In light of the United Nations declaring 2025 as the “International Year of Cooperatives”, an important collaboration has been initiated between our Faculty and the Sakarya Provincial Directorate of Trade. Within this framework, we will academically examine the role of cooperatives in economic and social development and share the results with policymakers and decision-makers in Sakarya.

Our first meeting took place on Monday, February 3, 2025, at the Sakarya Provincial Directorate of Trade. Representing our Faculty were Dean Prof. Dr. Sinan Esen, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Metin Saygılı, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zafer Adıgüzel. Representing the Provincial Directorate of Trade were Director Emre Atmaca and the relevant unit managers. During the discussions, topics such as the contribution of cooperatives to sustainable development goals, their role in the entrepreneurship ecosystem, and their impact on public policies were addressed. Throughout 2025, academic research will be conducted to strengthen cooperatives in Sakarya and support economic sustainability.

The theme of the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives has been determined as “Cooperatives Build a Better World”. This theme highlights the cooperative model’s capacity to provide solutions to global economic and social challenges and its critical role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to the roadmap announced at the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) Global Cooperative Conference held in New Delhi, various activities will be carried out worldwide to promote cooperatives, strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and support sustainable business models. In Turkey, broad initiatives will be conducted throughout the year under the leadership of the Ministry of Trade, with contributions from the Ministries of Environment and Urbanization, Family and Social Services, and Agriculture and Forestry.