Helsinki+50 Conference highlights the role of civil society

The Finnish OSCE Chairpersonship will organise a conference on 31 July 2025 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act. The conference will pay tribute to the legacy of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) in Helsinki in 1975 and highlight the role of civil society in advancing OSCE’s principles and commitments. Helsinki+50 Fund will be launched as part of the Conference to support the OSCE’s operational capacity.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act signed in 1975, and its content is now more topical than ever before.

The Final Act was a turning point for Europe’s security. As a result, 35 states – including those on the opposing sides of the Cold War – committed to following common principles that laid the foundation for the European security architecture.

The Helsinki+50 Conference hosted by the OSCE Chair-in-Office, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Elina Valtonen, will pay tribute to the legacy of the CSCE that took place in Helsinki in 1975 and highlight the role of civil society in advancing OSCE’s principles and commitments.

The event at Finlandia Hall will be opened by Minister Valtonen, and High-Level Keynotes will be delivered by President of the Republic of Finland Alexander Stubb, OSCE Secretary-General Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy will speak at the conference via remote connection. UN Secretary-General António Guterres will send a video message.

The other speakers include Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia Batmunkh Battsetseg, Minister of State for Europe of the UK Stephen Doughty, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia Tanja Fajon, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Malta Ian Borg, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Albania Igli Hasani, Minister delegate for Europe of France Benjamin Haddad, and OSCE leadership (in the order of appearance).

Oleksandra Matviichuk, Head of the Center for Civil Liberties, the Ukrainian human rights organization and Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 2022, and other representatives of the civil society and human rights defenders will also speak at the conference.

The topics to be discussed include ways to strengthen respect for the foundational principles of European security and how states and civil society can jointly address threats to peace, human rights and democracy.

“The Helsinki Principles are a reminder of what we can achieve through cooperation and trust – and what is at stake if we fail to defend them. Now, more than ever, these principles need their defenders,” Minister for Foreign Affairs Valtonen says.

Finland has invited representatives of the OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation, OSCE executive structures and OSCE Parliamentary Assembly as well as representatives of civil society and international organisations to participate in the conference. Almost 1,000 participants are expected to attend the event.

Helsinki+50 Fund and discussions on the future of the OSCE

The Helsinki+50 Fund will be launched as part of the Conference. The fund aims to enhance the channelling of voluntary funding to support work in line with the OSCE's principles and commitments, and to strengthen the link between donors and the OSCE. The fund will supplement OSCE’s budget, not replace it.

The Helsinki+50 Conference is a part of a week of events that also includes the OSCE Chairpersonship Youth Forum and the Helsinki+50 Discussions on the future of the OSCE. The discussions on 1 August 2025 consist of two parallel meetings: one for Political Directors of all OSCE Participating States and another for civil society representatives. The aim of the process is to contribute to strengthening the respect for the foundations of European security and to building a vision for the OSCE.

Finland holds the OSCE Chairpersonship in 2025. The Helsinki+50 Conference is the largest event organised in Finland during the Chairpersonship.

You can follow the conference online. A link to the livestream is available on the conference website.