On the occasion of International Cooperatives Day 2024, top Barbadian cooperative official Brent Gittens has delivered a stirring call for cross-societal unity and peace, grounded in the core principles of the global cooperative movement. Speaking Sunday at a commemorative service hosted by James Street Methodist Church, Gittens opened his address by pushing back against the common narrow definition of peace, noting that true peace is far more than just the absence of open conflict. Instead, he emphasized, lasting peace is constructed on a foundation of justice, inclusive participation, mutual respect, and active care for the well-being of all community members.
The cooperative model, Gittens argued, is inherently aligned with these building blocks of peace. Rooted in foundational values including self-help, collective accountability, democratic governance, equal standing, equity, and shared solidarity, cooperatives are designed to bring people together to advance shared needs and common aspirations, with an explicit commitment to leaving no member behind. At a moment when deep divisions shape many communities across the globe, Gittens said the cooperative movement offers a tangible, working blueprint for what communities can accomplish when people unite around common goals and shared responsibility for collective outcomes.
Unlike competitive economic models that often prioritize individual gain over community good, Gittens explained that cooperatives nurture peace by embedding a culture of collaboration into their daily operations. They prioritize broad participation over intentional exclusion, and open dialogue over rigid division—two key shifts that help reduce societal friction and build mutual understanding. Beyond their ideological contribution to peace, Gittens highlighted the tangible, on-the-ground impact cooperatives have already made in improving quality of life for people across Barbados.
From financial cooperatives like community credit unions to non-financial enterprises spanning agriculture, transportation, and small business entrepreneurship, these organizations create sustained pathways for economic advancement and social progress, while simultaneously strengthening the social fabric of local communities. “When individuals are given a voice, when communities work together, and when opportunities are shared fairly, the conditions for peace are strengthened,” Gittens told attendees.
In closing his address, Gittens urged all Barbadians to embrace the core values of the cooperative movement, with a specific call out to young people to recognize how collective action can help build a more stable, peaceful future for the entire island. He also extended a public invitation to the upcoming Cooperatives Exhibition and Celebration, scheduled to take place July 18 at the Church Village Green on the grounds of the Central Bank of Barbados. The event will bring together cooperative organizations from every region of the island to showcase their services, products, and community impact to the general public.