International Reception Includes Canadian CU Leadership

l-r: Arthur Arnold, WOCCU; L.R. (Bobby) McVeigh, WOCCU board chairman and Jack Smit, CUCC board chairman

Washington, DC—World Council of Credit Unions, Inc (WOCCU) and the CUNA World Leadership Development Committee hosted close to 300 United States credit union leaders at a embassy reception to raise money for international credit union development. Top Canadian credit union leaders were also in attendance at the international reception. Jack Smit, board chairman, Canadian Credit Union Central (CUCC) and Joanne Delaurentiis, president and CEO, CUCC explained that they were proud to be able to support their delegate, McVeigh and the World Council at the international reception held at Canadian Embassy and on Canadian soil.

The evening was opened by Ronald T. McMorran, Counselor, Embassy of Canada who gave the welcoming remarks. Other special program speakers will include WOCCU Board chairman, L.R. (Bobby) McVeigh and WOCCU president and CEO, Arthur Arnold acted as the Master of Ceremonies for the event.

Smit brought greetings from Canada and gave attendees an overview of the Canadian credit union movement. He shared, "One in three Canadians is a member of a credit union – that's over 10 million credit union members, served by more than 1,300 credit unions and French-speaking caisses populaires from coast to coast, in all 10 Canadian provinces." Smit went on to share the importance of the credit union difference in Canada explaining, "Celebrating the credit union difference is easy– but explaining it can be difficult. If you're here today, you know what the credit union difference is. It's the combined expertise, education and volunteerism of everyone in the credit union movement. It's a national and an international dedication to community development and self-help. It's reaching across borders to co-operate and assist others."

l-r: Arnold and McVeigh with Ronald T. McMorran, Counselor, Embassy of Canada prior to the reception.

Attendees also received an enticing presentation showcasing the International Leadership Institute from WOCCUs 2nd vice chairman, Melvin Edwards and the delegate of the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions (CCCU). The 2004 Leadership Institute meeting, scheduled to be held at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, was the focus of his remarks.

El Consejo Mundial de Cooperativas de Ahorro y Crédito es la asociación gremial y agencia de desarrollo para el sistema internacional de cooperativas de ahorro y crédito. El Consejo Mundial promueve el crecimiento sustentable de las cooperativas de ahorro y crédito y otras cooperativas financieras en todo el mundo a fin de facultar a las personas para que mejoren su calidad de vida a través del acceso a servicios financieros asequibles y de alta calidad. El Consejo Mundial realiza esfuerzos de defensa activa en representación del sistema global de las cooperativas de ahorro y crédito ante organizaciones internacionales y trabaja con gobiernos nacionales para mejorar la legislación y la regulación. Sus programas de asistencia técnica introducen nuevas herramientas y tecnologías para fortalecer el desempeño financiero de las cooperativas de ahorro y crédito y profundizar su alcance comunitario.

El Consejo Mundial ha implementado 290 programas de asistencia técnica en 71 países. A nivel mundial, 51,000 cooperativas de ahorro y crédito en 100 países atienden a 196 millones de personas. Obtenga más información sobre el impacto global del Consejo Mundial en www.woccu.org.