The OSCE Chairpersonship Youth Forum convened in Helsinki

HELSINKI, 31 July 2025 – The OSCE Chairpersonship Youth Forum took place in Helsinki on 29 and 30 July 2025. The Forum provided young experts and leaders, as well as representatives of selected international organizations, a space to discuss the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda and the OSCE’s engagement from a holistic perspective.

The forum identified what makes the OSCE uniquely positioned compared to other actors in advancing the YPS agenda, and suggested ways to improve meaningful engagement with and for youth, ensuring that their voices and perspectives are included in decision-making processes and OSCE’s operational work.

The Youth Forum participants also developed recommendations and options for future action, contributing to the OSCE-wide YPS Roadmap that Finland is preparing in its capacity as OSCE Chair. The Roadmap is of recommendatory nature, and aims to provide a coherent and unified framework on how to advance the YPS agenda more systematically within the OSCE. It will be published towards the end of this year.

“I was honored to meet and discuss with our Youth Forum participants and receive their recommendations. This Forum once again showed that young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow — they are essential partners in building peace and security today,” said Elina Valtonen, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

“I’m very glad to join the youth here today as they speak up and help transform how we live and lead. Your voices matter — stay informed, speak up, stay engaged, and let’s shape a better future together.” said Secretary General Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu.

The Youth Forum was part of Finland’s aim to involve youth meaningfully in all its activities and events throughout its OSCE Chairpersonship, and to promote the YPS agenda across all dimensions of the OSCE’s work.

“The security challenges in the OSCE region cannot be addressed without the full participation of young people. When young people are engaged meaningfully — when they are supported to cooperate and when their ideas and contributions are valued — our democracies grow more sustainable, lasting longer for future generations to come,” concluded Santeri Leinonen, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Youth, Peace and Security.

More information:

Annika Pelkonen, Senior Specialist,
Task Force for the Finnish OSCE Chairpersonship,
Tel. +358 295 350 263,
Email: annika.pelkonen@gov.fi