COOPI was founded by Father Barbieri on 15 April 1965. This is when it all started - a journey spanning more than fifty years during which COOPI and Italian international cooperation have expanded and evolved in very different aspects. COOPI operates in contexts of extreme poverty and socio-political or environmental vulnerability implementing the Linking Relief, Rehabilitation and Development (LRRD) approach. This gives COOPI the chance to provide sustainable and long-term responses, ensuring continuity between security, humanitarian aid and development.