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This document has been made available in electronic format
by the International Co-operative Alliance ICA 
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                         December 1997


                47th International Co-operative Day
                    (Saturday, 5th July, 1969)
          
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Message from the International Co-operative Alliance
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The International Co-operative Alliance, addressing its
affiliated organisations comprising over 230.5 million members
in 60 countries, on the occasion of the 47th International Co-
operative Day:

*    Welcomes the order issued by the President of the U.S.A.
     to halt the bombing of North Vietnam in order to
     facilitate intensive peace talks with Hanoi; 

*    Declares again its belief that the most urgent problem of
     today is the establishment and maintenance of lasting
     peace and security and the promotion of harmony between
     races and peoples throughout the world, to which co-
     operation has a unique contribution to make; and   

*    Urges all co-operative forms of organisations to maintain
     the closest contacts with their members and to accomplish
     speedily within the national co-operative movements, such
     urgent structural reforms as may be necessary to attain
     the highest operational efficiency for the benefit of
     consumers and producers aline; in order to meet
     effectively the competition from profit-making interests
     and monopolies;

*    Asks organisations, especially of agricultural co-
     operatives, to adjust to the rapid changes occurring in
     other industries and in agriculture itself, so as to
     improve their competitive abilities and strengthen their
     true co-operative character;

*    Recognises that in marketing and processing of
     agricultural produce, there is still an area which allows
     agricultural and consumer co-operative organisations
     enough room to reduce the cost of handling their produce
     and improve their quality for the benefit of both
     producers and consumers;

*    Affirms again the unique value of Co-operation as a group
     of people who unite with equal rights and equal duties
     for their common economic and social advantage presenting
     an ideal for humanity;

*    Acclaims its full agreement with the aims of the United
     Nations and its agencies and welcomes a Resolution now
     adopted by the General Assembly of the UN at its 23rd
     session, in which, recognising the important role of the
     co-operative movement in the development of various
     fields of production and distribution, the General
     Assembly invites member-states to provide increasing help
     to developing countries and requests the UN specialized
     agencies together with the International Co-operative
     Alliance to render increased assistance within their
     possibilities in the realisation of the objectives of the
     Resolution; and

*    Rejoices in the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the
     International Labour Organisation in 1919 and the work of
     the ILO's co-operative service, aiming at an improvement
     in workers' conditions throughout the world by adopting
     co-operation as an instrument of social progress.