Por Pablo Arranz 
UCOMUR and UCOERM celebrated World Cooperative Day in a gala organized on Thursday at the Teatro Romea in Murcia, where the impact of cooperatives in the region was visible. The event also included the traditional awards given by both entities to recognize the trajectory and work in favor of the cooperative model by individuals, companies, entities, and institutions.
The event also served as a platform for the announcement of 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives in Spain, with the presence and intervention of the Secretary of State for Social Economy, Amparo Merino; the President of the Region of Murcia, Fernando López Miras; the Mayor of Murcia, José Ballesta; and the President of the International Cooperative Alliance (ACI), Ariel Guarco.
The official launch of this commemoration was marked by signing an agreement between the organizations to «reaffirm the commitment and collaboration in favor of growing and consolidating the cooperative model as a democratic, inclusive, sustainable, and future-oriented model,» according to information from Ucomur sources in a press release. The Gala brought together over 1,000 participants including representatives from cooperative authorities, political figures, institutions, and prominent individuals in the social and economic fields, as well as social economy entities nationwide.
A model of growth
During his speech, the President of UCOEMUR and UCOERM highlighted that «over four decades, the cooperative movement in our region has continuously increased to nearly 90,000 jobs and a turnover exceeding 4.5 billion euros.» Pedreño emphasized that cooperative societies are businesses «where democracy and the social well-being of individuals prevail; an economic model that has not only proven to be competitive and innovative, steadily growing in our region, but also addresses social and territorial crises, contributing to a more equitable distribution of wealth and building more cohesive societies that promote equal opportunities for all.»
In this regard, the Presidents of UCOEMUR and UCOERM emphasized «the importance of a model that exists in over 120 countries and led the United Nations, for the second time, to dedicate a year to celebrate cooperatives for all they are and contribute under the slogan «Cooperatives build a better world.»
Mayor of Murcia, José Ballesta, was responsible for opening the event, mentioning that «this year 2025 marks the International Year of Cooperatives, and our city has been named the Spanish capital of social economy, a title our land has always held.» Following the opening remarks, the President of UCOMUR presented Ballesta with a commemorative plaque in recognition of the city’s twelve centuries of history and the collaboration between consumers and the organization to promote business creation and quality employment within the municipality.
UCOMUR and UCOERM Awards
World Cooperative Day highlighted the efforts and contributions in support of the cooperative model by companies, entities, individuals, and institutions through their traditional awards. The first prize was awarded to the educational cooperatives Jaime Balmes, Juan Ramón Jiménez, and Miguel de Cervantes, «for their work towards quality, close, and innovative education and for promoting the cooperative teaching model, a lever for a fairer and more egalitarian society.» The second prize went to the cooperative Correos, «the only courier cooperative in Spain and an example of commitment and professionalism in their sector.» Map Estudio Cooperativo, a newly established creative agency, was the third winner, «acknowledging the entrepreneurial spirit and talent of the four young partners.»
On this occasion, the Cooperative of the Year award was presented to Isabel María Morales López, a founding member of Cooperativa Lima, «for the steadfast dedication and cooperative commitment demonstrated since the beginning of her journey at just 23 years old.»
Presentation of the International Cooperative Year
The final award of the evening was bestowed upon the International Cooperative Alliance. Founded in 1895, ACI is one of the oldest non-governmental organizations and one of the largest entities representing 1 billion cooperatives worldwide. This award was presented by the President of the Region of Murcia, Fernando López Miras, and the President of ACI, Ariel Guarco, who emphasized in his speech that «cooperatives are the most suitable model to achieve sustainable development goals; cooperatives are a social responsibility for business.»
The President of ACI also highlighted the global significance of the cooperative model, with over 200 million cooperatives worldwide, representing more than 3 million cooperative members globally and nearly 12% of the Global GDP. «We are not a marginal economy; we are a strong, solid, developed, and diversified economy,» he added.
President Cofta, Luis Miguel Jurado; Director of CEPES, Carmen Comos; Director of Uuecoe, Concepción Castarlen; Regional Director of Cajamar, Mónica Sánchez; Vice President of Concoval, Ramón Rodríguez; a representative of Referencia, Luigi Caranci; and Conovi Vice-President 2, Francisco Pérez Caballero, signed a manifesto to reaffirm their commitment to promoting the cooperative as a model for sustainable and inclusive development.
Murcia, the Spanish capital of social economy
The Secretary of State for Social Economy, Amparo Merino, concluded the event by stating that «this initiative is a clear demonstration of support from the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy and this Secretary of State for Social Economy, convinced of its transformative potential for individuals in vulnerable situations and, at the same time, for the economic and productive development of the country.» Finally, as a closing remark, the President of the Region of Murcia, Fernando López Miras, praised Spain’s recognition as a result of the efforts of cooperatives and the regional government’s commitment to this business model based on sustainability, stability, and quality.
Additionally, the President announced that on February 22nd, the Pact VI for the social economy 2025-2028 will be signed to further strengthen cooperatives in the Region of Murcia and ensure their growth in the coming years. «The cooperative is present and future. In the Region of Murcia, we believe in this model, we lead it, and we will continue to defend it as a key pillar of our economy,» he said. As a final touch, the participants enjoyed a musical performance by the Grupo Los Musicales.