This photo captures the creative dynamism of putting Principle 6 into action. By co-operating with each other, three brazilian co-operatives meet their members' needs. tourists taking thrilling rides across sand dunes in the dune buggies owned by Co-op buggy are transported by Co-op balsa on rafts across the shallow river Pitangi, in Natal, brazil. the Co-op balsa member punting the raft wears a Unimed t-shirt. Unimed is one of the world's largest health co-operatives providing health services and health insurance to millions of brazilians and to tourists.

Future Challenges

Future challenges in applying this 6th Principle of Co-operation among Co-operatives will include:

• •Balancing dialogue with action: not meeting with other co-operatives in regional, sectoral or national structures simply to talk to each other, but planning and taking action to advance the co-operative economy to mutual advantage. Passive participation in inter-co-operative structures can drain energy and have a negative impact on others.
• Effective power sharing: larger or better resourced co-operatives will need to ensure that their size and influence does not dominate and dictate debate and action, but that they enable smaller co-operatives to participate effectively in control and decision making in inter-co-operative organisations.
• Transcending barriers: barriers such as geographical location, language, political and religious divisions, disparities in organisational size and scope must be addressed and overcome to ensure effective debate and action.
• Working across sectors: different co-operative business sectors have different histories and cultures which need to be understood and valued if common action is to be taken.
• Awareness building: ensuring that co-operatives are aware of each other's nature, differences and the social and economic challenges they face.
• Effective communication: maintaining regular and effective communication with other co-operatives is always a challenge when members and managers are faced with the day-to-day pressures of running a co-operative business.
• Developing a shared sense of purpose: the priorities of one co-operative or one sector of co-operative enterprise may not be the same as that of others.
• Periodic assessment of the application of the 6th Principle: co-operatives need to commit adequate resources to achieve social and economic benefits from co-operation among co-operatives. they also need periodically to review the application of this 6th Principle and challenge their engagement to ensure that it is effective.
• Developing effective global co-operative trade: the international co-operative movement is challenged by the absence of globally-driven inter-co-operative trade. Consideration should be given to developing such trade under global co-operative trading agreements or partnership arrangements.
• Developing effective global co-operative banking facilities and insurance arrangements: the global co-operative movement should consider it necessary and desirable to establish an international co-operative bank and insurance organisation. Such an international co-operative bank and insurance co-operative, driven by the Co-operative values and Principles, could service global inter-co-operative trade and business.