Youth across the OSCE area to discuss peace and security in Helsinki

The Finnish Chairpersonship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe will host the OSCE Chairpersonship Youth Forum in Helsinki on 29–30 July 2025. The event will bring together youth from around 50 OSCE participating States to discuss the security situation in the region.

The Forum will give youth an opportunity to share their views on the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) and gather proposals for the OSCE-wide YPS Roadmap, which is being drawn up by Finland during its Chairpersonship and published later this year.

The event will also be attended by representatives of selected international organisations, young Finnish experts, as well as OSCE Youth and Security Focal and Contact Points from the Secretariat, autonomous institutions and field operations.

The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Santeri Leinonen, will also attend the Forum. Leinonen is the first Special Representative in the Organisation’s history to focus specifically on the YPS agenda. He was selected through an open call for applications organised by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Finnish National Youth Council.

“The OSCE is the world’s largest regional security organisation. The role of youth has been recognised in the OSCE commitments already in the Helsinki Final Act in 1975. It is now our turn to reflect on what kind of world we want to live in for the next 50 years,” says Special Representative Leinonen.

During its Chairpersonship, Finland will promote young people’s participation in the work of the OSCE and support the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 2250.

Some of the forum’s sessions will be streamed live.