Programme

Let’s avoid collapse, the Catalan Cooperativism Congress showcases stories and experiences from people who have embraced cooperativism, questioned it, and are convinced by it. Our journey will span from current cooperative actions, both local and international, to visionary proposals addressing future challenges. Through these interactive sessions, we will also delve into first-hand experiences and think about how cooperativism contributes to fostering fairer societies.

10:30am	Doors open
11:30am	Institutional opening
11:50am	Opening action
12:00am	Opening conference
12:30pm	Cooperativism that breaking barriers Personal stories of pioneering peoples that have embraced cooperativism and shattered barriers. These stories resonate deeply grounding us with facts and experiences of the principles of the cooperative model.
1:00pm	Lunch (included in the ticket) Enjoy a cooperative gastronomic experience at the Montjuïc Fountain. Lunch will be served in two shifts (at 1pm and 2pm respectively), with a networking area available the lunch shift.
1:00pm	Free time Engage deeper with cooperativism through exhibits, interactive installations and other activities to draft together the present and future of cooperativism.
3:30pm	Cooperativism for life: Parallel sessions* Get to know in detail the aspects of cooperativism that make it a powerful model to resolve present and future challenges, from an academic and practical perspective.
	Living in balance: How cooperativism balances individual and collective needs. Living fairly: How cooperativism contributes to developing fairer communities. Living taking part: How co-ops empower people. Local stakeholders
5:30pm	Global cooperativism to avoid collapse Cooperativism is a global movement that extends beyond Catalonia. To explore its potential, , we will get to know transformative cooperative experiences from around the world and analyse how this socioeconomic model can be a powerful tool in tackling the global challenges of the future. Moreover, the event will feature speakers who are not only experts within the cooperative movement, but also experts in politics, economics and social relationships, offering a well-rounded perspective.
7:00pm	Closing act

*More information on parallel sessions:

Living in balance

Living in balance: How cooperativism balances individual and collective needs.

A human need is anything essential for survival and leading a satisfying and prosperous life. Nowadays, we live in a world with over 8 billion people and we face the challenge of balancing individual and collective needs, while recognizing their deep interdependence.

How we act to satisfy personal needs can have an impact on society and vice versa.

In this context, cooperatives strive for an equitable and sustainable balance between these needs.

How can we escape from the inner view that naturally worries for oneself and observe the world from a collective perspective? Which is the optimal way of achieving equilibrium?

Living fairly

Living fairly: How cooperativism contributes to developing fairer communities.

Global wealth is divided in two: half of it is controlled by the top 1% of the population, leaving the other 99% to share the rest. As the wealth of a region grows, so do inequalities. However, there are examples of cooperative territories, such as Mondragón in the Basque Country, where development is tied to the reduction of inequalities. There, development is linked to reducing inequality, which is evident in their lower Gini coefficient – that measures social inequality compared to nations known for a high equality like Finland or Sweden.

What economic and social value does cooperativism have in a region? We will explore how regions can unite through cooperatives to face inequalities and build a fairer society.

Living taking part

Living taking part: How co-ops empower people.

In 1844, female cooperative members could already vote, even before they gained the right to vote. In 19th-century England, the Rochdale Principles already mentioned women’s right to vote. Cooperativism differs from other models in its capacity to include the participation of all its members democratically.

This lecture dives into the heart of cooperatives, focusing on the people who are members of them co-ops. We will explore how collective governance and participation empower people, communities and potentially, society as a whole. We will examine the distinct experience of being part of cooperatives and its transformative power.

Local stakeholders

Local stakeholders

We will analyse the transformative features of cooperativism from a technical and local perspective. We will talk about shared challenges by the sector sector and explore the concept of coproduction of policies between various agents. Finally, we will identify key strategies for the promotion, mainstreaming and thriving of cooperativism.

Want to receive more information? Email us at hola@cooperatives.coop