Prague Hosts Gala Conference to Celebrate the International Year of Cooperatives

As part of the global celebrations for the United Nations-declared International Year of Cooperatives 2025, the Cooperative Association of the Czech Republic organised a gala conference on 2 June in Prague. The event highlighted the importance and potential of the cooperative model in today’s economic and social landscape.

Held in the historic Fant Hall of Prague’s Main Station, the conference brought together high-level representatives from government, international organisations, and the cooperative movement. Notable guests included the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, the Minister of Industry and Trade, the Minister of Agriculture, the Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies, and the British Ambassador.

In his address, Martin Pýcha, Chairman of the Cooperative Association of the Czech Republic, stressed the significance of cooperatives worldwide:

“More than one billion people in the world are associated with cooperatives and approximately 280 million of them work in them. There are around 250,000 cooperatives in the European Union alone”, he stated.

He also called for stronger national support for cooperatives, particularly in terms of legislative reform and enhanced conditions for their economic activities.

The conference featured a presentation and tasting of products from Czech cooperatives, offering guests a tangible sense of the sector’s contribution to local economies and communities. 

Events such as this reinforce the shared values of cooperation, democracy, and sustainability that define the International Year of Cooperatives under the slogan “Cooperatives Build a Better World”.

Euro Coop welcomes this initiative and continues to support visibility for cooperative efforts across Europe and beyond throughout this special year.