It's Co-op Week in Canada. From October 14-20 co-operators across the country can celebrate the strength and diversity of the co-operative movement while raising awareness about Canada's 9,000 co-operative organizations!

The theme for Co-op Week 2012 is Co-operative Enterprises Build a Better World, in honour of the International Year of Co-operatives.

What is Co-op Week?

Co-op Week is celebrated during the same week as International Credit Union Day, which is the third Thursday in October of each year. It gives the opportunity for Canadian co-operative and credit union members to celebrate the fact that they have collectively helped to build this country and to recognize their continuing contributions at home and abroad. 

To celebrate Co-op Week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper sent his greetings to co-operators across the country. In a statement about Co-op Week, he writes that co-ops are a "model of excellence" that encourage leadership & self-reliance and helped Canada withstand the economic crisis.

"Canada's co-operatives play an important role in our nation's economic prosperity. The health of our co-operative enterprises has been a critical factor in helping Canada weather the global economic crisis and emerge relatively unscathed," he said.

"I commend the Canadian co-operative movement for its commitment to advancing the financial well-being of its members while giving back to the community."

Click here to view the full message.

Since the United Nations announced that Co-operative Enterprises Build a Better World would be the theme of the International Year of Co-operatives, it has appeared on countless banners, buttons, T-shirts and posters, including the poster for Co-op Week 2011.

But did you ever wonder why co-operative enterprises build a better world? In honour of the International Year, Co-op Week 2012 celebrates 12 reasons why co-ops and credit unions make communities, Canada and the world as a whole a better place. Thousands of Co-op Week posters and leaflets were shipped across Canada last month to help spread the word.

If you missed the chance to order your Co-op Week materials, we've got another fun way for you to participate. Stay tuned to the Co-operatives in Canada Facebook Page and the @CoopsCanada Twitter feed for stories that highlight each of the 12 reasons all week.

Learn what the 12 reasons are to get started:

1. Co-operatives are DEMOCRATIC organizations owned and controlled by their members on the basis of one member, one vote. 
2. Co-operatives are VALUES-DRIVEN enterprises that are guided by seven internationally-recognized principles.
3. Co-operatives have SOCIAL as well as ECONOMIC  objectives and put people before profits.
4. Co-operatives are more DURABLE than other types of businesses; research has shown that new co-ops are more likely to remain in business than other new enterprises and are more resilient in economic downturns.
5. Co-operatives are part of a dynamic GLOBAL MOVEMENT with more than a billion individual members around the world.
6. Co-operatives are ROOTED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES; the jobs and wealth they create remain in the communities in which they are located.
7. Co-operatives EMPOWER people to take control of their own economic lives and futures.
8. Co-operatives respect the ENVIRONMENT and are recognized as leaders in environmental sustainability.
9. Co-operatives are the businesses of choice for MILLIONS OF CANADIANS.
10. Co-operatives can be found EVERYWHERE: in small villages and big cities; in every region of Canada and most of the world's countries.  They exist in virtually every sector of the economy, from retail and financial services to agriculture, housing and health care.
11. Co-operatives CO-OPERATE with each other, working together at the local, provincial national and international levels. Canadian co-operatives are actively involved in assisting co-operative partners in developing countries.
12. By proclaiming 2012 the INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF CO-OPERATIVES, the United Nations has recognized the important role co-ops play in the social and economic development of communities worldwide.

The Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada's (CDF) Build a Better World Campaign moved one step closer to its goal of $12 million thanks to Coast Capital Savings Credit Union.

Coast Capital Savings has committed $75,000 over the next three years.

"Coast Capital Savings believes in being a responsible corporate citizen and works hard to support growth and investment," said Wendy Lachance, director of community leadership for Coast Capital Savings.

"The International Year of Co-operatives seemed like a good time to expand that support, and the Build a Better World Campaign offered the perfect opportunity. We encourage other credit unions to make a significant commitment to this campaign."

The CDF Build a Better World Campaign was launched in March 2012 with the goal of raising $12 million for international co-operative development over four years.

Click here for more information.

Co-operatives United, the global closing event for the International Year of Co-operatives, is just two weeks away.

With one world premiere, three exhibitions, 10 conferences, 45 countries, 150 workshops, 200 exhibitors and 10,000 people, there will be much to explore during the five-day festival and world expo.

Here's a look at some of the highlights:

• The ICAEXPO trade exhibition with nearly one hundred co-operatives from 50 countries
• A line up of international co-operative speakers, including Kristen Christian, the founder of Bank Transfer Day.
• Over 40 co-operative tours
• Ten conferences, including the ICA General Assembly,  Co-operative Congress 2012, Fair Trade Conference, Gender Forum and the Co-operative Practitioners' Forum
• Premiere of the new Rochdale Pioneers film
• A fringe festival packed with films, food, theatre, music, fireworks, art and competitions
• An international dinner for 800-900 global leaders and presentation of the Co-operative Awards 2012
• An interactive Co-operative Living exhibition
• A virtual Co-operatives United for those who can't make it to Manchester
• An after party on November 1

For more information, visit manchester2012.coop.

If residents of the Halifax/Dartmouth area are not aware of co-operatives or the International Year, they certainly will be after October 15.

That's when the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council erected 12 IYC flags on the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge, which links downtown Halifax with downtown Dartmouth and is used by thousands of commuters every day.

That is just one of the many Co-op Week activities happening in Canada this week. Here is a list of some other events:

British Columbia

• British Columbia Co-operative Association luncheon in Vancouver on October 19, with NDP Opposition Leader Adrian Dix.

• The launch of the Alberta Community and Co-operative Association's 30 Day Co-op Challenge on October 15. 
• Medicine Hat BBQ Week, three barbecues hosted by UFA, The Co-operators, Red Hat Co-operative Ltd. and Servus Credit Union.
• Stony Plain co-op mural unveiling on October 19.

• A flag raising at the Saskatchewan legislature in Regina on October 15, organized by the Saskatchewan Co-operative Association.
• A Co-op Week luncheon with author Harold Chapman on October 17.

• The Manitoba Cooperative Association's annual awards dinner in Winnipeg on October 16.

• The  Ontario Co-operative Association's Eastern Ontario conference in Kingston on October 15.
• A Co-op Week wine and cheese party at Your Credit Union in Ottawa on October 18 and a curling "Funspiel" on October 20.
• The Niagara Co-op Expo, in Saint Catharines on October 13.

• Desjardins Group's Entrepreneur Awards gala, which will take place in Montreal on October 16.

• Art showcases in six locations across New Brunswick highlighting projects from the Co-op Youth Story Showcase, organized by the Co-operative Enterprise Council of New Brunswick.

• The Atlantic Dream Festival, a major Halifax trade show presented on October 15-17 by the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council and Atlantic Central. Guest speakers for the event include well-known actor Michael J. Fox, television personality Debbie Travis, entrepreneur Bruce Croxon (featured on CBC's Dragon's Den) and Connie Podesta, an international motivational speaker.

• The launch of a new Prince Edward Island Co-operative Council video about co-ops in that province.

• International Credit Union Day activities in credit unions across Canada on October 18.  

CCA will be posting Co-op Week stories and photos on its Facebook page and Twitter feed during the week. Go to facebook.com/CoopsInCanada and twitter.com/CoopsCanada. 

Please send your Co-op Week photos to iyc2012@coopscanada.coop so they can be shared in the IYC multimedia gallery.

If you're tweeting about a Co-op Week activity or event, use the hashtag #coopweek2012 to make it easy to search for Co-op Week stories.

If you're wondering what key messages were taken from the Image 2012 International Conference on Co-operative Economics and the 2012 International Summit of Cooperatives earlier this month, you can find the answer in an upcoming webinar.

Key take home messages: Imagine 2012 Conference on Co-operative Economics and the International Summit of Cooperatives will be hosted by the Measuring the Co-operative Difference Research Network on October 24, from 12 noon to 1pm EDT.

The webinar will present highlights, key messages, lessons and findings from Dr. Sonja Novkovic, an economics professor at Saint Mary's University.

Click here to register now.

You can also read about some of the key sessions at the Summit in CCA's blog. Go to ccaatthesummit.wordpress.com.

The Manitoba Cooperative Association (MCA) recently launched a new photo contest to promote the International Year.

Post a picture of yourself with the IYC logo on the MCA Facebook page and you could win an iPad. The five photos with the most Likes will be entered into the finals.

You can be as creative as you like when snapping your photos. You can even make your own IYC logo! The only guideline is to show how much you love co-ops.

After you post your photo to MCA's Facebook page, you will need to fill out a release form. A panel of judges will decide who wins based on creativity, photo quality and clarity (how clearly you demonstrate the IYC connection).

The deadline for the contest is December 12 (12/12/12). The winner will be announced in January.

Click here to view some of the entries so far.

The Alberta Community and Co-operative Association's (ACCA) 30 Day Co-op Challenge starts October 15 and ends on November 13 to coincide with the Gathering of Alberta Co-operatives conference in Red Deer.

The goal of the contest is to have people gain more knowledge about their local co-operatives and the values and principles that shape the larger co-op movement.

Axiom News recently interviewed the creator of the 30 day challenge about his hope of generating more co-op awareness and knowledge.

Click here to read the interview with ACCA's Seth Leon.

Five Alberta co-ops are marking the International Year with the creation of a co-op mural in Stony Plain.

The free-standing mural will depict the past, present and future of the community's local co-ops. The illuminated mural will consist of three panels measuring 480 square feet.

North Central Co-operative Association Ltd., West Parkland Gas Co-op Ltd., Stony Plain Seeding Cleaning Association Ltd., The Co-operators and Servus Credit Union are partners in the project.

Click here to learn more.

As a special initiative for the International Year, four young leaders were asked to speak at GROWMARK's annual general meeting in Chicago.  

Each of the speakers was given specific IYC topics to focus on, including sustainability, youth development, co-operative resources and community impact.

Click here for more information.

The co-operative spirit was alive and well in Wetaskiwin, AB during a September 15 fundraiser barbecue hosted by six local co-operatives in honour of the International Year.

The Wetaskiwin Credit Union, Wetaskiwin Co-op, The Co-operators, the United Farmers of Alberta, the West Wetaskiwin Rural Electrification Association (REA) and the Battle River REA all came together during the Wetaskiwin Arts and Ag Festival to raise funds for the Mango Advancement Project, which will ensure students in Malawi have a healthy lunch when they attend school.

Click here to read more.

The Alberta Community and Co-operative Association (ACCA) has been spearheading a new approach to communications since April.

It partnered with Axiom News to write and share stories about Alberta co-operatives. Each week, two news stories are written and posted to the ACCA website and distributed through its social networks.

Sarah Arthurs, the IYC coordinator for Alberta, recently sat down with Axiom News to share her views on the story-sharing program and how it has helped spread the word about IYC and co-operatives.

Click here to read the interview.