International Year of Cooperatives

2012 was designated as the International Year of Cooperatives by the United Nations General Assembly on 18 December 2009.{{cite web |date=18 December 2009 |title=United Nations General Assembly Resolution 64/136: Cooperatives in social development |url=https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N09/469/99/PDF/N0946999.pdf |publisher=United Nations General Assembly |accessdate=1 January 2017}}

The designation has honored the use of cooperative organizations to contribute to socio-economic development across the world.{{cite web |title=2012 – International Year of Cooperatives |url=https://www.un.org/en/events/coopsyear/ |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=January 1, 2017}} It officially launched on 31 October 2011 with the theme "Cooperative Enterprises Build a Better World".{{cite press release |date=31 October 2011 |title=United Nations Launches Year-Long Celebration of Vital Role of Cooperatives in Sustainable Development |url=https://www.un.org/press/en/2011/dev2919.doc.htm |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=1 January 2017}} United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was invited to speak at the November 2011 summit of the International Cooperative Alliance to celebrate the designation.{{cite press release |date=16 November 2011 |title=International Co-operative Alliance launches 2012 International Year of Co-operatives |url=http://ica.coop/en/media/news/international-co-operative-alliance-launches-2012-international-year-co-operatives |publisher=International Co-operative Alliance |accessdate=1 January 2017}}