PART 1:
THE OSCE BIRTHDAY PARTY
We will celebrate 50 years of existence of the Helsinki Accords

11:00-12:00
OSCE „Birthday Party“ in the Park around Finlandia Hall. Gathering of participants, picnic & socializing, short wrap up of previous events on July 30-31. (Meeting point: In front of / above Finlandia Hall, next to the flags along the main street)

12:00-13:00
Walk / train ride to the venue at Helsinki public library in Pasila

PART 2:
THE PEACE LAB

We’ll try to find solutions to peace & security challenges with the help of the Helsinki Accords

13:00-13:40

– Finnish and Nordic hosts: Opening of the conference & messages from main movements
(ITUC/trade union, Via Campesina/Farmers movement, IPB/Peace movements, Friends of the Earth, United for Intercultural Action, International People´s Assembly)
– Online Key note speech by Michael vd. Schulenburg (MEP, former UN Deputy Secretary General, peace negotiator): Quo Vadis Europa? (tbc)
– QAB (Questions, Answers, Beehive)

13:40-13:50
Pause, CSPB (Coffee, Snacks & Pee Break)

13:50-14:20

Setting the scene – 1: Peace in Europe
1. Speaker: Hans Hedrich (WbW): How to make Peace in Ukraine in 24 minutes – with the help of the OSCE
– QAB (Questions, Answers, Beehive)

14:20-14:45

Setting the scene – 2: Europe needs human rights and peace on and with Earth
2. Moderator Philip Polak, Unite for intercultural action, Speakers Olga Karach, Our House and Tord Björk, Nordic Peace Alliance working group on Helsinki+50: Linking the peace, human rights, social justice and environmental movements in Europe and across the globe with the help of the Helsinki+50 People’s Declaration.
– QAB (Questions, Answers, Beehive)

14:45-15:15

CSPB (Coffee, Snacks & Pee Break) with OSCE birthday cake. Teaming up for the working groups

15:15-16:15
Working Groups
We’ll be looking at today’s challenges through the three ’baskets’ of the Helsinki Accords

1. SECURITY & MILITARY
Facilitator: Einar Braathen. Potential cofacilitators/participants: Marianne Laxén, Heidi Meinzolt (WILPF), Hans Hedrich
Why common security is important, and how the Helsinki principles can contribute to peace in Ukraine.

2. ECONOMY & ECOLOGY
Facilitator: Karmapriya Muschött, Friends of the Earth Sweden co-chair. Participants: Thomas Wallgren, professor of Philosophy, Helsinki, Tord Björk
Why we need global cooperation for peace, environmental and economic justice

3. HUMAN RIGHTS
Facilitator: Philip Polak. Participants: Leo Gabriel, World Social Forum International committee member, Olga Karach
The situation for refugees in Europe and Middle America, human rights without double standards migration

16:15-16:30
Final CSPB (Coffee, Snacks & Pee Break)

16:30-17:00
Harvesting the fruits of the day

– Reporting back from the Working Groups
– Conclusions & Follow Up
(BTW: Follow Up meetings by the participating states were Basket No. 4 of the Helsinki Accords)

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The results of the event will be presented to the OSCE and the general public as a starting point for a future OSCE Peace Summit – the contribution of civil society to match top down and bottom up approaches in peace and security politics.

Read more: https://helsinkiplus50.org/

Sign the declaration before August 28! The Helsinki +50 People’s declaration on common security and human rights: https://helsinkiplus50.org/the-helsinki-2-0-civic…/

CONTACT: info@helsinkiplus50.org

The Helsinki+50 People’s Initiative

The world again needs cooperation, détente, and a commitment for human rights which since 1975 and the Helsinki Accords has been connected to what is called the Helsinki spirit. The states have failed to commit themselves for this even when humanity is facing a severe global poly-crisis. It is now necessary that peoples movements and the civil society gives the spirit of Helsinki new life. See background materials.

Behind this initiative is the Nordic Peace Alliance (NPA) – https://nordicpeacealliance.org, International Peace Bureau, World Beyond War, World Social Assembly of World Social Forum and other organisations.

The initiative has three parts: an online declaration process, activities in Helsinki July 30 – August 2 and follow up actions.