Kozhikode is all set to host the 18th International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) Asia Pacific Research Conference on ‘Cooperatives in the Next Industrial Revolution’, its first-ever international summit focused on the global potential of the cooperative movement in the upcoming industrial age.
The event, held in south India for the first time, is being organised by the ICA from October 15 to 18. It is hosted by the Uralungal Labour Contractors’ Cooperative Society (ULCCS), which is celebrating its centenary year, along with the Indian Institute of Management- Kozhikode (IIM-K), on the IIM-K Campus at Kunnamangalam. ULCCS holds the distinction of being the first ICA member from Kerala and the first primary cooperative from India to become a member of the ICA.
The event will kick off on October 15 with an international seminar at UL Cyberpark, Kozhikode, focusing on the future of Kerala’s cooperative sector and its role in the evolving industrial landscape. Ports, Cooperation and Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan will inaugurate the seminar. Public Works and Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas will preside over the session.
From October 16 to 18, the conference will shift to the IIM-K, where the 18th ICA-AP Research Conference will feature research presentations, workshops for young scholars (YES Workshop), roundtable discussions on sustainable agriculture, and the Coop Pitch 2024 competition for youth, coopreneurs, and social entrepreneurs.
Delegates from more than 20 countries, including prominent figures such as Mikel Lezamis, former director of cooperative dissemination at Spain’s Mondragon Cooperative; Hirofumi Kobayashi, executive director of Japan’s Institute for Agriculture Corporation; and Cees van Rij, director of AgriGrade in the Netherlands will be in attendance. ICA-AP officials, cooperative representatives, academicians, and diplomats will also join.
The conference will explore key issues around diversification, modernisation, agriculture, and digitisation within the cooperative sector. By bringing together global cooperative leaders and experts, the summit is expected to foster significant discussions on how Kerala’s cooperatives can leverage international models to drive future growth.
Published - October 14, 2024 08:28 pm IST