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13th European Remembrance Symposium & International Conference on the 50th Anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act: The Spirit of Helsinki Then and Now
Thematic focus
- Cultural History
- Local History
- Political History
- Social History
- Remembrance / Collective Memory
- Europe
- Finland
- 20th Century
- 1945-2000
Language
English
Country
Finland
Address
Helsinki, Finland
Date
10 - 13 June 2025
Description
At the 13th European Remembrance Symposium, we will reflect on the Helsinki Final Act, signed on 1 August 1975, to honor its diplomatic achievement and assess the current state of security in Europe and beyond. Fifty years ago, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) brought together 33 nations, including Western and Eastern European states, the USA, Canada, and the Soviet Union, to establish a framework for Détente. This profoundly influenced dissident movements in Eastern Bloc countries and contributed to the end of the Cold War. On this 50th anniversary, the European Network of Remembrance and Solidarity (ENRS), in collaboration with Historians without Borders in Finland and other partners, will explore the ‘Spirit of Helsinki.’ While some hail the CSCE as a diplomatic success that reshaped security concepts, others argue it legitimized Europe's Cold War divisions. The symposium will examine the dynamic role of civil and political actors post-1975 and the Act’s impact on human rights and democracy. Discussions will address key questions: How does the Helsinki Final Act shape today’s peace efforts, particularly in Ukraine and the Middle East? How has diplomacy evolved? What did security mean in 1975 compared to today? Participants will engage in panels, workshops, and site visits to key historical locations in Helsinki, highlighting Finland’s geopolitical position between East and West. The symposium also fosters networking among professionals from museums, academia, and civil society, offering collaboration opportunities.
Organiser
European Network Remembrance and Solidarity