Leadership Forum of the Balkans & Black Sea Region

2026: Cooperatives with a Common Vision for Partnership

On March 5, 2026, the Cooperative Leadership Forum of the Balkans and Black Sea Region was held in Sofia under the auspices of Consumer Co-operatives Worldwide (CCW) and hosted by Central Cooperative Union, Bulgaria.

The Forum was distinguished by the attendance of Dr. Ariel Guarco - President of International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), Attilio Dadda - President of Legacoop Lombardy and member of the Board of the ICA and 45 leaders from 19 national cooperative organizations from Argentina, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Moldova, North Macedonia, Poland, Russia, Spain, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine and United Kingdom.

Prof. Petar Stefanov – President of Consumer Co-operatives Worldwide (CCW) and Central Cooperative Union, Bulgaria opened the Forum and welcomed the participants. In his introeductory remarks, Prof. Stefanov emphasized the importance of the Balkan Black Sea Region for economic development and its becoming a strategic crossroads between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

At the beginning of the Forum, all participants had the opportunity to present their organizations and activities, after which they moved on to thematic panels.

The first panel focused on  cooperation between cooperatives. JCCU Japan, Cooperativa Obrera, Argentina and China Co-op presented the application of artificial intelligence and digitalization in logistics, trade and data management.

The second panel was dedicated to  the training and education  of the new generation of cooperative managers. Coop Ukraine and the Russian University of Cooperatives (RUC) presented their educational programs, and Rainer Schlüter – European Project Manager and former Director of Cooperative Europe (2006 – 2010) presented a concept of European Cooperative Intelligence Centers.

Cooperative tourism as a bridge between cooperatives was the focus of the third panel, in which Gromada and Społem - Poland, CCU - Bulgaria and Coop Cyprus presented their extensive activities and opportunities for cooperation.

In the course of the discussion, a proposal was made to restore the activities of the International Association of Cooperative Tourism (ТICA) in order to intensify and consolidate cooperation with the field of cooperative tourism.

Through remote connection Stephen Gill – Member of the Board of Cooperative Europe  presented the CM50 initiative – the Global Leadership Circle of the 50 leading cooperatives and mutuals, among the founders of which is Prof. Petar Stefanov – President of CCU-Bulgaria. The participants of the Forum were also introduced to the main objectives of the  CM50 Contract for a New Global Economy, aimed at strengthening the role of cooperatives in building a fairer global economy.

Adoption of a resolution

In his concluding speech, Prof. Petar Stefanov stressed the need for cooperative leaders to know each other personally, to share thoughts and intentions for cooperation, and called for the adoption of a joint resolution, which was supported by the signature of all participants in the Forum.

Visits to the National Cooperative Museum and Cooperative Sites

After the Forum’s conclusion, participants had the opportunity to visit the renovated National Cooperative Museum and also the pilot project of the automated store COOP 24/7, the workshop for handmade chocolate products – ChocoCoop and the healthy food store - BIO SHOP COOP.

A strong interest was evoked by the visits on the next day to the cooperative hospital "SBR Health" in Bankya and to the cooperative enterprises for bottling mineral water "Bulminvex" Gorna Bania and for packaging of herbal tea "Bilkocoop", where all colleagues got acquainted with the diverse economic activities of CCU-Bulgaria.

Strengthening international relations

The participants in the Forum unanimously supported the need for these meetings to be held more often with a view to promoting, expanding and strengthening joint efforts and mutual understanding towards goals based on dialogue, trust and a clear vision for the future of cooperatives both in the Balkans and the Black Sea Region and in the world.