On March 5, 2026, the Cooperative Leadership Forum of the Balkans and Black Sea Region was held in Sofia under the auspices of Consumer Co-operatives Worldwide (CCW) and hosted by Central Cooperative Union, Bulgaria.
The Forum was attended by Dr. Ariel Guarco (President of International Cooperative Alliance, ICA), Attilio Dadda (President of Legacoop Lombardy and member of the Board of the ICA) and 45 leaders from 19 national cooperative organisations from Argentina, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Moldova, North Macedonia, Poland, Russia, Spain, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine and United Kingdom.
Alongside presentations and discussions, delegates also participated in visits to the National Cooperative Museum and other cooperative sites, including a pilot 24/7 autonomous store, cooperative hospital and packaging plants.
Opening the event, Prof. Petar Stefanov (President of Consumer Co-operatives Worldwide and Central Cooperative Union, Bulgaria) highlighted the importance of the Balkan Black Sea Region for economic development and its role as a strategic crossroads between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Delegates participated in a number of panels, including a session on cooperation between cooperatives led by JCCU Japan, Cooperativa Obrera, Argentina and China Co-op, who discussed artificial intelligence and digitalisation in logistics, trade and data management.
Another session focused on the the training and education of the next generation of cooperative managers. Coop Ukraine and the Russian University of Cooperatives (RUC) presented their educational programs, and Rainer Schlüter (European Project Manager and former Director of Cooperatives Europe) presented a concept of European Cooperative Intelligence Centers.
Cooperative tourism as a bridge between cooperatives was the focus of the third panel, in which Gromada and Społem - Poland, CCU - Bulgaria and Coop Cyprus presented their extensive activities and opportunities for cooperation. During the discussion, a proposal was made to restore the activities of the International Association of Cooperative Tourism (ТICA) in order to intensify and consolidate cooperation in the sector.
Joining the event online, Stephen Gill (a Member of the Board of Cooperatives Europe) presented information about the ICA’s CM50 initiative – the Global Leadership Circle comprising 50 CEOs of some of the world’s leading cooperative and mutual businesses. Gill shared the main objectives of the CM50 Contract for a New Global Economy, aimed at strengthening the role of cooperatives in building a fairer global economy.
Closing the event, Prof. Stefanov stressed the need for cooperative leaders to know each other personally, to share thoughts and intentions for cooperation, and called for the adoption of a joint resolution, which was supported by the signature of all participants in the Forum.
They unanimously supported the need for such meetings to be held more often with a view to promoting, expanding and strengthening joint efforts and mutual understanding towards goals based on dialogue, trust and a clear vision for the future of cooperation worldwide.
