ICA Youth Committee brings global voices together at ECOSOC Youth Forum 2026 side event
16 Apr 2026
On 15 April 2026, the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), through its Youth Committee (ICAYC), successfully hosted the side event “Innovate, Unite and Cooperate: Youth Cooperatives Driving Innovation, Sustainable Communities and Global Partnerships for the 2030 Agenda” in the framework of the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2026.
The online session brought together more than 90 participants and featured speakers from over seven countries, reflecting the global reach and diversity of the cooperative movement. The discussion explored how youth-led cooperatives contribute to innovation, support inclusive economic opportunities and help build resilient communities.
In her keynote address, Annica Floren, Head of Unit for Youth, Education & Research and Culture at the European Commission’s DG INTPA, highlighted the demographic importance of young people in shaping global development. She stressed that “driving innovation, sustainable communities and global partnerships goes to the heart of what is needed to advance the 2030 Agenda,” underlining the essential role of youth in this process.
Harsh Sanghani, President of the ICA Youth Committee, emphasized the transformative potential of investing in young people and cooperative models, stating: “If we invest in youth, we build leaders. If we invest in cooperation, we build communities. But if we invest in both, we are building the future”.
The panel discussion showcased experiences from different regions, illustrating how youth cooperatives are contributing to local development and social innovation.
Helena Gorroño (Spain) emphasized the importance of cooperatives as tools for youth empowerment, particularly through education, training and access to opportunities that enable young people to actively participate in the social economy.
From Latin America, Nicolás Jacquet (Argentina) highlighted the role of education in fostering cooperative values from an early age, pointing to student-led cooperatives in schools as practical examples of how young people can engage with cooperative principles and develop entrepreneurial skills.
Ronald Nyamukuwa (Zimbabwe) reflected on the need to strengthen youth participation in cooperative governance and decision-making processes, stressing the importance of creating spaces where young leaders can actively contribute to shaping the future of the movement.
Dulce Bustamante (Philippines) shared insights on the role of cooperatives in providing employment opportunities and supporting youth entrepreneurship, particularly in contexts where access to formal jobs may be limited.
Pritty Sunny (India), Fairtrade Youth Ambassador and coffee producer, highlighted the link between cooperatives, sustainable livelihoods and global value chains, emphasizing how young people can drive change at the local level while contributing to global sustainability goals.
The session was moderated by Ingrid Colanero, Head of International Cooperation at ICA and ICA Youth Committee Coordinator, and Joseph Njuguna, Director of Policy at ICA.
The event concluded with an interactive dialogue with participants, reinforcing the importance of partnerships between governments, international organizations and youth networks to scale up the impact of youth-led cooperatives worldwide.
This side event was organized under the ICA-EU Partnership (2024–2028), also known as #coops4dev🌍, a five-year international cooperative development programme co-funded by the European Union, aimed at strengthening the ICA network and positioning cooperatives as key actors in international development.
