“The more knowledge that we have of the achievements of the co-operative movement in the Kurdish regions, the more we can support and learn from our fellow co-operators there and the revolutionary way that they are transforming their economy under very challenging conditions,” says Colm Massey, of the ISE.

Ownership and equality in northern Syria

The ISE aims to support the grassroots movement for a just and sustainable economic system through research, collaboration and taking action to help build on the existing solidarity economy. As a movement, the solidarity economy was born as an alternative to capitalism, with grassroots communities seeking to increase the quality of life for their group or region through not-for-profit efforts. The expression “economia solidária” (solidarity economy) was coined in Brazil in the late 1980s – but the idea has also evolved in name and scope and is frequently referred to as the social and solidarity economy, or the solidarity-based economy.

“The solidarity economy is important because our current mixed economy is failing,” says Mr Massey. “It fails to deliver ecological sustainability. It fails to deliver fairness. It fails to deliver efficiency. The list goes on. We need a new economy that puts people and planet at the centre.”