Co-operative movement welcomes pontifical support for a more balanced society

18 Oct 2013

​Left to right: Dame Pauline Green (ICA), Mr Manuel Mariño (ICA), His Holiness Pope Francis

A delegation from the co-operative sector was welcomed by Pope Francis at a private audience in Vatican City this week. Pope Francis, who has already publicly expressed his concern about the growing injustice, inequality and exclusion in society, expressed his confidence in co-operatives as a crucial part of the global economy for the future, and a way of dealing with some of the world’s most pressing problems.  In welcoming the group to the Vatican, Pope Francis told of the day in 1954 when his father has brought him and his brothers together to talk to them about the impact of co-operatives on local communities, and how this had lived with him ever since. He praised co-operatives’ sustainable vision for a more just, more balanced and more stable economy, and expressed the Vatican’s intent to ensure further contact between the co-operative sector with the Pontifical Council for Social Justice and Peace.

Rome, 17 October 2013 - Pope Francis received yesterday a delegation of representatives from the co-operative sector. Invited by the Vatican were Dame Pauline Green, President of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), Mr Charles Gould, Director General, Ramon Imperial Zuniga, President of ICA Americas, Manuel Mariño, Regional Director ICA Americas. Representing the Co-operative Confederation of the Argentinian Republic (Cooperar) were Mr. Ariel Guarco, President and Mr Ricardo López, Secretary. The meeting lasted nearly 45 minutes.

Pope Francis’ tough critique

Pope Francis launched a tough critique of injustices in today’s society, and particularly the failure of the present economic model to meaningfully integrate young as well as elderly people. He questioned how society could let itself be carried to a point where highly developed nations such as Spain and Italy arrive at a 40% youth unemployment rate. Pope Francis emphasized his confidence in co-operative enterprise to build a future where people are at the center, instead of profit objectives. "If a block away people die of cold or hunger, it receives no news attention. Meanwhile, if stocks fall 2 or 3 points in London or New York, it’s on air immediately”, Pope Francis said.

Co-operative sector reaches out to all organizations sharing their views

Dame Pauline Green: ”The co-operative sector is delighted to share this vision for a more inclusive, balanced and empowering society. It is another sign that the co-operative sector is working with the grain of society. We are continuing to drive the momentum that was driven by last year’s United Nations International Year of Co-operatives.  On the same day we saw Pope Francis in the Vatican, we also signed an agreement with the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Something is moving in society, and co-operatives are proud to be a driving, but highly sustainable platform for an economy in which their voice is heard.”

Charles Gould: "The co-operative sector considers the Vatican’s invitation a historic landmark. People today feel disconnected from the dominant economic and social models, while those very models control their lives. I think you see this in the Occupy Wall Street / Occupy London / Occupy Everywhere movement, this idea that ‘this isn't working for us’. And it's not isolated, it's very widely felt. This most positive meeting with the Vatican confirms that the co-operative sector’s concerns are shared by important actors in society, and that we must join forces with other organizations outside the co-operative movement, sharing our resolve to improve, diversify and balance society and economy for the better”.

November: Africa Co-operative Development Strategy to be made public

Dame Pauline Green and Mr Charles Gould invited Pope Francis to send a message of support and encouragement to the movement’s World Assembly to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, 1 to 5 November this year. At the World Assembly the sector’s Co-operative Development Strategy for Africa will be made public.