day in Molins de Rei to promote social and economic development – Athenaeum

Next Monday, January 26, 2026, Molins de Rei will host the conference “Connect, create and cooperate: fairs as an engine of social and economic development”, an in-person meeting that aims to highlight the transformative potential of fairs, especially from a cooperative and social economy point of view. The activity will take place in the Sala Federació Obrera (Carrer Jacint Verdaguer, 48), from 9.30 to 11 a.m., and is aimed at cooperatives, businesses, self-employed people, entrepreneurs and anyone interested in the ESS.

The day is organized as part of the 175th Molins de Rei Candle Fair, one of the most important fairs in Catalonia, which every year attracts hundreds of thousands of people and hundreds of exhibitors from various sectors. In this context, Molins de Rei City Council, with the support of the Ateneu Cooperatiu del Baix Llobregat and the Federation of Labor Cooperatives of Catalonia, promote this space for reflection to deepen how fairs can go beyond simple exhibition and become strategic platforms for economic dynamism, network creation and real collaboration between diverse actors in the territory.

Beyond visibility: fairs as spaces of impact

Fairs, often conceived as commercial or promotional events, can become much more than that. From cooperativism and the social economy, they claim to be meeting spaces, community building and opportunities to promote collective processes. Along these lines, the conference wants to highlight success stories and good practices of cooperatives that have been able to take advantage of these spaces to strengthen their presence, forge alliances and consolidate their projects.

It will also be an opportunity to debate how local administrations can take advantage of fairs as a tool to boost the social economy in the territory, facilitating the participation of cooperative initiatives and encouraging a transformative look at municipal events.

Objectives of the day

Among the main objectives of the day are:

• Analyze the strategic role of fairs as a driver of economic and social development, from a community perspective.
• Promote mutual cooperation and the exchange of experiences between projects of the social economy of the Baix Llobregat and other agents of the territory.
• Visualize good practices of cooperatives that have made fairs a tool for expansion, connection and transformation.
• Promote shared reflections on how to make these spaces more inclusive, accessible and transformative.

The session will have the participation of the Federation of Labor Cooperatives of Catalonia, as well as the direct experience of several cooperatives in the territory that will share their learning and challenges. The focus will be on the importance of creating lasting relationships, generating impact and building community.

An open and free day

The event is free and open to everyone, especially designed for people and entities linked to social entrepreneurship, local commerce, the cooperative economy and community innovation.

Registrations are now open and can be completed online www.espaipresa.cat or by calling 93 680 02 97 (Sara Mínguez). Capacity is limited and prior registration is recommended.

Promoting an economy with values

From the Ateneu Cooperatiu del Baix Llobregat, we support this day because it represents a key occasion to continue weaving partnerships, recognize the value of cooperation as a driver of territorial development, and build bridges between initiatives that work for a fairer, sustainable and people-centered economy.

With this day, we reaffirm our commitment to the promotion of a transformative economy, and we encourage all entities and people to take advantage of this space to connect, create and cooperate.