On Saturday, 4 July, Cera welcomed around 1.000 cooperative members and their families to the Festival of Cooperatives at the historic Citadel of Diest, itself a cooperative initiative. The Festival offered a festive and inspiring day where visitors could discover the stories, products and impact of almost 20 cooperatives in an engaging, inspiring and delicious way.
Every year, cooperatives around the world celebrate the International Day of Cooperatives on the first Saturday of July. At Cera, we firmly believe in the social and economic added value of cooperatives of all types and in all sectors. The festival brought this conviction to life by showcasing the diversity, innovation and resilience of the cooperative model.
Visitors enjoyed local strawberries from Coöperatie Hoogstraten, fair-trade coffee from Alterfin, dairy products from Fairebel and Het Hinkelspel, short-chain food from Kort’om Leuven, and handmade products created in care organizations through 37 Graden and People Made. They also discovered how cooperatives contribute to sustainable agriculture through De Landgenoten, renewable energy through Navitas Energie, financial inclusion through BRS, and accessible healthcare through Multipharma.
A particular attraction was the presence of Orbea, the renowned Spanish bicycle producer and worker cooperative that is part of the Mondragon Corporation, one of the world’s largest cooperative groups. Visitors could explore a range of Orbea bicycles and learn how employee ownership, innovation and long-term thinking go hand in hand within the cooperative model.
The festival highlighted how cooperatives are active in sectors as diverse as food, finance, energy, healthcare, mobility and social inclusion, while sharing a common commitment to democratic participation, long-term value creation and community impact.
By bringing members, families and cooperatives together, the Festival of Cooperatives was a vibrant celebration of the cooperative values of self-help, self-responsibility and self-governance. It demonstrated how cooperative entrepreneurship translates these values into tangible benefits for people and communities, creating resilient local economies, sustainable opportunities and a better future for all.
