Due to the United Nations declaring 2025 as the “International Year of Cooperatives,” an important cooperation has been initiated between our Faculty and the Sakarya Provincial Directorate of Trade. Within this scope, 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 was held 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 Directorate of Trade were Provincial Director Emre Atmaca and the relevant unit managers. During the meeting, topics such as the contribution of cooperatives to the Sustainable Development Goals, their role in the entrepreneurship ecosystem, and their impact on public policies were discussed. Through academic studies to be carried out throughout 2025, it is aimed 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 capacity of the cooperative model to provide solutions to global economic and social problems 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 events will be organized worldwide to promote cooperatives, strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and support sustainable business models. In Türkiye, throughout the year, comprehensive activities will be carried out under the leadership of the Ministry of Trade, with contributions from the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, the Ministry of Family and Social Services, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.