Robert Owen's 250th anniversary celebration

This year marks Robert Owen’s 250th birthday. The anniversary celebrates his ‘bankful of ideas’ about alternative ways of organising society from pre-school play to the co-operative movement. As opposed to competition, his central purpose was to support democracy, self-government and co-operative advance through ‘voluntary association’, with education seen as the primary driver of social change.

‘Voluntary association’ was based upon the common interest and the public good being able to deliver “goods for members/associates now, rather than everything for everyone but ... after the next election, after the revolution, in the afterlife.” (Stephen Yeo).

Owen’s work led to co-operatives, mutuals, trade unions, building and friendly societies. These developments have had global reach as recognised in the 2012 UN International Year of Co-operatives.

In support of achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and co-operative principles: Co-ops & Mutuals Wales invites you to two virtual events to be held on Friday 14th May 2021 – Owen’s anniversary and Saturday 3rd July 2021 – International Co-operators Day.

The event aims to

• Renew and re-emphasise Owen's themes of mutuality, active citizenship

• Ensure that Owen’s influence is taken account of in publicly funded education

• Promote an annual Robert Owen Day.

The Zoom activities include:

• School children interviewing the Welsh First Minister, Mark Drakeford
• ‘Telling co-operative video stories of collective action’ from around the world
• A special presentation from Central England Co-operative Society Ltd & Professor Chris Williams, joint editor of ‘Robert Owen and his Legacy’.