Participants discuss youth involvement at Young Co-operative Leaders Forum

BRUSSELS, 18 July 2012 – On 14^th and 15^thJune, young co-operators from around the world gathered in Kiten, Bulgaria for the second-ever Young Co-operative Leaders Forum, where they explored the role of young people in the co-operative movement and ways to encourage more youth to get involved.

The Central Co-operative Union (Bulgaria) hosted the Forum, which was based around seven key pillars: inspiration, training, decision-making, innovation, collaboration, commitment and action.

One session featured consultant Ros Tennyson, who discussed partnership brokering and building sustainable networks with the participants.

The young co-operators later adopted a resolution encouraging their respective co-operatives to further involve youth in governance, support the creation of an online platform for young co-operators to exchange ideas and experiences and facilitate the organisation of future youth-focused events.

Peter Stefanov, President of the Central Co-operative Union said in his address to the participants, “We frequently hear the message that young people are our future, but it loses its meaning if they are not also our present. Generations of co-operators have devoted much of their lives to keep the flame of the co-operative idea alive, a significant dividend today, and it is on the youth to invest this dividend prudently and to give their contribution to the sustainable development of the co-operative business, founded on values and principles that have been current for almost two centuries.”

In additional to the official sessions, the participants enjoyed a visit to a Coop store in Ahtopol and a tour of historical Sozopol.