THE FOUNDATION OF INTERNATIONAL CO-OPEARTIVE ALLIANCE
In the year 1895 Co-operators started feeling to band themselves together and set up an internationa Co-operative movement.On 18th August , 1895 the ICA was founded inthe first International Co-operative Congress held in London.This Congress was attended by the Co-operators from England , Argentina,Australia ,Belgium Denmark,France , Germany , Hungary , India , Italy , Netherlands , Russia , and the USA.ICA had its first head office in London.Later , it was shifted to Geneva , Switzerland.The stated objective of the ICA was to promote co-operation , to exchange information on Co-operatives an to define and develop the Co-operative principles.
During the first decade of 20th Century Co-operatives started growing faster.Many countries adopted Co-operative Act to popularize the idea.
In 1922 , world cooperative leaders decided to organise “Co-operators Day”, which was first celebrated in July 1923.Since then , on the first Saturday of July every year “International Co-Operative Day” has been celebrated throughout the world.
In 1925 , International Co-operative flag was finalized and “Rainbow” was adopted as the official symbol of the international Co-operative Movement. In 1937 , the Paris Congress of ICA recognized the Seven Principles of “Rochdale Pioneers Society ” as International Co-operative Principles.They are
(1) Self – help
(2) Self – Responsibility
(3) Democracy
(4) Equality
(5) Justice
(6) Unity and
(7) Honesty.
In Vienna Congres (1966) these were reformulated and in 1995 the seven co-operative principles were restated.
The ICA is one of the very few international organizations to survive both the world wars.Overcoming all the political differences amongst its members were not easy.But the ICA survived by staying committed to peace , democracy and by remaining politically neutral.
Today , ICA has affiliates in 110 countries , 251 National and 4 International level organizations as members serving over 800 Million individual members worldwide.
In India , the process of forming co-operatives started in Punjab , Uttar Pradesh , Bengal, Madras and Bombay as “Mutual Credit Societies” even before the Co-operative Credit Societies Act, 1904 was enacted. But , that is a a separate story.