Events

International years are declared by the United Nations to draw attention to and encourage action on major issues. The International Year of Cooperatives is intended to raise public awareness of the invaluable contributions of cooperative enterprises to poverty reduction, employment generation and social integration. The Year will also highlight the strengths of the cooperative business model as an alternative means of doing business and furthering socioeconomic development.

The UN General Assembly declared 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC2025) to be celebrated under the theme "Cooperatives Build a Better World."

The theme highlights the lasting global impact of cooperatives and emphasizes that the cooperative model is a crucial solution for addressing various global challenges. Additionally, it underscores the significant role cooperatives play in advancing the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

"The decision by the General Assembly could not be timelier. The innovative contributions of cooperatives for sustainable development will be crucial for accelerating progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals as we approach 2030," said Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. "The second International Year of Cooperatives will be an opportunity to mobilize all stakeholders to support and expand cooperatives everywhere, strengthening their contributions for a better world."

Paul Sukenik of Madison South Rotary is Vice-President of Community Services for Habitat for Humanity of Dane County.

Bill will speak on Team Rubicon Volunteers for Disaster Relief.

Team Rubicon is a veteran-led humanitarian organization that serves global communities before, during, and after disasters and crises.

Founded following the Haiti earthquake in 2010, the organization has grown to more than 160,000 volunteers across the United States and has launched over 1,100 operations domestically and internationally.

To drive equity across disaster and humanitarian services, Team Rubicon focuses on three areas of impact: Disaster Response, from mitigation to immediate response and recovery; Rebuild, to maintain the fabric of communities through resilient building methods; and International, providing emergent and surge medical services, WASH, and disaster risk reduction.

Eric Toensmeier is an award-winning author, whose books include Paradise Lot,  Perennial Vegetables,  The Carbon Farming Solution, Trees with Edible Leaves, and Edible Forest Gardens (with Dave Jacke). He ran a seed company, managed an urban farm, served as an appointed lecturer at Yale University, and was part of the team behind the NY Times bestselling book  Drawdown. Eric has also published a number of peer-reviewed science articles. He has been passionate about perennial crops and agroforestry since 1990. Since 2009 he has focused on climate change mitigation in the food system. Eric’s consulting clients range from individual farms to NGOs to states and provinces. His new farm in Southampton, MA, USA demonstrates farm-scale agroforestry and ecological home-scale edible landscaping.

This is a pre-recorded presentation provided by the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group - ESRAG, whom we have our pollinator pledge with.

MOSA Certified Organic, of Viroqua,  is the second-largest organic certifier in the United States, and the largest certifier of livestock and dairy. They currently certify nearly 2000 clients in 20 states, including nearly 300 organic processors, distributors, retailers and restaurants. MOSA began in 1999 before the National Organic Standards were yet developed and MOSA, like certifiers across the country, used their own set of standards to determine organic qualifications. The National Organic Standards were implemented in 2002, and MOSA was among the very first USDA accredited agencies.  Liz lives in Columbus and works for MOSA.

Sharon will share her experiences on walking this pilgramage.  There are seven different foutes, Sharon will talk about the French Way.