News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
New OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors starts mandate
Publishing date: 20 August 2013
THE HAGUE, 20 AUGUST 2013 – The newly appointed OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM), Astrid Thors, started her three-year mandate at the office of the HCNM in The Hague today. Thors has been a Member of the Parliament of Finland since 2004. She also served as Minister of Migration and European Affairs of Finland and was a Member of the European Parliament...
Integration of formerly deported people in Crimea, Ukraine, is focus of OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities’ latest report
Publishing date: 16 August 2013
OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Knut Vollebaek published a needs assessment report on 16 August 2013, entitled The Integration of Formerly Deported People in Crimea, Ukraine. The document seeks to provide an up-to-date analysis of the current situation of national minorities in Crimea and offers recommendations for easing inter-ethnic tensions and increasing the integration of Crimean society, as well as attempts to raise awareness of the issue...
OSCE Chairperson welcomes appointment of Astrid Thors as OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities
Publishing date: 17 July 2013
KYIV, 17 July 2013- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara, welcomed the appointment of Finnish politician Astrid Thors as OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities. Thors has been a Member of the Parliament of Finland since 2004. She has also served as a Minister of Migration and European Affairs of Finland and was a Member of the European Parliament. Her appointment as OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities was a consensus decision of all 57 OSCE participating States...
OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities visits Serbia, discusses enhancing minority participation
Publishing date: 28 June 2013
The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Knut Vollebaek, visited Serbia from 12 to 14 June 2013 to discuss national minority issues with representatives of central and local government and community leaders...
Organizational skills of Armenian national minorities enhanced with OSCE involvement
Publishing date: 30 May 2013
A five-day training course on organizational development for national minorities in Armenia kicked off in Yerevan on 31 May 2013. The class, which receives support from the OSCE Office in Yerevan, targets heads and representatives of youth branches of national minority NGOs...
OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities: State must take responsibility for facilitating integration
Publishing date: 28 May 2013
OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Knut Vollebaek has stressed the need for governments to promote integration of society during the last official visit of his mandate to Skopje from 22 to 24 May 2013...
OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities marks 20 years of conflict prevention
Publishing date: 14 March 2013
The institution of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities marked its 20th anniversary in The Hague on 7 and 8 March 2013...