Call for Peace Open Letter from Euro Coop President

Brussels, 25 February 2022 

Dear co-operators,

The European consumer co-operatives are very concerned about developments in eastern Ukraine and hope that a way can be found to stop the war and resolve this crisis through diplomacy.

Co-operatives and the way they work stand for peaceful coexistence, for co-operation, as explicitly stated by the General Assembly of the International Co-operative Alliance yet again in Kigali in 2019. Peace is an essential prerequisite for productive coexistence.1

Co-operatives, and consumer co-operatives, in particular, put individuals and their needs at the forefront of their activities. Consumer co-operatives connect people, regardless of origin, religion, gender or nationality. As a neutral non-governmental organisation, we are particularly concerned about the people who are threatened by further escalation. Life, health, property, the supply of essential goods is acutely threatened. Warlike conflicts always have a considerable impact on the civilian population, so war must be avoided.

As an organisation representing both the Ukrainian and Russian consumer co-operative movements, we call on all leaders not to slacken in their efforts to return to diplomacy.

Co-operatively,

Mathias Fiedler

President 

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1 https://www.ica.coop/en/media/library/ica-declaration-positive-peace-through-cooperatives