Suomen Toimikunta Euroopan Turvallisuuden Edistämiseksi
The Finnish Committee for European Security (STETE) and its Finnish NGO partners organized an international NGO-based forum in Helsinki. The Forum was connected to the 16th OSCE Ministerial Council hosted by the Finnish OSCE Chairmanship. The OSCE Civil Society Forum concentrated on the OSCE’s human dimension issues and gave the participating civil society actors a possibility to carry their recommendations for the high-level discussions of the Ministerial Council.
In the Opening Plenary high-level speakers discussed the current human dimension issues in the OSCE region. The Working Group Sessions went deeper into these questions concentrating on the specific themes of human rights, human trafficking, and civil society & conflict resolution. The Closing Plenary reflected the possibilities and challenges of the OSCE’s future. The Civil Society Forum was directed to all civil society representatives in the OSCE area. The conference language was English.
Due to the fire in Ostrobotnia the OSCE Civil Society Forum was relocated to two different places. On Tuesday 2.12. the conference was held at Paasitorni and Wednesday 3.12. at Marina Congress Center.
16.15–18.00 Introductions to working group topics
Moderator: Heidi Hautala (Member of the Finnish Parliament)
Oksana Chelyseva (The Russian-Chechen Friendship Society)
Olof Kleberg (OSCE NGO-Network Sweden)
Dzmitry Markusheuski (Belarusian Helsinki Committee)
Muatar Khaydarova (Director, ICNL/LLC Affiliate office in Tajikistan. Board Chairwoman, NGO ”Society and Law”)
18.00 Reception
Wednesday 3 December 2008, Marina Congress Center (Katajannokanlaituri 6)
8.30–9.00 Breakfast
9.00–12.00 Parallel working groups
I HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Moderator and rapporteur: Johanna Suurpää (Ombudsman for minorities)
Venla Roth (Researcher, Faculty of Law, University of Helsinki)
Irine Machurishvili (PR Manager, Human Rights Center HRIDC)
Olga Sadovskaya (The vice-chairman of Interregional Non-governmental Organization ”committee Against Torture”)
II HUMAN RIGHTS
Moderator: Kari Kahiluoto (Ambassador for Human Rights and Democracy, MFA of Finland)
Pekka Haavisto (MP, Chair of the Advisory Board on Romani Affairs in Finland)
Alexey Kozlov (Director of Foundation ”For social and environmental justice” and spokesperson of GROZA (Green Alternative)) – Rapporteur of the working group
Isra Lehtinen (Chair of Islam Information and Dialogue)
III CIVIL SOCIETY & CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Caucasus and Central Asia in perspective
Moderator and rapporteur: Meeri-Maria Jaarva (Reporting Officer, EUMM Georgia)
Rachel Bernu (Deputy Director of Kurdish Human Rights Project)
Margarita Akhvlediani (Journalist, Georgia)
12.00–13.00 Lunch
13.00–14.15 Conclusions of the working group discussions, finalizing of the recommendations
14.15–16.00 Closing panel discussion: Future of the OSCE
Moderator: Krista Kiuru (MP, Chair of STETE)
Knut Vollebaek (OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities)
Kari Kahiluoto (Ambassador for Human Rights and Democracy, MFA of Finland)
Kimmo Kiljunen (OSCE Special Envoy on election-related issues)