ULCCS Recognized as Global Cooperative Cultural Heritage Site by ICA
New Delhi: The Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society (ULCCS) Ltd., a century-old labour cooperative based in Kerala, has been honoured as a Global Cooperative Cultural Heritage Site by the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA). The recognition was announced at a ceremony held at the iconic Itamaraty Palace in Brasília, Brazil.
ULCCS joins a prestigious list of 31 heritage sites from 25 countries featured in the ICA’s inaugural World Map of Cooperative Cultural Heritage Sites. The map, launched alongside the new Cooperative Cultural Heritage Platform, celebrates the enduring legacy of cooperation in shaping culture, education, and livelihoods across generations. ULCCS and the Dr. Verghese Kurien Museum of Amul in Anand, Gujarat, represent India among seven Asian sites included in the global listing.
“Cooperatives are not only enterprises; they are bearers of culture, history, and identity,” said Ariel Guarco, President of ICA. “With this global map, we celebrate cooperation as humanity’s shared heritage, linking people and communities through solidarity and self-help.”
The platform was developed in collaboration with ICA members—the Organisation of Brazilian Cooperatives (OCB) and India’s National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)—and the ICA Global Office. It features landmark sites such as Rochdale (UK), the birthplace of modern cooperation; Monumento ao Cooperativismo (Brazil); Federation of Southern Cooperatives (USA); Moshi Co-operative University (Tanzania); and the ILO Cooperative, Social and Solidarity Economy Unit (Switzerland).
“These sites are living classrooms of solidarity,” said Márcio Lopes de Freitas, President of OCB. “They show that cooperation is both history and horizon—a cultural force that continues to build fairer societies.”
Pankaj Bansal (IAS), Managing Director of NCDC, added, “We are proud to have contributed to the development of this global platform, helping document and showcase the timeless legacy of cooperation for the world to see.”
The ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including Vanderley Tiger, Secretary of Family Farming and Agroecology; Ambassador Maria Laura de Rocha, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Rodrigo Lima, Special Advisor to the Director’s Office at UNESCO
