ILO COOP 100 Symposium - Closing remarks

The closing session of the ILO COOP 100 Symposium provides highlights from the event and a short video that marks the occasion.



The closing session of the ILO COOP 100 symposium included reflections from the ILO Enterprises Department Director, Vic van Vuuren and the Cooperatives Unit Manager, Simel Esim who leads the cooperatives and the social and solidarity economy portfolio at the ILO and a short video that marks the occasion.

In his closing remarks, Mr van Vuuren noted that the world of work is going through a great number of changes. He underlined his confidence, that cooperation, mutualism and solidarity are more needed now than ever in addressing these new challenges from climate change and conflicts to global pandemics and economic crises.

He mentioned that cooperative and wider social and solidarity economy movements are innovating and coming up with new ways of addressing these new challenges. He added that the ILO’s work on this portfolio will also continue to adapt to these changing times and circumstances. He underlined the ILO’s commitment to further invest in advancing and promoting cooperatives and the wider social and solidarity economy in the service of decent work and social justice for many more decades to come.

In her closing remarks, Ms Esim noted that 20 women and 23 men from different regions, sectors and generations participated as chairs and speakers in the symposium. Some presented grassroots initiatives others elaborated on policy processes and legal matters. Many studies used qualitative analysis while others were about statistics. There were some that looked at cooperatives and social and solidarity economy from a historical perspective while others reflected a more future forward outlook.

She noted that the ILO COOP 100 activities will continue throughout 2020 with two more webinars, some more photo exhibits and centennial interviews. The closing session was concluded with a short video produced by Blake House filmmaking cooperative on the occasion of the centennial of the Cooperatives Unit of the ILO.