Québec 2012 - Presentation

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PRESENTATION

The first international meeting of funeral cooperatives and mutual enterprises will be a global first. It will in fact be the first time that all cooperators, mutualists and persons voluntarily offering funeral services for families affected by the loss of a loved one will be gathering to discuss the major issues associated with death and bereavement.

Worldwide, funeral cooperatives and mutuals include:

The leading funeral organization in Great Britain, with over 125,000 deaths per year
An economic force in Colombia, with over a million members
A significant presence in Sweden, with 25,000 deaths per year
A vast network of organizations in South Africa
The principal funeral organization in Quebec (Canada)
A presence in Asia, Costa Rica and other countries
Millions of dollars in savings every year for families that have used these services
Education and self-help services to assist families in their personal initiatives

The first international meeting of funeral cooperatives and mutual enterprises will be a global first. It will in fact be the first time that all cooperators, mutualists and persons voluntarily offering funeral services for families affected by the loss of a loved one will be gathering to discuss the major issues associated with death and bereavement.

This First International Meeting will make it possible, in particular, to:

Discover the importance of cooperatives and mutual associations in the funeral sector all across the planet.
Compile a profile of the different issues affecting the funeral sector and the options offered by the cooperative and mutualist movement to respond to them.
Establish a worldwide network of funeral cooperatives and mutual enterprises so that this industry can be given a voice.
Obtain recognition by governments, agencies and cooperative associations of the place and importance of funeral cooperatives and mutuals.
Share tools for marketing, recruitment, training, education, financing and democratic management.
Allow for productive interchange among global leaders in the funeral cooperative and mutualist world.
Provide participants with a showcase for presenting and promoting their organization.
Facilitate networking between different cooperatives and mutual associations working in the same industry.

This First International Meeting will bring together:

Presidents, chief executive officers, members of boards of directors and employees of cooperatives, mutual enterprises and non-profit organizations working in the funeral sector all over the world.
Academics and researchers interested in the cooperative movement and the funeral sector.
Representatives of other cooperative sectors interested in the development of the funeral sector.
Representatives of national and international media.
Representatives of various Canadian suppliers offering goods and services in the funeral sector.

As part of this First International Meeting, there will be:

World-famous speakers talking about subjects of importance to cooperatives and mutuals.
A portrait of the cooperatives and mutual enterprises working in the funeral sector around the world.
Panels, workshops and plenary sessions addressing issues and challenges.
Exhibitors presenting goods and services in the funeral and cooperative sector.