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A moment to cherish

When the sixth Cooperative Congress was inaugurated on the Marine Drive here on Friday, it was a moment to cherish for a team of 300 volunteers from the cooperative sector, especially in the Ernakulam district, who had worked day and night for more than three months to prepare for the event.

It is the result of collective work in which everyone worked as a team in the true spirit of the cooperative movement, said M.M. Monaye, president of the Ernakulam District Cooperative Bank and convener of the organising committee.

The inauguration took place in a 24,000 sq. ft. ‘pandal’ that was decorated with multi-coloured balloons and Cooperative Congress flags. The ‘pandal’ space included a large area for serving food to the nearly 3,000 delegates who are participating in various sessions and discussions over the next two days.

Marked for its simplicity and matter-of-fact approach, the inaugural session was a lesson in cooperation. There was no distinguishing the political divide when speakers stood up to address issues related to the development of the cooperative movement in the State.

Simon Cox of Cooperative Group in the U.K. delivered the inaugural address. He was followed by leaders from both the political fronts in the State, including Minister for Cooperation G. Sudhakaran and Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy.

Felicitations followed as volunteers served snacks and tea in paper cups this time for a change, to keep the delegates up to the serious business on the stage.

A media cell equipped with fax, computers and Internet connection, medical counters with doctors in attendance and volunteers to provide information and to guide the delegates are all part of the facilities at the venue.

K.A. Martin

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