the inaugural meeting, highlighting its contributions to the visibility and strengthening of the cooperative movement in the country.
In the case of Paraguay, progress on the event was shared. Cooperative Education: Nurturing Identity and Future Generations, which will take place from October 7 to 10 in Asunción with the participation, for the first time, of the UNESCO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean.
This event will channel the cooperative experiences of our continent, showcasing their contributions to the curricula of public and private formal education. This contribution is considered a fundamental contribution to SDG 4 and will contribute to the creation of innovative public policies with the input of the cooperative sector. At the same time, we will renew our commitment to these principles and values over time, attracting young people and jointly generating cooperative ventures and solid jobs.
Finally, the preliminary agenda for the event in Panama, scheduled for November, was presented. It will include a special celebratory program featuring public figures, global leaders from the UN, FAO, ECLAC, IDB, WHO/PAHO, ILO, IOM, UN Women, national governments, and the Ministries of Women, Labor, and Foreign Affairs of Panama, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Costa Rica.
For this closing event of the International Year of Cooperatives there will be a cooperative football tournament – the Cooperative World Cup– an exhibition and a recording of the final message of the International Year, in addition to the call for the 2026 Regional and World Assembly, which will also be held in Panama.
With this session and the ongoing work of the Board of Directors, Cooperatives of the Americas reinforces its commitment to integration, transparency, and the strengthening of the cooperative movement throughout the continent, especially during this key year for enhancing the contribution of our organizations to building more sustainable societies and a better world.
