News and press releases

From 24 to 28 August 2022, twenty young activists from the Western Balkans gathered in Tirana and traveled to Gjirokastra to discuss, learn and explore approaches on social interaction and promote democracy, peace and security through inter-generational dialogue. Since 2017, the OSCE Youth Trail

VIENNA, 22 August 2022- As we mark the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, the continued Russian aggression against Ukraine bring more death, new refugees, and the destruction of civilian sites, including houses of worship and religious shrines and memorials. Christians, Muslims, Jews, those of other religious beliefs, and those with no religious belief are among the victims. The religious leaders in Russia willingly or under coercion provide a rationale for this unprovoked war. Those who would speak out or even remain silent do so at their own peril.

WARSAW, 22 August 2022 — Establishing, maintaining, and accessing places and objects of worship or contemplation are crucial to the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, which applies during conflict and in times of peace, said the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion.

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bihać Chapter of BiH Interreligious Council organized a series of activities for young people to promote dialogue, good practice and reconciliation.

On 18-19 May, the OSCE Programme Office (POiB) kicked-off a series of capacity-building activities, within its programmatic efforts to support peacebuilding activities in Kyrgyzstan. The workshop, which was held in Osh city, focused on strengthening Kyrgyzstan’s early warning and conflict prevention institutions, including within the framework of implementing the national civic integration concept “Kyrgyz Jarany” (“Kyrgyz Citizen”).

VIENNA, 5 May 2022 – Rabbi Andrew Baker, Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Anti-Semitism, Associate Professor Dr. Regina Polak, Personal Representative on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also focusing on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians and Members of Other Religions and Mehmet Paçacı, Personal Representative on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims made the following statement:

On 11 and 12 April 2022, the Personal Representatives of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office for tolerance issues held meetings with representatives of the Council of Europe, the Commissioner for Human Rights, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, and the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly.