On October 17, 2024, credit union members around the world are celebrating International Credit Union Day®, an annual event to commemorate the credit union movement’s impact and achievements. This year marks the 76th anniversary of this annual event, which is being celebrated under the theme of “One World Through Cooperative Finance”.
Credit unions are not-for-profit financial cooperatives that provide an effective and viable alternative to for-profit financial institutions for more than 403 million members in 98 countries worldwide. More than 82,000 credit unions exist globally, providing a plethora of financial services for their members, recognised as a force for positive economic and social change.
Since 1948, International Credit Union Day® has been celebrated annually on the third Thursday of October. Each year, the international event affords the opportunity to remember credit unions’ proud history and promote awareness of and support for the credit union and financial cooperative difference.
There are still 1.4 billion people across the globe who are unbanked. Credit unions truly have the perfect business model to serve underserved populations and that is a message we hope the entire global movement will celebrate and promote on Thursday, October 17.
Speaking about the importance of recognising this day, Deborah Levy, Head of Business Development at Sercle commented, “On International Credit Union Day, we celebrate the vital role credit unions play in our communities. They are champions of ethical lending, financial inclusion, and education, making affordable financial services accessible to everyone, not just the underserved. At Sercle, we are proud to be part of this movement, and we invite everyone to recognise and support the invaluable contributions credit unions make to the financial sector.”
International Credit Union Day is organised by World Council of Credit Unions, the global trade association and development platform for credit unions and other financial cooperatives, as well as numerous national credit union trade associations and federations worldwide.
Today, credit unions from around the world will join forces to celebrate the day with membership drives, contests, and fundraisers to help their local communities. Credit unions will share their activities with the global community on social media using #ICUDay2024.