On November 14, the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) unveiled the Cooperative Cultural Heritage Platform and the first World Map of sites in Brazil.
The platform features 31 founding heritage sites across the world from across 25 countries, including Singapore.
These sites include the birthplace of the global co-operative movement in Rochdale, United Kingdom (UK); India’s esteemed Amul Dairy Cooperative and Verghese Kurien Museum; United States of America’s (USA) Federation of Southern Cooperatives, to name a few. The list was put together by ICA Members the Organisation of Brazilian Cooperatives (OCB) and the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) of India, through close collaboration with the ICA Global Office.
Recognising the historical significance and cultural impact behind co-operatives, President of the ICA Ariel Guarco said: “With this global map, we celebrate cooperation as humanity’s shared heritage, linking people and communities through solidarity and self-help.”
Roads with Co-op Values in Singapore
Singapore’s contribution is Rochdale Road, a historic lane in the Hougang-Paya Lebar estate. Borrowing its name from Rochdale in the UK, the road fronts what was once known as the Government Co-operative Housing Estate, a pioneering development built for civil servants in the mid-twentieth century.
According to the archives, the project was spearheaded by the Singapore Government Officers’ Housing Co-operative Society, later renamed the Government Servants’ Housing Co-operative Society, one of the earliest co-operative housing ventures in Asia.
While much of the residential units have been modernised, the road’s name preserves a symbolic link between Singapore and the birthplace of the global co-operative movement. The site underscores Singapore’s longstanding, if often overlooked, connection to the historical spread of co-operative principles across continents.
This recognition also situates Singapore within a broader narrative of how co-operative heritage is found not only in institutions and enterprises but also in street names, worker settlements, and lived environments shaped by mutual aid.
Adjacent to the Rochdale Road is Thrift Drive, which nods to the co-operative spirit of prudent saving. Also nearby is the Kadayanallur Street which honours the South Indian community that later founded the Singapore Kadayanallur Muslim Co-operative Thrift & Loan Society in 1948.
What to Expect Next Year?
Looking ahead, the ICA is developing an Intangible Cooperative Heritage List, planned for release in 2026. It will spotlight the oral traditions and cultural practices that reflect co-operative ideals, complementing the world map of historic sites with a focus on living heritage.
2025 has been a momentous year for the global co-operative movement. It marks the second International Year of Co-operatives which saw countries around the world celebrating the storied principles of self-help and mutual assistance in their own right.
The ICA and the United Nations are in talks of commemorating the International Year of Co-operatives every decade. If the motion is passed, it will renew international attention on how co-operatives strengthen communities and give member-led enterprises a regular moment on the world stage.
By Sng Ler Jun
