A thematic book exhibition "OSCE: 45 Years of Service in the Interest of Security and Cooperation" dedicated to the 45th anniversary of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is open in the Documents of International Organizations Reading Room (207g) from July 15 to August 31.

The OSCE, which brings together 57 member states from North America, Europe and Asia, is the world's largest regional security organization. It operates for the sake stability, peace and democracy for more than one billion people, facilitating a political dialogue on shared values and putting hard efforts to achieve sustainable progress.

The OSCE's main objective is to prevent conflicts in the region, to resolve crises and to organize post-conflict rehabilitation. The OSCE serves as a unique international forum for the political dialogue in the wide circle of questions of safety and as a platform for the joint activity to improve people's lives and their associations. The organization uses a comprehensive approach to safety, which covers military-political, economical- ecological and human aspects.

Through its institutions, expert units and network of field operations, the OSCE counters transnational security challenges such as climate change, terrorism, radicalization and violent extremism, organized crime, cybercrime, drug and arms trafficking, and human trafficking. The organization promotes stronger ties between nations, encourages partnerships between the private and public sectors, and cooperation with civil society.

All decisions within the OSCE are taken by consensus. All participating States have equal status.

The official date of the Organization's foundation is August 1, 1975, when the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) was called. It was on this day that the leaders of 33 European States, the United States of America and Canada gathered in Helsinki, signed the Final (Helsinki) Act of the CSCE, which documented the basic principles of conduct of the member-states towards their citizens as well as among themselves. In this regard, the Helsinki Act was an important step towards the formation of a pan-European security system.

The Republic of Belarus has been a full member of the OSCE since January 30, 1992. The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Belarus to the OSCE operates in Vienna. Belarus takes an active part in the decision-making process and adoption of the OSCE documents, and thus makes its contribution to the development of a Pan-European dialogue on questions of collaboration and safety.

About 90 documents are presented at the exhibition. Most of the exhibition consists of the OSCE documents in Russian, English and German. Among these are books, periodicals, brochures, booklets.

The exhibition includes the following thematic sections:

OSCE: the History of Creation, Structure, main goals and objectives;
The OSCE's Military and Political Scope of Activity;
The OSCE's Role in Conflict Resolution;
The OSCE's Economic and Environmental Activities;
The OSCE's Human Rights Activities;
The Development of Democratic Institutions and the Elections Monitoring;
Belarus Participation in the OSCE

The exhibition will be of interest to students, undergraduates, teachers of social and political disciplines, specialists in international law, world politics, international relations and human rights, as well as to all those who are interested in the processes of European integration and the system of formation of Pan-European security.

Related links

Documents

Helsinki Final Act, 1975
Charter of Paris for a New Europe, 1990
Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, 1990
The OSCEs Istanbul Charter for European Security, 1999
Astana Commemorative Declaration: Towards a Security Community, 2010

The opening hours of the exhibition correspond to the library’s opening hours.
Admission is by a library card or by the Social and Cultural Center ticket.

For more info: (8 017) 293 27 28.

Official Documents Service Department