20 years of conflict prevention

The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) marked its 20th anniversary as an institution in March 2013, celebrating the achievements of the past and discussing its future challenges.

The High Commissioner’s office began its work in 1993 to address ethnic conflict – one of the largest sources of violence in the OSCE region. The High Commissioner works to identify and seek early resolution of ethnic tensions that might endanger peace, stability or friendly relations between the participating States of the OSCE.

Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands attended the ceremony for the 20th anniversary on 7 March 2013, hosted by High Commissioner Knut Vollebaek. Speakers paid tribute to the Netherlands for its role in establishing the institution, providing the first High Commissioner and continuing to offer support by hosting the institution in The Hague. The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara said: “The High Commissioner as an Institution aimed at protecting and promoting both diversity and integration, could wish for no more appropriate host than the Netherlands, a country that has come to symbolize the strengths of diversity and openness.”

A panel debate moderated by Edward Lucas, International Editor of The Economist, brought together Slovak Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt and Professor Rainer Hofmann. They debated the role and added value of the HCNM within the context of European political institutions.

On 8 March, a conference took a more substantive approach to the question: “Twenty years of the HCNM: What have we learned about preventing inter-ethnic conflict?” Bringing together experts from different fields and countries, the conference focused on the lessons the HCNM can learn from the past to overcome future challenges. You can watch interviews conducted with some of the participants here.