Cooperatives for a Peaceful World: Building Bridges Through Cooperation
On Saturday, 4 July 2026, cooperatives around the world mark the International Day of Cooperatives under the theme “Cooperatives for a peaceful world.” At first glance, peace may seem like a subject reserved for governments, diplomats, and international institutions. Yet peace is not built only around negotiating tables. It is also built in communities, workplaces, villages, towns, and local economies. It is built wherever people choose dialogue over division, participation over exclusion, and solidarity over indifference. This is where cooperatives have always had an important role to play. The cooperative model is based on a simple but powerful idea: [...]
Coops & Decent Work: Putting People at the centre of the Economy
On International Workers’ Day, the cooperative movement reminds us of something very simple but very important: work is not only about earning a living. It is also about dignity, fairness, security, and having a voice. For many people around the world, decent work is still out of reach. Too many workers continue to face low wages, unsafe conditions, informal employment, and limited access to social protection. At the same time, new pressures, from technological change to climate challenges, are reshaping the world of work and often making existing inequalities worse. Cooperatives: A Proven People-Centred Model Cooperatives offer [...]
MCF Welcomes Landmark Transition of Co-operatives Office to MBR
The Malta Co-operative Federation (MCF) welcomes the recent announcement by the Malta Business Registry (MBR) confirming that, with effect from 13th April 2026, the Office of the Co-operatives has been relocated to the Malta Business Registry. MCF views this development as a positive and important step forward for Malta’s co-operative sector. The transition is expected to enhance efficiency, improve accessibility, and streamline both the registration process for co-operatives as well as ongoing reporting requirements. This move also marks an important step towards further mainstreaming the co-operative business model in Malta; recognising co-operatives not only as community-driven organisations, but also [...]
Call for justice-driven reforms to advance women’s rights
At the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), Ms Xiomara Núñez, speaking on behalf of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) Gender Equality Committee, called on Member States to take stronger action to remove the structural barriers preventing women and girls from fully exercising their rights. Addressing the session’s priority theme, “Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls,” Núñez stressed that access to justice must be understood in a broader sense than courts and formal legal systems alone. She said it also includes women’s ability to claim their economic, social and [...]
Patrick Psaila Leads Session on Leadership Alignment & Cooperative Purpose
Patrick Psaila of PsyPotential led a session at the Co-operative Hub on Friday, 6th March 2026, exploring the importance of discovering and aligning around the “Who, Why and What” of our co-operatives. The session invited participants to reflect on the evolution of cooperation, the importance of shared purpose and values, and the role that clear goals, strategies, and processes play in strengthening collective organisations. Participants also explored the broader benefits of cooperative business models, including democratic ownership, long-term sustainability, community rootedness, and the positive impact of cooperative environments on well-being and team cohesion. During the session, Mr Psaila also [...]
AI and Co-operatives Take Centre Stage at the Coop Hub
On Friday 6th February, the newly inaugurated Coop Hub hosted its first networking event with a timely focus on Artificial Intelligence and its implications for cooperatives. The keynote address was delivered by Alexiei Dingli, a leading authority on AI, who captivated participants with an insightful and thought-provoking presentation. He explored both the transformative potential of AI and the ethical and operational pitfalls organisations must navigate. The well-attended session sparked lively discussion during an engaging Q&A, before members continued conversations over refreshments, strengthening connections and sowing the seeds for new collaborative ventures amongst MCF’s members.