Published on 7 September 2026

From Geneva to Helsinki: founding process and core purpose of the OSCE

The conference ‘From Geneva to Helsinki: founding process and core purpose of the OSCE’, held in Bern on 3 and 4 September 2026, looked back at the organisation’s origins. Organised by the Dodis research centre (Diplomatic Documents of Switzerland) with the support of the FDFA as part of Switzerland’s chairpersonship of the OSCE, the conference combined historical insights with current issues concerning the future of multilateral diplomacy, dialogue and cooperation in times of geopolitical tension.

The conference 'From Geneva to Helsinki: founding process and core purpose of the OSCE' shed light on the organisation’s origins and its significance for dialogue, security and cooperation in Europe. — © FDFA

How did the OSCE come into being? What were the states’ objectives, which obstacles did they have to overcome, and how was agreement reached at the time despite profound political differences?

The conference ‘From Geneva to Helsinki: founding process and core purpose of the OSCE’ addressed these questions. It drew on archival documents from several countries to reflect on the initial development of the precursor to the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE), from preparatory talks in Geneva to the adoption of the Helsinki Final Act in 1975. The event was organised by the Dodis research centre in collaboration with the FDFA as part of the 18th International Conference of Editors of Diplomatic Documents.

At the conference in Bern, historical perspectives were juxtaposed with current issues in multilateral diplomacy: what can the OSCE of today learn from the experiences of the CSCE? How can dialogue and cooperation be facilitated in times of major geopolitical tensions? And which role do technological developments such as AI play in accessing and analysing diplomatic sources?

Historians, editors of diplomatic documents, diplomats and representatives of the OSCE participating states gathered in Bern to look at current challenges through the prism of history.

A key outcome of the conference was a joint international edition of diplomatic sources covering the CSCE’s founding phase from 1969 to 1975. Looking back in this way is intended to help shed new light on the importance of dialogue, trust and cooperation for European security today.