Cooperatives at a Time of Global Challenges 23 to 26 October 2018 Buenos Aires, Argentina

PRELIMINARY PROGRAMME

Cooperatives at a time of global challenges 23 to 26 October 2018 Buenos Aires, Argentina

ORGANISED BY

Welcome to Buenos Aires! Welcome to the Cooperative Summit of the Americas 2018!

The theme of this year’s Summit - “Cooperatives at a time of global challenges” - aims to promote co-operative innovation and creativity and to inspire conversations that help us frame the understanding we need to generate political support.

As the international community and decision-makers face multiple economic, social, financial and environmental challenges, now is the time to consider the role and contribution of the cooperative movement in working towards a world based on justice and fairness.

For almost two hundred years, cooperative companies have shown vast creativity and played a decisive social and economic role in our communities.

When it comes to flexibility and innovation in all its forms, cooperatives have always been one step ahead, if not more. Thanks to their people-centred model and ability to see change as an opportunity, cooperatives have consistently responded to the necessities that arise from the latest issues we face.

From its earliest beginnings, the cooperative movement has been ready to look beyond, to take the initiative and to be at the forefront of numerous fields, in particular that of sustainable development.

The cooperative movement is widely recognised to benefit all, not only its members, and to produce positive changes to communities and societies all over the world.

Thanks to the quality of the programme at this year’s Summit, which includes plenary sessions with top-level speakers, workshops on a wide variety of themes from law and education to gender and public policy, as well as sector-specific workshops, there will be countless opportunities for fruitful interactions.

I hope that these interactive sessions will inspire cooperative members to discuss their experiences, the long-term issues that limit their progress, and positive strategies to meet challenges and problems.

The V Cooperative Summit of the Americas will also feature further new opportunities to stimulate collaboration, discover new perspectives and tackle challenging questions. That is why I would like to invite cooperative members not only to attend and listen, but also be ready to participate in the numerous debates to be held at the Summit.

I look forward to welcoming you to this exciting V Cooperative Summit of the Americas and to meet all of you in person in October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I hope you can join us at what promises to be a fruitful and memorable event!

Ariel Guarco President of COOPERAR President of the INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATIVE ALLIANCE OBJECTIVE OF THE V SUMMIT

To strengthen cooperative organisations at a social as well as business level, in dialogue with the whole social and solidarity economy, as agents for the promotion of conservation of the planet and the construction of a financial system that serves sustainable development. With a big thank you to the sponsors SATURDAY, 20 OCTOBER closed session

09:00-12:00 MEETING OF THE CO-OPERATIVES OF THE AMERICAS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

MONDAY, 22 OCTOBER 2018

09:00-18:00 REGISTRATION FOR THE V SUMMIT

09:00-18:00 LXXIII MEETING OF THE CO-OPERATIVES OF THE AMERICAS BOARD - closed session

TUESDAY, 23 OCTOBER 2018

08:00-18:00 REGISTRATION FOR THE V SUMMIT

09:00-10:30 OPENING OF THE V SUMMIT AND INAUGURAL CONFERENCE Graciela Fernández, President of CUDECOOP

PARALLEL SESSIONS

11:00-12:30 TRACK 1 TRACK 2 TRACK 3 Panel Presentation Panel Presentation Panel Presentation “Cooperatives and “Cooperatives and a “Integration of the Social protecting the global financial system for and Solidarity Economy to environment” sustainable development” meet global challenges”

12:30-14:00 Lunch break PARALLEL SESSIONS

14:00-18:00 TRACK 1 Workshop TRACK 2 Workshop TRACK 3 Workshop “Cooperatives and “Cooperatives and a “Integration of the Social protecting the global financial system for and Solidarity Economy to environment” sustainable development” meet global challenges”

XII Parliamentarians Meeting Free registration

19:30-22:30 INAUGURATION CEREMONY AND NEW MEMBERS. WELCOME COCKTAIL RECEPTION ** * PARALLEL SESSIONS 18:00 -16:30 PARALLEL SESSIONS 14:00-16:30 12:30-14:00 PARALLEL SESSIONS 11:00-12:30 09:00-10:30 08:00-18:00 WEDNESDAY, 24 OCTOBER Free registration By invitation

XIV XIV CREG Assembly

the European Union Supported by Gender Equality Meeting Gender Equality Meeting Valentín Thurn (documentary journalist) andSeniorRepresentative oftheFAO (to beconfirmed) TRACK 1LECTURE: REGISTRATION FOR THEVSUMMIT XIV Lunch XIV CRJ Assembly

Youth Meeting Youth Meeting

V V CICOPA Assembly Worker Cooperatives Conference Worker Cooperatives Conference

VIII VIII

COFIA Assembly “COOPERATIVES ANDPROTECTING THEGLOBAL ENVIRONMENT” Finance Conference Finance Conference sector

II II II - specific Housing Cooperatives Housing Cooperatives Housing Cooperatives Conference Conference Conference

meetings II II II Consumer Cooperatives Meeting Consumer Cooperatives Meeting Consumer Cooperatives Meeting

V V V Insurance Meeting Insurance Meeting Insurance Meeting

Public Services Meeting Public Services Meeting Public Services Meeting

VII VII VII Meeting of promotional bodies* Meeting of promotional bodies* Meeting of promotional bodies*

Cooperative platform** Cooperative platform** Cooperative platform** THURSDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2018

08:00-12:00 ACCREDITATION FOR THE XIII REGIONAL ASSEMBLY OF CO-OPERATIVES OF THE AMERICAS

08:00-18:00 REGISTRATION FOR THE V SUMMIT

09:00-10:30 TRACK 2 LECTURE: “COOPERATIVES AND A FINANCIAL SYSTEM FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT” Pedro Páez (UN Stiglitz Commission) and Representative of the Catholic Church (to be confirmed)

11:00-12:30

Workshop on Education Forum IT and Good Workshop on the IV Farming Cooperative Law Public Policy: Communication Governance and construction of a Meeting Forum* “The State and Forum CSR Forum solidarity Cooperatives model and in the face regional- of Global development Challenges”*

12:30-14:00 Lunch

14:00-18:00 XIII CO-OPERATIVES OF THE AMERICAS REGIONAL ASSEMBLY (CLOSED SESSION)

Workshop on Education Forum IT and Good Workshop on the IV Farming Cooperative Law Public Policy: Communication Governance and construction of a Meeting Forum* “The State and Forum CSR Forum solidarity model Cooperatives and in the face regional- Redacoop of Global development / General Challenges”* Members’ Meeting

18:00-20:00 EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF THE CO-OPERATIVES OF THE AMERICAS BOARD (CLOSED SESSION)

Supported by the European Union

*Free registration FRIDAY, 26 OCTOBER 2018

08:00-14:00 PARTICIPATION CERTIFICATES GIVEN OUT

09:00-10:30 TRACK 3 LECTURE: “INTEGRATION OF THE SOCIAL AND SOLIDARITY ECONOMY TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES” Javier Goienetxea, President of Konfecoop Juan Antonio Pedreño, President of CEPES

11:00-12:30 LECTURE Luis Jiménez-McInnis, Fondo Internacional de Desarrollo Agrícola (FIDA)

CLOSING CONFERENCE Ariel Guarco, President of the International Co-operative Alliance

12:30-13:00 PRESENTATION OF THE NEW BOARD OF CO-OPERATIVES OF THE AMERICAS

12:45-13:30 PRESENTATION OF THE DECLARATION OF THE V COOPERATIVE SUMMIT AND CLOSING STATEMENTS

FREE AFTERNOON

20:00 CLOSING DINNER THEMED TRACKS

This V Summit invites participants to work along three tracks. Two of these represent global challenges that require us to develop a common vision that empowers the efforts of each organisation: protecting the global environment and building a financial system that enables sustainable development. The third track focuses on new routes towards cooperative integration, a debate with strategic importance for strengthening and invigorating the movement. All cooperatives are affected by the environmental crisis and all are in a position to help overcome it. All cooperatives are part of the financial system or depend on it to fulfil their objectives. All cooperatives are able to innovate in the way that they integrate with society to meet the challenges that we face as organisations. TUESDAY, 23 OCTOBER 2018

09:30-10:30 OFFICIAL OPENING

OFFICIAL WELCOME Ramón Imperial Zúñiga, President of Co-operatives of the Americas Ariel Guarco, President of the International Co-operative Alliance

OPENING OF THE V SUMMIT AND INAUGURAL CONFERENCE Graciela Fernández, President of CUDECOOP

INTRODUCTION TO THE THREE THEMED TRACKS Speakers for each themed track Moderator: Danilo Salerno, Director, Co-operatives of the Americas

TRACK 1 TRACK 2 TRACK 3 Panel Presentation Panel Presentation Panel Presentation “Cooperatives and protecting “Co operatives and a financial “Integration of the Social and the global environment” system for sustainable Solidarity Economy to meet development” global challenges” COOPERATIVES AND At the IV Cooperative Summit of the Americas PROTECTING (Montevideo, 2016), tracks included “The contribution of cooperatives to the Sustainable THE GLOBAL Development Goals”, which are part of the 2030 ENVIRONMENT Agenda adopted by the United Nations. In its Closing Declaration, Co-operatives of the Americas adopted these SDGs, based on the understanding that “it is not possible to maintain current trends for economic growth, industrialisation, environmental pollution, food production and the over-use of resources without compromising future generations”. This was later reflected in its 2017/2020 Strategic Plan. During the V Summit, we propose to debate concrete actions linked to the SDGs in further detail, focusing our efforts on designing proposals that enable the cooperative movement to “contribute to the promotion of guidelines for sustainable production and consumption, to the elimination of hunger and the sustainable development of natural resources”. This approach means that, within the range of initiatives related to the 17 SDGs, the V Summit will focus the debate on certain specific themes: the promotion of new production and consumption guidelines, the management of natural resources and sustainable agriculture as a strategy towards zero hunger. The important experience of our region’s cooperative movement in these areas can form the basis of a significant contribution to the defence of the planet.

Anticipated result: Proposals for the cooperative movement to consider for the promotion of production guidelines and sustainable consumption, the elimination of hunger and the sustainable management of natural resources. TUESDAY, 23 OCTOBER 2018 11:00-18:00

Specific objective: To analyse the potential and possible strategies for the cooperative movement to contribute to the promotion of production guidelines and sustainable consumption, the elimination of hunger and the sustainable management of natural resources. TRACK 1 Panel Presentation “Cooperatives and protecting the global environment”

SUB-TRACKS 1. The contribution of the cooperative movement to the creation of new guidelines for sustainable production and consumption. 2. The role of cooperatives in the management of natural resources: water and energy. 3. The role of family farming and the cooperative movement in the elimination of hunger and the promotion of sustainable agriculture. COOPERATIVES AND A FINANCIAL SYSTEM FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

One of the tracks at the IV Summit (Montevideo, 2016) was “Power, market, democracy and development”. It was a response to the concerns of the cooperative movement about the nature of current globalisation trends, whereby “the power of multinational corporations places market forces over democratic processes”. The closing declaration stated that “development cannot be sustainable if it is led by the concentration of financial capital”. In response to this concern, the V Summit proposes to lend further depth to the debate, with particular attention to the cooperative movement’s vision of the financial system. This is a broadly relevant theme throughout the cooperative movement due to its role in the process of financial concentration, which is standing in the way of sustainable development at a global level. The so-called “financialisation” of the economy has uncoupled the profitability of capital from cycles of production and consumption in favour of increased reliance on financial profits. To reverse this, local initiatives and global strategies are required. Cooperatives can play a pivotal role in this debate at both levels: they have gained a wealth of experience by developing savings and credit models that serve their local communities and they have also been able to build global financial players, while creating an alternative vision to that of global financial hegemony.

Anticipated result: Proposals for the cooperative movement to consider on contributing to the construction of a global, regional, national and local financial system to serve sustainable development. TUESDAY, 23 OCTOBER 2018 11:00-18:00

Specific objective: To analyse the potential of, and possible strategies for a global cooperative movement to contribute to the construction of a global, regional, national and local financial system to serve sustainable development.

TRACK 2 Panel Presentation “Cooperatives and a financial system for sustainable development”

SUB-TRACKS 1. Vision and proposals for the global architecture of a financial system. 2. Role of the cooperative movement in translating local savings into local development and proposals to support this. 3. Cooperatives and financial and monetary innovations: collaborative finance, cryptocurrencies, fintech and ethical banking, among others. INTEGRATION OF THE “SOCIAL AND SOLIDARITY ECONOMY” TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES

One of the tracks at the IV Cooperative Summit of the Americas was “The Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE): strategies for strength”. The objective was to discuss definitions of the SSE and the position of the cooperative movement on this subject. In its Closing Statement, the IV Summit recognised that the cooperative movement is part of the SSE, and that this “must be a social transformation project”. It was noted at the time that there was a need “for deeper cooperation between cooperatives and other actors in the Social and Solidarity Economy” and “to open up spaces for integration and dialogue between all organisations with a commitment to a solidarity development model”.

Anticipated result: Proposals for consideration by the cooperative movement to promote the integration of various actors in the social and solidarity economy, and for dialogue with social sectors as a whole to contribute to building a model of sustainable development. TUESDAY, 23 OCTOBER 2018 11:00-18:00 Specific objective: To analyse cooperative integration strategies as part of the social and solidarity economy, and for dialogue with various social sectors to enable the regional cooperative movement to contribute to building a model of sustainable development. TRACK 3 Panel Presentation “Integration of the Social and Solidarity Economy to meet global challenges”

SUB-TRACKS 1. Umbrella organisations of national cooperative movements, integration of the social and solidarity economy, and dialogue between sectors. 2. Latest trends in cooperative business integration and with other companies within the social and solidarity economy. 3. Case studies and proposals on cross-border cooperation and integration at regional level. TUESDAY, 23 OCTOBER 2018

XI PARLIAMENTARIAN CONFERENCE Parliamentary agenda on the Cooperative Movement in the Americas

As part of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas, to be held from 23 to 26 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the XI Parliamentarians Meeting will be held. This will be a forum for the exchange of perspectives and experiences among the most committed parliamentarians and regional leaders in the co-operative movement.

Achieving a regulatory framework that facilitates the development of the cooperative movement is a central theme of the working agenda for the various national organisations and of Co-operatives of the Americas itself.

To support this work, and given the growing globalisation of the economy, it is important that all those working on these issues are aware of what is happening on the continent, aiming for the creation of convergent legislation and discussing innovations that may be applied in various national contexts.

For this year, the Conference will adopt a discussion format. This will be a forum where brief presentations on each theme will prompt discussion and debate among parliamentarians and cooperative directors. Each of these discussions will be recorded and published following the V Summit.

The first discussion relates to a relevant theme for all cooperatives: the laws that regulate these legal concepts and the relevant tax issues. The objective will be to achieve an understanding of the current landscape and to identify key relevant innovations to share. We expect this to provide useful input for all those working on specific projects in this area in each of their respective countries.

The second theme aims to facilitate the exchange of legislative proposals for projects that apply to various sectors of the cooperative movement. Our aim is for these to have particular relevance to Track One of the V Summit (Cooperatives and Protection of the Global Environment), which includes themes such as sustainable production and its relationship with family farming, recycling, the management of renewable energy projects, management of river basins, wildlife habits, etc.

The third discussion group will share the themes discussed in Track Two of the V Summit with parliamentarians (Cooperatives and the Financial System for Sustainable Development) and the Financial Services Meeting organised by COFIA.

Lastly, a debate will be held on the initiatives of parliamentarian networks that relate to the cooperative movement, which will also be an opportunity to make a Buenos Aires Declaration of the Parliamentary Conference, if agreed. Objective of the Activity: To promote exchanges between cooperative members and parliamentarians from the various countries on the appropriate legal framework for the development and consolidation of the social and solidarity economy

14:00-14:15 Welcome and Presentation Co-operatives of the Americas Board Member

14:15-15:15 Discussion Group: Cooperative legislation in the region Parliamentarians invited CoopAméricas Directors.

15:15-16:00 Discussion Group: Sector-specific legislation with relevance to cooperatives Parliamentarians invited CoopAméricas Directors

16:00-16:30 COFFEE BREAK

16:30-17:30 Discussion Group: Regulations of the financial system and solidarity economy Parliamentarians invited CoopAméricas Directors

17:30-18:00 Discussion Group: Cooperative Parliamentarians’ Network [Red de Parlamentarios Cooperativistas] Parliamentarians invited CoopAméricas Directors WEDNESDAY, 24 OCTOBER 2018

XII Gender Equality Conference Mainstreaming the gender perspective as an opportunity for the cooperative movement

As part of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas, on 23 to 26 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Regional Gender Equality Committee [CREG - Comité Regional de Equidad de Género] will hold its XII Gender Equality Meeting.

Far from being an issue that affects only women, gender equality is a fundamental part of the move towards emancipation and democracy that the cooperative movement in all its various forms represents. Fulfilling the co-operative principles requires mainstreaming the perspective of gender, applying it to each dimension of the movement.

Mainstreaming, according to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), “is a strategy for making women's as well as men's concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and societal spheres so that women and men benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality.”

Cooperative organisations can play a leading role in achieving this objective, which forms part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and which constitutes one of the most powerful mobilising forces in contemporary society.

As part of this journey, this Meeting aims to create a space for learning and reflection, providing conceptual tools and deepening the debate on how the gender perspective can be incorporated into every activity and every sector of the cooperative movement.

The morning conferences feature leading researchers in the field of gender issues who will aim to provide conceptual tools for reflection on the intersection between gender equality and the social and solidarity economy. The afternoon will be reserved for debate. We begin with a discussion session that will seek to reflect the variety of experiences comprising the Regional Gender Equality Committee today.

This will be followed by a panel, where we will hear the background to various public policies that promote partnership strategies for reducing economic and gender inequality as interdependent dimensions.

We end with a workshop in which all participants will be invited to identify proposals for incorporating the gender perspective into the region’s cooperatives and to give their contributions for the Closing Declaration of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas. Objective of the Activity: To promote the mainstreaming of gender into the various sectors of the cooperative movement, and to multiply the contribution of the cooperative movement to economic and gender equality

11:00-11:15 Welcome and Presentation Co-operatives of the Americas Board Member Xiomara Núñez de Céspedes

11:15-11:45 Conference: Different aspects of the path to gender equality Speaker: Diana Maffía, Instituto Interdisciplinario de Estudios de Género (UBA) - Argentina

11:45-12:00 Exchange with participants Xiomara Núñez de Céspedes

12:00-12:45 Conference: Mainstreaming gender perspectives in the cooperative movement Speakers: Celina García, Cooperativa Ahorro and Crédito ELGA - Honduras Luis Alvez, FCPU - Uruguay

12:45-13:00 Exchange with participants Xiomara Núñez de Céspedes

13:00-14:00 LUNCH

14:00-14:30 Panel: economic inequality and gender inequality Speakers: Fabiana Túñez, President of INAM Alejandra García, PNUD-Argentina

14:30-14:45 Exchange with participants Xiomara Núñez de Céspedes

14:45-15:15 Discussion Group: Cooperative Principles and gender equality Moderator: Iván Otero, Cooperativa de Seguros Múltiples, Puerto Rico

15:15-16:00 Workshop: Substantive equality Coordinated by: COOPERAR CREG

16:00-16:30 COFFEE BREAK

16:30-18:00 IV CREG ASSEMBLY - c l o s e d s e s s i o n WEDNESDAY, 24 OCTOBER 2018

XIV Youth Meeting Young people address the region’s challenges

As part of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas, on 23 to 26 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Regional Youth Committee [CRJ - Comité Regional de Juventud] will hold its XIV Youth Meeting.

We will begin with a debate prior to the Summit, via videoconference on 16 August, among the region’s young people. The aim of this session is to present the themes to be discussed at the Youth Meeting in October and to come together to identify common issues. The result will provide input for the meeting in Buenos Aires. “Young people address the region’s challenges” is the title of one activity for the V Summit. This meeting aims to create a space for learning and reflection, providing conceptual tools and deepening the debate on how the youth perspective can be incorporated into every activity and in every sector of the cooperative movement.

We will start with a round-table discussion, sharing experiences in various fields of work, production, training and social participation. The aim is to tackle various central themes that affect young people in the region within a context of neoliberal policies and to discuss our viewpoints, as young people, on regional processes, the future of work, economic and social inequality, gender equality, human rights and communication.

The Meeting will begin in the morning with a welcome session and presentation. This will briefly explain how the working day will proceed. We will start by proposing a presentation-style format by each participant. The idea is for each participant to relax and to become fully involved with the purpose of the day. We will then show the video presented in Kuala Lumpur (November 2017), in which young people from numerous countries share clear perspectives on the type of cooperative movement that they want and why it is an important tool for domestic, regional and global development, promoting a just and egalitarian world based on the movement’s principles and values. In groups, we will then debate the current situation for young people both within the movement and beyond. This stage ends with a plenary session where observations will be pooled.

There will also be a presentation of the most relevant findings from a study on young people carried out with the support of the European Union Project. Three case studies will be highlighted in the presentation. The external researcher will end by outlining the main conclusions and recommendations of the study. During the afternoon, we will hear meaningful perspectives of young people from within the cooperative movement. This will be carried out in a dialogue format with researchers from FLACSO, Instituto Gino Germani and Conicet, who will share various statistical data and perspectives on the situation for young people in relation to work and education. They will be joined by young cooperative members who will share their own experiences and the daily challenges they face. The aim is to stimulate exchange and all participants and speakers will be encouraged to speak.

We will end with a workshop where all participants will be invited to identify proposals to incorporate the gender perspective into the region’s cooperatives and to give their contributions to the Closing Declaration of the V Co- operative Summit of the Americas. Objective of the Activity: The objective is to share valuable experiences that are developed by or aimed at young people, with strong support and tangible results in the promotion, development and participation by young people, whether by the cooperative movement itself at the level of the Americas region or internationally

11:00-11:15 Welcome and Presentation Carlos Medrano, Co-operatives of the Americas Board Member

11:15-11:45 Dynamic form of presentation Augustín Garciá, Cooperar Youth Committee Julia Cofreces, Cooperar Youth Committee

11:45-12:30 Exchange with participants Moderator: Sébastien Chaillou, Youth Representative on the International Co-operative Alliance Board

12:30-13:00 Presentation of Results from the Study of Youth and Co-operatives in the Americas Region Paulo Ochoa, Ethnologist, Colombia

13:00-14:00 LUNCH

14:00-14:15 Plenary session Conference Moderator and one member from the platform of joint applicants

14:15-16:00 Panel and Round table Moderator: Carlos Leiggener Speakers: Agustina Corica, University of Buenos Aires (UBA), Argentina Pablo Vommaro, CONICET, Argentina

16:00-16:30 COFFEE BREAK

16:30-17:20 Preparation of document with contributions to the Declaration Working in committees, using the speakers’ notes and participants’ contributions as a basis and returning to the issues discussed

17:20-17:30 Conclusion of the conference with some closing words

17:30-18:30 IV CRJ ASSEMBLY - c l o s e d s e s s i o n WEDNESDAY, 24 OCTOBER 2018

IV Worker Cooperatives Conference

In view of the global transformation that has occurred in the world of work over the past decade, CICOPA and the cooperative movement, together with the International Labour Organization (ILO), believe that there is an important discussion to be held on the characteristics of these changes and how they influence our companies and societies. We will also discuss how these changes offer ways for workers cooperatives and self-managed companies to adapt without losing sight of the democratic and solidarity structure that defines them.

The global landscape shows that changes have taken place at a general level, to the detriment of labour conditions and standards of living among working classes. New technologies have enabled the use of hyper-technologised processes and the reduction of time and distance between producers, distributors and consumers. Where control of these production and value chains is concentrated in the hands of a few players, the situation for workers has deteriorated dramatically. As a result, it is no longer the case that having a job, or receiving an income for our work, is enough to stay out of poverty or marginalisation.

There is a difference between the global North and South, not only in terms of employment but also in terms of who is developing the advanced technology required to enter global value chains.

We believe that in our region, this political and economic situation has not only continued, it has become more extreme, while we continue to see ourselves as the subjects of change. As a result, the onus is on co-operative organisations to debate our future role in the definition of regional development projects. We are well aware that solidarity companies have an important contribution to make in facing these dilemmas.

With the International Labour Organization celebrating its hundredth birthday in 2019, this is an excellent opportunity to discuss and understand the role of workers’ organisations, whether trade unions or cooperative organisations, and their relationship with the State and businesses.

With this in mind, the general objectives of the conference are to: • Understand the current status of work at a global level, from a cooperative perspective. • Prefigure the potential role of workers’ cooperatives and other self-managed organisations in the new work landscape at a regional level. • Identify the alliances required to promote the interests of workers at a regional level.

Presentations will be given on the meeting’s defined theme and the summit’s tracks with the aim of presenting a cross-section of theory and specific experiences.

We will then work in groups to define the salient ideas from the presentations and debates in order to draft the final declaration and next steps. Objective of the Activity: To analyse the role of the workers’ cooperative movement in facing the global challenges that affect the present and future of work

11:00-11:10 Welcome and Presentation Moderator: Dov Orian

11:10-11:15 Official Welcome Onofre Cezario de Souza Filho, OCB, Brazil Graciela Fernandez, CUDECOOP, Colombia

11:15-11:45 TRACK 1 PRESENTATION: COOPERATIVES AND PROTECTING THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT Sofia Scasserra, economist and university lecturer, Argentina

11:45-12:15 Experience presentation on Track 1 Daniella Preisler, Home Green Home Co-operative, United States of America (to be confirmed)

12:15-12:35 TRACK 2 PRESENTATION: COOPERATIVES AND A FINANCIAL SYSTEM FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

12:35-13:00 Experience presentation on Track 2 Paul Cabaj, CMC/CWCF, Canada

13:00-14:00 LUNCH

14:00-14:20 TRACK 3 PRESENTATION: INTEGRATION OF THE SOCIAL AND SOLIDARITY ECONOMY TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES Diana Dovgan, General Secretary, CICOPA

14:20-14:45 Cooperative experience presentation on Track 3 Mariana Pacheco, Cooperativa La Huella, Argentina Richard Silvera, social co-operatives, FCPU, Uruguay

14:45-15:45 Dialogue and debate in groups Moderator: Dov Orian

15:45-16:00 Close Manuel Mariscal, President, CICOPA Representatives of each group

16:00-16:15 SNACK BREAK

16:15-18:30 V CICOPA ASSEMBLY - closed session

WEDNESDAY, 24 OCTOBER 2018

VII Financial Services Conference

As part of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas, on 23 to 26 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Regional Committee of Financial Cooperatives and Cooperative Banks [COFIA - Comité Regional de Cooperativas Financieras y Bancos Cooperativos] will hold its VII Financial Services Meeting.

Technological advances, financial crises and changes to the political and economic context require the cooperative movement to respond in new ways, both in its business strategy and in advocating for an institutional and regulatory framework that favours the development of solidarity finance.

The Meeting aims to provide a forum for participants to share experiences and visions from the continent’s various countries, leading towards the incorporation of strategic innovations and enabling joint efforts in public policy advocacy.

This will be organised into three panel sessions. The first of these will present differing experiences of public policy to promote and regulate the cooperative savings and credit sector, aiming to identify innovative initiatives as well as the key difficulties, according to the vision of cooperative organisations.

The second panel aims to facilitate the comparison of various models of savings and credit cooperatives, seeking to identify innovative aspects that can be applied to various situations. There is open debate about the cooperative model in various countries around the world, making this initial input relevant in advocating for a regulatory framework that will enable its implementation. Objective of the Activity: To share different experiences from each country in relation to cooperative savings and credit models, public audit, and innovation in the sphere of cooperative insurance, as a basis for developing activities to promote the solidarity economy within the field of finance

11:00-11:15 Welcome and Presentation Co-operatives of the Americas Board Member Moderator: Alfredo Arana

11:15-12:15 Conference: Perspectives on solidarity credit in the current context of international finance Carlos Heller, Banco Credicoop, Argentina Jean-Louis Bancel, Crédit Coopératif, France

12:15-13:00 Exchange with participants Moderator: Alfredo Arana

13:00-14:00 LUNCH

14:00-14:45 Panel: Cooperative savings and credit models Cidmar Luis Stoffel, Sicredi, Brazil Siria Jeldes Coopeuch, Chile Alfonso García Caja Popular Mexicana, México

14:45-15:00 Exchange with participants Moderator: Alfredo Arana

15:00-15:45 Panel: Experiences of the promotion and audit of cooperative savings and credit Félix Hernán Jimenez Castro INCOOP, Paraguay Representative of FACC, Argentina Alfredo Arana, COOMEVA, Colombia

15:45-16:00 Exchange with participants Moderator: Alfredo Arana

16:00-16:30 COFFEE BREAK

16:30-18:00 COFIA ASSEMBLY - closed session WEDNESDAY, 24 OCTOBER 2018

II Housing Cooperatives Conference

As part of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas, on 23 to 26 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the II Housing Cooperatives Meeting will be held, following the meeting that took place at the IV Summit in Montevideo (2016).

The Meeting has three specific objectives: •To exchange perspectives on the contributions of the cooperative movement in solving the issues of access to housing and habitat in the Americas. •To analyse the relationship between cooperatives and the State, mechanisms for public policy advocacy for the sector and promoting joint problem-solving efforts in each country. •To set up the Co-operatives of the Americas Housing Network to bring housing cooperative organisations together and to place the interests of the sector on the regional agenda and that of the International Co-operative Alliance.

To meet the first objective, a Panel will be held with succinct presentations on the main experiences of housing cooperatives in the region. This aims to show the diversity of existing approaches, both in relation to their institutional format as well as their relationship to the State, which will serve as the foundation for deeper integration strategies in the region.

Secondly, a panel will take place specifically to debate the relationship between the housing cooperative movement and the State. This includes the theme of access to land, analysing state regulation and competence, the type of property (collective or individual) being promoted, modes of access to credit, including the experiences of social mortgage credit, mechanisms for advocacy and agreements with the State, etc.

Finally, with the participation of all interested parties, a workshop will be held to debate the constitution of an American Network of Housing Cooperatives, following the recommendation that was made at the IV Summit in Montevideo. The aim will be to reach recommendations to take to the Co-operatives of the Americas Board, including those responsible for monitoring the proposal. Objective of the Activity: To exchange experiences of the contribution of the cooperative movement in solving problems of access to housing and habitat in the Americas, to analyse the relationship with the State and to promote the organisation of the American Network of Housing Cooperatives

11:00-11:10 Welcome and Presentation Co-operatives of the Americas Board Member

11:10-11:40 Conference: How does a housing cooperative integration organisation function? Anders Lago, President, Co-operative Housing International

11:45-12:45 Round Table: The State and cooperatives: the need to work together Housing Commission, Cooperar, Argentina (to be defined) Damián Salomone, Instituto Provincial de la Vivienda, Mendoza Province Iván Kerr, Housing Secretary, Ministry of the Interior, Public Works and Housing, Argentina Sebastián Welisiejko, Secretary for Socio-Urban Integration, Ministry for Social Development, Argentina

12:45-13:00 Exchange with participants

13:00-14:00 LUNCH

14:00-15:15 Panel: Housing Cooperatives in the Americas Ivânio Dickmann, Coohabras, Brazil Mauricio de la Barra, Managing Director, Conavicoop, Chile Mike Bauer, Executive Director of NAHC, United States Apolinar Ortiz, La Cruz Azul, Mexico Juan Carlos Ramos, FUCVAM/FECVI, Uruguay

15:15-15:30 Exchange with participants

15:30-16:00 Closing ceremony Alexandra Wilson, CEO of the Agency for Co-operative Housing, Canada

16:00-16:30 COFFEE BREAK

16:30-18:00 Workshop: Towards the establishment of an American Network of Housing Cooperatives WEDNESDAY, 24 OCTOBER 2018

Consumer Cooperatives Meeting Current and Future Challenges for Consumer Co-operatives

As part of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas - taking place on 23 to 26 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina - a Consumer Cooperatives Meeting will be held.

Consumer cooperatives are the longest-standing branch of the cooperative movement. They hold the key to the large-scale adoption of the cooperative model by society, since we are all consumers and, together, through democracy and participation, we can all make our voices heard about what we want to consume and how we want it to be produced.

To fulfil this commitment, the South American cooperative movement must draw on its significant experience in various economic, cultural and social contexts and reflect on how the huge challenges of its sector should be faced. How can every level of the movement, from organisations to consumers, contribute to economic, social and environmental sustainability, and how best can the needs of today’s consumers be understood?

To reflect on all of this, the Meeting will take the form of four conference sessions and one workshop. The first session aims to characterise the current situation and offer perspectives on the retail channels of the future. Working from this context, the second session will reflect on the role of cooperatives in building sustainable models while adapting to the demands of the market, as part of the vision of the global organisation for the sector (Consumer Co- operatives Worldwide, CCW).

The third session provides tools for reflecting on consumer behaviour, their demands and preferences. We close with a fourth session in which the two of the continent’s largest consumer cooperatives - Coop de Brasil and Cooperativa Obrera of Argentina - will share their experiences.

Finally, all participants will be invited to share their impressions on the most suitable strategies for consumer cooperatives to adopt as they face the challenges of today and tomorrow. These impressions may be incorporated into the Closing Declaration of the V Summit of the Americas as the message from the continent’s co-operative movement for society as a whole.

Within this proposal, consideration is given to the establishment of the American Network of Consumer Cooperatives. Objective of the Activity: Reflection and analysis of the context and challenges facing consumer cooperatives and the tools they possess in responding to members’ needs

11:00-11:15 Welcome and presentation Co-operatives of the Americas Board Member

11:15-11:45 Conference: The Future of distribution Alfredo Enrique Blousson, Specialist in Commercial and Strategic Management

11:45-12:30 Conference: The Cooperative vision and the power of consumers Petar Stefanov, President of Consumer Cooperatives Worldwide (CCW)

12:30-13:00 Exchange with participants

13:00-14:00 LUNCH

14:00-14:30 Conference: Consumers today: behaviour, profile and trends Guillermo Oliveto, Consumer behaviour specialist

14:30-15:30 Conference: The Cooperative difference: the role of consumers as company owners Marcio Valle, President of Coop, Brazil Héctor Jacquet, Managing Director of Coop. Obrera, Argentina

15:30-16:00 Exchange with participants

16:00-16:30 COFFEE BREAK

16:30-18:00 Workshop: Challenges for Consumer Cooperatives WEDNESDAY, 24 OCTOBER 2018

Meeting of Public Services Cooperatives

As part of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas - taking place on 23 to 26 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina - a Meeting of Public Services Cooperatives will be held.

Public services cooperatives can make an important contribution on issues that are central to achieving the sustainable development goals. These include guaranteeing the provision of water and managing it sustainably, guaranteeing access to sustainable and affordable energy, providing robust infrastructure and guaranteeing sustainable modes of production and consumption.

To do so, public services cooperatives must show the value of their contribution towards these objectives, form partnerships with the State and improve the level of integration between major public service cooperatives in the region. This will form the basis for their consolidation and expansion throughout the continent.

To contribute towards these objectives, the conference will take the form of three panel sessions and one workshop. The first panel session will debate the complex relationship between the State and public services cooperatives, reviewing the potential of this connection as well as the restrictions placed on it by the lack of appropriate regulation or sufficient coordination of objectives.

Next there will be two panel sessions where cooperatives in the region will share their experiences related to electricity and water supplies. In response to one of the V Summit tracks, both sessions will give particular consideration to the contribution of cooperatives to environmental sustainability.

We will end with a workshop in which all participants will debate proposals for consolidating and reinvigorating the Network of Public Services Cooperatives of the Americas, as a tool for inter- cooperative integration that serves to boost the expansion of the cooperative movement among regional public services. Objective of the Activity: To exchange viewpoints on the contribution of cooperatives to solving energy problems, with particular attention to the production and distribution of renewable energy, the sustainable management of drinking water and other essential services, and to organise the Network of Public Services Cooperatives of the Americas.

11:00-11:15 Welcome and Presentation Co-operatives of the Americas Board Member

11:15-12:15 Panel: The State and public service cooperatives Alejandro Sruoga, Secretary of Energía Eléctrica Argentina Coop Representative Eléctricas Argentina Guillermo Moser, General Secretary of FATLyF

12:15-13:00 Exchange with participants

13:00-14:00 LUNCH BREAK

14:00-14:40 Panel: Current challenges in cooperative electricity Martin Lowery, National Rural Electric Co-operative Association, United States Mario Carmelo Paz, CRE Cooperativa Rural de Electrificación, Bolivia

14:40-15:00 Exchange with participants

15:00-15:40 Panel: Cooperatives and the management of river basins Guillermo Saavedra, FESAN-Chile Representative of Femicap Argentina

15:40-16:00 Exchange with participants

16:00-16:30 COFFEE BREAK

16:30-18:00 Workshop: Network of Public Services Cooperatives of the Americas WEDNESDAY, 24 OCTOBER 2018

VII Meeting of Promotional Bodies for Public Works, Regulation and/or Cooperative Credit

As part of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas - taking place on 23 to 26 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina - the VII Meeting of Promotional Bodies for Public Works, Regulation and/or Cooperative Credit will be held, organised jointly with the National Institute for the People-Led and Social Economy [Instituto Nacional de Asociativismo y Economía Social] of Argentina.

As at every Cooperative Summit, this meeting brings together organisations involved in the integration of the cooperative movement at a country and regional level with public authorities involved in the promotion and regulation of cooperatives in various sectors, to debate a shared way forward.

This time, we will be joined by representatives of the provincial bodies for the promotion and audit of cooperatives in Argentina, thereby increasing the diversity of participating organisations to include those at a provincial as well as national and international level.

This meeting, together with the XI Parliamentarians Meeting and the Public Policy Workshop “The State and Cooperatives in the Face of Global Challenges”, forms part of a series of activities aimed at debating and building consensus on a crucial theme: the need for coordinated efforts between cooperatives and public agencies, within a framework of different institutional perspectives.

The morning of the VII Meeting of Promotional Bodies will be spent debating joint efforts to be made in pursuit of cooperative integration, including the integration of promotional bodies into different international forums.

In the afternoon, we will discuss experiences of regulation and self-regulation in the region, with the aim of promoting an exchange of viewpoints and to agree useful recommendations for each country or district.

We will end by seeking agreement on a Buenos Aires Declaration that captures the key proposals arising from the Meeting. Objective of the Activity: To promote cooperative integration and audit strategies as a joint effort by public bodies and the regional cooperative movement

11:00-11:30 Welcome and Presentation CoopAméricas Authority INAES Authority

11:30-11:45 Participants introduced

11:45-12:15 Panel: Cooperative Integration José Orbaiceta / Fontenla, INAES Director Regional representatives of national organisations

12:15-13:00 Exchange with participants Moderator

13:00-14:00 LUNCH

14:00-15:00 Panel: Regulation and Self-Regulation of Cooperatives Regional representatives of national organisations Representative of CoopAméricas

15:00-16:00 Exchange with participants

16:00-16:30 COFFEE BREAK

16:30-17:30 Panel: Prevention of asset laundering Regional representatives of national organisations Representative of CoopAméricas

17:30-18:00 Exchange with participants

18:00-18:30 Presentation and Signing of the Buenos Aires Declaration Attendees WEDNESDAY, 24 OCTOBER 2018

AMERICAS PLATFORM: THE ROLE OF COOPERATIVES IN DEVELOPMENT

As part of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas - taking place on 23 to 26 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina - the Regional Platform for Cooperative Development will be launched.

“Cooperatives in development – people-centred businesses in action” is the name of the project launched in March 2016 and currently being implemented by the International Co-operative Alliance with the support of the European Union.

Under its fourth workstream, the project presents the following statement: “To enhance the work of cooperative networks that are active in regional and global development”. Its aim is to improve dialogue at a global level between stakeholders in cooperative development in the Alliance network. For many Alliance member organisations, the development of cooperatives is among their key priorities. These organisations stand out among Alliance members due to the experience they have gained in developing their own organisation and by acting as engines for cooperative development, a role that has been recognised and valued within the Alliance network.

With regards to growing global integration, favourable environments for cooperatives can be created through closer collaboration within the network of national integration organisations that actively develop and support the cooperatives that make up the Alliance. A more coordinated approach will have a considerable impact on the formulation and implementation of sustainable development policies.

In recent years, several regional offices have already seen results in their drive for fundamental changes to the legal framework. They are recognised today by many decision-makers as key proponents of the concept that companies can be fair, financially viable and respect the environment.

Strengthening the network through cooperation, establishing close relationships and developing joint activities with other member countries in the Americas all ensure the long-term impact of the project beyond its implementation period and that its activities are sustainable. Objective of the Activity: Within the framework of "the cooperatives in development" financed by the European Union, it has been proposed to institutionalise the exchange of experiences among the stakeholders in the Region that are dedicated to international cooperation for sustainable development, and to create a platform for these stakeholders - the foreign Cooperative Organisations that develop international projects within the Region - and to communicate with the Thematic Committee of the International Co- operative Alliance in order to contribute towards the UN Agenda 2030.

11:00-11:30 Welcome and Presentation Danilo Salerno, Regional Director, Co-operatives of the Americas Anders Lago, Coordinator, Global Platform

11:30-12:00 Agenda 2030 Representative of the Delegation of the European Union in Argentina

12:00-12:30 Presentation of the Project co-financed by the European Union Marc Noël, Director of the Coops4dev Project

12:30-13:00 Participation of the private sector and its relationship with the cooperative sector within the framework of Agenda 2030 Laura Frigenti, international expert in the private sector

13:00-14:30 LUNCH

14:30-16:30 Round Table Communications group Coordinator: Fernando Bragado, Colombia Projects group Coordinator: Marc Noël, Director of the Coops4dev Project and Head of the Co-operatives of the Americas Project Platform Group Coordinator: Danilo Salerno, Regional Director, Co-operatives of the Americas

16:30-17:00 COFFEE BREAK

17:00-17:30 Presentation by Group Speakers Fernando Bragado Marc Noël, Director of the Coops4dev Project Danilo Salerno, Regional Director, Co-operatives of the Americas

17:30-18:00 Official launch of Regional Platform for Cooperative Development Anders Lago, Global Platform Coordinator Danilo Salerno, Regional Director, Co-operatives of the Americas Representative of the Delegation of the European Union in Argentina Bruno Roelants, Director General, International Co-operative Alliance

WORKSHOP ON PUBLIC POLICY The State and Cooperatives in the face of Global Challenges

As part of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas - taking place on 23 to 26 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina - a Workshop on Public Policy will be held, to discuss experiences from the continent of the relationship between the State and Cooperatives.

Through the presentation of perspectives, experiences and recommendations by international bodies, the aim is to provide participants with conceptual tools to facilitate advocacy for public policies that contribute to the development of the cooperative movement.

Since its earliest beginnings, the cooperative movement has been engaged in rigorous debate about the relationship between the State and Cooperatives, simultaneously seeking a joint effort to meet the needs of the community and the independence of cooperatives that is necessary if they are to provide solutions based on social inclusion

Like all human relationships, this cannot be static. It must adapt to meet the challenges and responsibilities that each period of history presents. In times of global challenges, it is necessary to incorporate the global sustainability agenda into the relationship between the State and Co- operatives.

The State cannot take responsibility for global challenges without the initiative and independent organisation of civil society, as provided by cooperatives, and neither can cooperatives face global challenges without partnering with governments.

To reflect on these themes, the meeting will begin with a review of the vision of the International Co- operative Alliance and reflections of its President on ways through this challenging new landscape. This will be complemented by the experience of cooperatives within the framework of the European Economic and Social Committee, and with a presentation on the dimension and presence of cooperatives in the various countries and sectors - essential information when it carrying out advocacy work with any national and international public body.

We will then compare and debate the current recommendations of international organisations as to how governments should act in relation to cooperatives. We will review concrete experiences of public policy in our continent and will review the question of taxation, which is of crucial importance to the State-Cooperative relationship.

Finally, a workshop will be held in which to identify suggestions and proposals for better public policy, which will be put forward for inclusion into the Closing Declaration of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas.

THURSDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2018 Objective of the Activity: To debate the relationship between the State and Co- operatives in the context of new global challenges, and public policies that will contribute to the development of the movement

11:00-11:15 Welcome and Presentation Co-operatives of the Americas Board Member Moderator: Pablo Barbieri

11:15-11:45 Conference: The view from the ICA on the relationship between the State and Cooperatives Ariel Guarco, President of the International Co-operative Alliance.

11:45-12:10 Conference: Importance of cooperatives in sustainable development Claudia Sánchez Bajo, Researcher at universities in China, Germany, Brussels, Italy and Canada

12:10-12:30 Conference: State-Cooperative relationship in Europe Giuseppe Guerini, President of CECOP CICOPA-Europe

13:00-14:00 LUNCH

14:00-14:30 Conference: Recommendations by international organisations Bruno Roelants, Director General, International Co-operative Alliance

14:30-15:00 Conference: Public policy and cooperatives in the Americas Dante Cracogna, President of the Co-operative Law Committee of Co-operatives of the Americas

15:00-15:30 Conference: Tax treatment of cooperatives Rubén Masón, Cooperative Tax Specialist

15:30-16:00 Exchange with participants Moderator: Pablo Barbieri

16:00-16:30 COFFEE BREAK

16:30-17:00 Conference: Shared experiences between the cooperative movement and the European Union Aude Maio-Coliche, European Union Ambassador to Argentina

17:00-17:30 Conference: xxxxxxxxx Simel Esim, OIT

17:30-18:00 Exchange with participants and Closing remarks Moderator: Pablo Barbieri EDUCATION FORUM Cooperatives and the education system

As part of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas - taking place on 23 to 26 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina - a new Education Forum will be held.

Its aim is to debate various proposals to elevate to Co-operatives of the Americas, on three main themes: • The cooperative movement and the school system: Relationship between the cooperative movement and the school system in teaching new generations about the values and practices of cooperatives. Includes themes such as: teacher training, curriculum development (content, teaching methods, school cooperatives), organisational models (education cooperatives, social administration schools, modes of participation in schools). • The cooperative movement and universities: This theme covers the relationship between the cooperative movement and the university system that is required to connect the movement with the fields of science, technology and innovations arising from academia. It includes topics such as university-level education on the cooperative movement, research into co-operative-related subjects, the exchange and transfer of knowledge between universities and cooperatives, and cooperatives within university institutions. • Cooperative Education within cooperative organisations: Cooperative education and self-training for associates, employees and community. Includes topics such as modalities, working methodology and content, continuing the debate from the IV Summit.

Virtual Preparatory Forum Three position papers will form the basis for the meeting at the V Summit, which will be prepared following a debate among participants suggested by Co-operatives of the Americas member organisations. To contribute, member organisations must take part in the Virtual Preparatory Forum via an online platform provided by Cooperar through Idelcoop Fundación de Educación Cooperativa. The objectives of this Virtual Preparatory Forum are: - To generate a prior atmosphere of dialogue that promotes and encourages participation in the V Summit and the Education Forum in particular. - To enrich the discussion and exchange of experiences and proposals in order to arrive at the Education Forum with consensus and more clearly-developed concepts to broaden and encapsulate during the working sessions. - To foster new and closer bonds of cooperation and friendship, to facilitate the creation of a permanent forum on cooperative education. The Virtual Forum will have two moderators for each of the themed tracks proposed. Their responsibility will be to coordinate the debates, receive the proposals from participants and to summarise all of these exchanges and proposals in a document to be presented as working input for the Education Forum at the V Summit.

THURSDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2018 Objective of the Activity: To exchange experiences and identify proposals with respect to the relationship between cooperatives and universities, cooperative education and sector organisations, for presentation to Co-operatives of the Americas

11:00-11:15 Welcome and Presentation Co-operatives of the Americas Board Member

11:15-13:00 Presentation of the position papers Presentation of the position papers developed at the Virtual Preparatory Forum on each of the themes: • The Cooperative Movement and the School System • The Cooperative Movement and Universities • Co-operative Education within cooperative organisations

13:00-14:00 LUNCH

14:00-16:00 Simultaneous workshops: three groups per theme

16:00-16:30 COFFEE BREAK

16:30–17:30 Presentation of Conclusions

17:30-18:00 Work Network THURSDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2018

IT AND COMMUNICATIONS FORUM Integrating communications, communicating integration

As part of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas - taking place on 23 to 26 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina - an Information and Communications Technology (ITC) Forum will be held.

It will consist of three panel sessions and a round table.

The first session will open up the debate on how the solidarity economy can tackle a communications scenario that is extending ever further into regions and sectors, using ITC, with the extractive and concentrated economic model of global corporations. Are we able to intervene in this game with a solidarity economic model? Is it worth trying to play by these rules? To what extent are we able to change them? What is our positioning in the market and what role is the State playing? These are some of the questions we can ask ourselves as we consider, at the same time, the way in which these circumstances affect our work with communities. Ultimately, organisations must decide, together with specialists and academic leaders, how far, with whom, and by what means we can direct our efforts as we build solidarity communications.

In the second panel session, we will note the situation of ITC as a tool for innovation in the hands of various players, which have entered the market asymmetrically and which, in effect, serve various development models. From this vantage point, we can analyse the internet as a global communication network that has penetrated every location, with all of its elements belonging to a disputed territory where large corporations, governments, our organisations and millions of “isolated” users coexist. How will the end of net neutrality affect us? Do we need new paradigms? What is our sector doing to favour the democratisation of ITC? The objective is to see ourselves as having an active role to play in the technological estate, which is essential if we are to build solidarity communications.

In the third panel, we will cover the telecommunications market specifically, analysing the positioning of the solidarity economy with respect to the convergence of services and how these are being brought to communities. Many cooperatives with a long history of self-management of essential public services have been incorporating ITC into their growth plans in recent years. What alliances did they form? What is the role of associates in these strategies? How did they prepare for 4play? How did they address market concentration? The challenge is to identify cooperative ways in which our companies can continue to stimulate local development, with services that require a major innovation component, equipment and the need for a suitable regulatory framework.

To close the Forum, attendees representing differing experiences of communication will be invited to share these briefly and to compare their perspectives. Returning to the challenge of the first panel, the objective is to show the value and to support the integration of concrete initiatives in the field of solidarity communications. In doing so, we strengthen the cooperative movement in the Americas in its efforts to build more democratic, equal and environmentally responsible societies.

THURSDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2018 Objective of the Activity: To reach an agreement on strategic communication at a national and regional scale, starting with the debate on the production and ownership of information and communication, the experiences of self-managed journalism and the common criteria of organisational communication

11:00-11:15 Welcome and Presentation Co-operatives of the Americas Board Member

11:15-12:30 Panel: Communication and the solidarity economy. The challenge of empowering communities in the age of global networks

12:30-13:00 Exchange with participants

13:00-14:00 LUNCH

14:00-15:00 Panel: Internet and ITC at the crossroads. The challenge of building democracy on the web

15:00-15:15 Exchange with participants

15:15-16:15 Panel: 4play, Convergence and Concentration. The challenge of distributing convergent services to communities

16:15-16:30 Exchange with participants

16:30-17:30 Round Table: Integrating communication, communicating integration. The challenge of making ourselves visible.

17:30-18:00 Presentation of the collated output of the workshops and close GOOD GOVERNANCE AND COOPERATIVE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FORUM Cooperative Social Responsibility in the Face of Global Challenges

As part of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas - taking place on 23 to 26 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina - a new Good Governance and RSCoop Forum will be held.

It aims to provide a forum for sharing experiences that facilitate reflection and understanding of the latest advances in Cooperative Social Responsibility and Good Governance.

In these globally challenging times, by recognising these concepts from the central pillar of identity, we can emphatically affirm that it is essential to highlight the “cooperative difference” in achieving development that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.

Following the speakers’ contributions, participants will be invited to join the discussion, which will later be summarised and added to the Summit Declaration, based on the possibility of connecting business efficiency with the creation of partnerships for a society with more fairness, solidarity and humanity.

THURSDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2018 Objective of the Activity: To raise awareness and build capacity on the themes of Good Governance and Cooperative Social Responsibility, which are among the global challenges for the cooperative movement as a model for economically, socially and environmentally sustainable development.

11:00-11:20 Welcome and Presentation Co-operatives of the Americas Board Member Moderator: Liliana González

11:20-12:10 Panel: Experiences of cooperatives in the Americas and Europe Ricardo Sappey, Banco Credicoop, Argentina Ivar D. Solsona Peluffo, Cooperativa Artigas Gisela Guichón, Cooperativa Artigas, Uruguay Carlo Scarzanella, Vice President of AGCI, Italy

12:10-12:30 Exchange with participants Moderator: Liliana González

12:30-14:00 LUNCH

14:00-14:45 Panel: The Cooperative and RSCoop role in the face of global challenges Luis. A. Castillo, CESOPOL, Argentina Edgardo Form, IMFC, Argentina César Bone, FUCAC, Uruguay

14:45-15:00 Exchange with participants Moderator: Liliana González

15:00-15:45 Panel: Good Governance and RSCoop in cooperative business groups José Vicente Torres, COOMEVA, Colombia Isabel Larrea and Alberto Grimaldi, Grupo Asegurador La Segunda, Argentina

15:45-16:00 Exchange with participants Moderator: Liliana González

16:00-16:30 COFFEE BREAK

16:30-17:15 Conference: Cooperative Social Responsibility in the Face of Global Challenges Dr. Ariel Guarco, ICA President

17:15-17:30 Exchange with participants Moderator: Liliana González

17:30-18:00 Workshop on Good Governance, RSCoop and Summit Tracks Moderator: Liliana González THURSDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2018

Workshop on the Solidarity Model and Territorial Development

As part of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas - taking place on 23 to 26 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina - a Workshop on the Solidarity Model and Territorial Development will be held for the first time.

Based on the analysis of different experiences from Latin America, it will debate proposals and recommendations for building a model of solidarity economy from the perspective of territorial development.

Faced with an increasingly globalised economic hegemony due to the concentration of capital, cooperatives can join other players in the social and solidarity economy to build an alternative model. This model can be designed and structured around the needs and aspirations of the community and sustainable in terms of the environment, society and economy.

This means putting the principle of cooperation between cooperatives into action from a territorial perspective and requires us to ask ourselves questions about the most appropriate forms for this integration to take.

In our region, we have already gained valuable experience in this area. To provide input for the debate, we will hear some of these case studies from the protagonists themselves.

The first presentations will be two case studies from Argentina, whereby cooperatives, mutuals and other forms of association have converged to form financial groups with a strong focus on multi- sectorial development in their own territory. These are Grupo Cooperativo and Mutual Devoto, and GESTA Grupo de Empresas Sociales de Trabajo Asociado.

Next, three leading companies within the Latin American social and solidarity economy will share their experiences. These are Grupo Coboce from Bolivia, Grupo Cruz Azul from México and Grupo Coomeva from Colombia.

Each experience is different in terms of history, the work they do and the institutional structure they have adopted in order to integrate and manage the company. From their diverse backgrounds, these organisations have become leaders in their communities thanks to their recognised contribution to general wellbeing.

Following these testimonies, participants will be invited to take part in a workshop to identify recommendations for cooperative integration from a territorial-specific perspective and to propose content for the Closing Declaration of the V Summit.

1 We understand solidarity models to be economic development models driven by people-led businesses. These businesses are organised in such a way that people take precedence over capital, there is autonomy and democracy in management, and services for members and the community take priority over the generation of profits. This term refers to cooperatives and mutuals in particular. 2 Territorial development is understood as a process of social construction of the surroundings, driven by the interaction between geophysical characteristics, individual and collective actions by various actors and the operation of economic, technological, socio-political, cultural and environmental forces within the country (CEPAL). Objective of the Activity: To exchange viewpoints and debate the construction of a solidarity model from the perspective of territorial development, based on the analysis of innovative case studies from various countries of the continent

11:00-11:15 Welcome and Presentation Co-operatives of the Americas Board Member

11:15-12:15 Panel: Experiences from Argentina of Integration for Territorial Development Domingo Benso, Managing Director, Grupo Devoto Miguel Olaviaga, President, Grupo GESTA

12:15-13:00 Exchange with participants

13:00-14:00 LUNCH

14:00-15:30 Panel: Latin American cooperative groups for territorial development Representative of Grupo Coboce Representative of Grupo Cruz Azul

15:40-16:00 Exchange with participants

16:00-16:30 COFFEE BREAK

16:30-18:00 Workshop: Workshop on the Solidarity Model and Territorial Development Agricultural Cooperatives Meeting

As part of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas - taking place on 23 to 26 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina - an Agricultural Cooperatives Meeting will be held.

Its main objective will to be to discuss the role of cooperative organisations in the transformation of the current agricultural model, within a regional context characterised by a high capacity for food production and, at the same time, a huge number of families without access to food in sufficient quantity and quality. In this context, the meeting aims to reinforce the work underway by REDACOOP (Network of Agricultural Cooperatives of the Americas): To cooperativise family farming to create decent jobs, produce healthy food and to protect the environment.

To meet these objectives, various panel sessions will be held with presentations by academics, producers, cooperative directors and organisations that specialise in food issues. We will identify clear diagnoses of the current landscape for the production and consumption of food at a regional level, successful case studies from the region, the potential of the cooperative sector, and proposals to enable the sector to become a key player in the war on hunger and rural unemployment, and in protecting the environment.

THURSDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2018 Objective of the Activity: To strengthen the strategic alliance between Family Farming and Agricultural Cooperatives with the aim of guaranteeing the food security and sovereignty of populations, with a global sustainability framework

11:00-11:10 Welcome and Presentation Co-operatives of the Americas Board Member

11:10-11:30 Conference: vision of agricultural cooperatives around the world

11:30–12:30 Cooperative panel: integration to close cycles of production-consumption Florencia Doná, AFA, Argentina Representative of the Cooperar EERR Committee, Argentina Amelia Moro, Concopar, Paraguay Lautaro Vizcay, REAF, Uruguay (to be confirmed)

12:40-13:00 Exchange with participants

13:00-14:00 LUNCH

14:00-14:30 Conference: Agricultural cooperatives: towards a proposal for sustainable production Representative of UNICAFES (pending name)

14:30-14:45 Exchange with participants

14:45-15:45 Institutional panel: Public policy for the cooperative agriculture sector and family farming Julio Berdagué, Regional Representative of the FAO for Latin America and the Caribbean, Chile (to be confirmed) Representative of FIDA Manuel Otero, IICA, Headquarters, Costa Rica (to be confirmed)

15:45-16:00 Exchange with participants

16:00-16:30 COFFEE BREAK

16:30-18:00 Workshop: Network of Agricultural Cooperatives of the Americas Luis Frachia, coordinator, Redacoop COOPERATIVE LAW FORUM Current Issues in Cooperative Law

As part of the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas - taking place on 23 to 26 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina - a new Cooperative Law Forum will be held.

The nature of this forum will be as a preparatory activity for the Continental Conference on Cooperative Law, to be held in 2019 to commemorate the First Continental Conference on Cooperative Law, which took place in Mérida, Venezuela, in 1969.

The forum has two specific objectives: • To analyse some of the key problems and trends in cooperative law in the region. • To prepare for the next Continental Conference on Cooperative Law, which will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the first Continental Conference on Cooperative Law.

To fulfil the first objective, we will hear from prominent speakers who will provide an overview of key global trends in cooperative law based on the vision of the Cooperative Law Committee of the International Co-operative Alliance. They will then cover three main themes: cooperative taxation, the problems caused by the conduct of regulatory bodies of cooperatives and the accounting profession, and the incorporation of cooperatives into bodies that design and execute public policy.

All of these themes will be covered from a regional point of view by experts members of the Co- operative Law Committee of Co-operatives of the Americas. In each case, there will be time for questions, opinions and debate.

Lastly, all participants will be invited to exchange proposals and suggestions for the organisation of the next Continental Conference on Cooperative Law, which will be a good opportunity to evaluate progress and to tackle the new challenges facing cooperative law in the region.

THURSDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2018 Objective of the Activity: To debate current trends in cooperative law in preparation for the 2019 Continental Conference on Cooperative Law, which commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the First Continental Conference on Cooperative Law (1969)

11:00-11:15 Welcome and Presentation Co-operatives of the Americas Board Member Dante Cracogna, President of the Cooperative Law Committee of Co-operatives of the Americas

11:15-12:15 Conference: Global Trends in Cooperative Law Haguen Henrÿ, President of the Cooperative Law Committee of the International Co-operative Alliance

12:15-13:00 Exchange with participants Moderator: Dante Cracogna

13:00-14:00 LUNCH

14:00-14:40 Conference: Cooperative Taxation Carlos Acero, President of Confecoop, Colombia

14:40-15:00 Exchange with participants Moderator: Dante Cracogna

15:00-15:40 Panel: Problems arising from the conduct of regulatory bodies and the accounting profession Representative of Ligacoop, Puerto Rico Mario De Conto, Member of the Cooperative Law Committee of Co-operatives of the Americas, Brazil

15:40-16:00 Exchange with participants Moderator: Dante Cracogna

16:00-16:30 COFFEE BREAK

16:30-17:10 Conference: Incorporation into public policy-making bodies Graciela Fernández, President of Cudecoop, Uruguay

17:10-17:30 Exchange with participants Moderator: Dante Cracogna

17:30-17:40 Presentation: Continental Conference on Cooperative Law 2019 Dante Cracogna, President of the Cooperative Law Committee of Co-operatives of the Americas

17:40-18:00 Exchange with participants Moderator: Dante Cracogna CLOSING EVENT

The cultural and economic effects of the Second World War, combined with the emergence of new artists and a more accepting social context all contributed to the explosion in popularity of tango in Buenos Aires from 1940. The result was an entire cultural movement named the Golden Decade. During that time, more than fifty orchestras played every night in cabaret theatres, clubs, cafés, restaurants and dance halls. The peak of tango’s popularity was so huge and all-consuming that even the major sports clubs such as River Plate, San Lorenzo, Racing Club and the inimitable Luna Park opened their doors to ecstatic crowds, seduced by the mania that had the whole of Buenos Aires, the “City of Tango” in its grip.

A little over five decades later, Tango Porteño recreates that magical, mysterious golden age when tango reigned supreme as the grand passion of the entire Argentine society. Tango Porteño takes the spectator on a journey back in time to those glorious years when every corner of Buenos Aires lived and breathed tango. Tango Porteño is a fabulous space where the leading lights of tango’s Golden Decade live on together. The big orchestras of Canaro, Fresedo, Piazzolla, De Caro, Gobbi, Biagi, De Angelis, Di Sarli, D’Arienzo, Lomuto, D’Agostino and, of course, the unforgettable Troilo and Pugliese, honed their skills in a atmosphere of fierce yet healthy competition. They fought for top billing at venues such as Chanteclair, Armenonville, Marabú, Tabaris, Tibidabo, and many more that were swallowed up by the relentless transformation of the city.

Tango Porteño has revived that essence and captures it in one unique and unforgettable place. That pivotal time in the history of tango has been magically recreated in the luxurious setting of a building that dates back to the very same era, a former cinema-theatre belonging to Metro Goldwyn Meyer. The much-loved old Metro, just a few metres from the Obelisk, is transformed today into Tango Porteño, a place that combines the most refined atmosphere possible with the faithful deco style of the golden age, complemented by an artistic company, five- star productions and an array of gastronomic delights that pay homage to the era they represent. It couldn’t be any other way, because Tango Porteño is the image of Buenos Aires, the “City of Tango”.

In this fabulous setting, we invite participants to join us on Friday night for dinner and a tango show, rounding off the V Cooperative Summit of the Americas in fittingly passionate style.

Cooperativas de las Américas Edificio Centro Colón Paseo Colón 38 Piso 6 Oficina 6-10 San José Costa Rica Tel.: +506 40203540 www.aciamericas.coop

COOPERAR - Confederación Cooperativa de la República Argentina Ecuador 374 Piso 2 City of Buenos Aires Argentina Tel. (+54) (11) 2113 2107 www.cooperar.coop