New challenges in OSCE region: civil support of the process of Austria’s OSCE Chairmanship in 2017

“New challenges in OSCE region: civil support of the process of Austria’s OSCE Chairmanship in 2017”

 

Report on the International round table

 

On December 23, 2016 in Caucasus Laboratory for Geopolitical Modelling, Caucasus International University was held the International round table “New challenges in OSCE region: civil support of the process of Austria’s OSCE Chairmanship in 2017”.

 

Round table was implemented under initiative of the following organizational structures:

• Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly – Caucasus Institute for Regional Security
• OSCE Academy in Bishkek
• Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
• University of Vienna, Austrian Institute for Caucasus Studies in Georgia
• International network “Universities for Peace”

 

Representatives of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, academic community, mass media, municipalities, and young experts from Austria, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russian Federation and Georgia participated in the event. Participants of the round table underlined the importance of the support of the OSCE’s work on security and stability in the Europe as well as the need to increase implication of resources multi-track-diplomacy. Particularly there was noted the role of:

• Universities;
• Municipalities;
• Parliaments;
• Cultural workers.

 

Experts pointed out that the process of “Helsinki from below” is taking a new shape, initiatives of Vaclav Havel, former President of Czechoslovakia and the leader of social movement started in the 80s of XX-th century, appear in a new light.

 

There is need to mobilize in the new process of young activists and “veterans” who stood at the origins of the civil movement for OSCE support.

 

Experts mentioned that the security challenges in all three dimensions, in which the OSCE operates, are increasing, efforts of official government agencies in this process are not enough, and that is why it is important to use multi-track diplomacy resources.

 

In the context of regional cooperation, participants noted the importance of strengthening relations and contacts between different OSCE trans-regions. A particular problem and concentration of different security threats represents the Caspian-Black Sea region trans-region. Therefore it is important to create in the heart of the trans-region an institutional structure – “Institute of OSCE Civil Support”, which will be based on the principles of multi-track diplomacy and support the OSCE’s efforts through the integration of the various actors.

 

During the round table, the experts underlined the need to continue initiatives on improving the efficiency of the existing system of European security, strengthening the potential of the OSCE in  settlement of existing conflicts or their de-escalation and transformation.

 

As a result of discussions and presented contributions there was formed a working group for the preparation of a “Global Civil Society Program for the Support of the Austria’s OSCE Chairmanship in 2017”. Some of the ideas that will be included into the program are presented below. The formation and editing of the program will continue until the end of January 2017.

 

“Global Civil Society Program for the Support of the Austria’s OSCE Chairmanship in 2017”

• Conference devoted for the establishment of the “Institute of OSCE Civil Support” – as Mary Kaldor, Professor of Global Governance at the London School of Economics, Mient Jan Faber, professor of Citizens’ Involvement in War Situations at the Free University in Amsterdam, Arzu Abdullayeva, Head of Azerbaijan Office of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly, Bernard Dreano, the chair of the Cedetim (Center of international solidarity initiatives and studies) and cofounder of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly, Richard E. Rubenstein is University Professor of Conflict Resolution and Public Affairs, Georg Mason University USA, Johan Galtung, a Norwegian sociologist, main founder of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, Hans-Georg Heinrich, professor of University of Vienna.
• Modelling the OSCE for students
• Using multi-track diplomacy resources for the OSCE:
  • Parliamentary diplomacy as a tool of effective management in the Black Sea-Caspian Sea trans-region
  • The conference “Municipal diplomacy in the OSCE area”
  • The conference “Universities’ Community for the OSCE”
  • International Peacebuilding Film Festival in Tbilisi in 2018
  • Media diplomacy in the OSCE area
  • “Museums – as actors of the peace process”: the creation of the exhibition that reflects the OSCE contribution to ensuring of security in the Black Sea-Caspian Sea trans-region
  • The role of youth diplomacy in the prevention of spread of radicalism among youth
  • Creating a “Peace Multi-Media Center”
• Conference on the prevention of terrorism and radicalism in the Black Sea-Caspian Sea trans-region.

 

List of Participants:

1. Zviad Avaliani, journalist, Georgian Public Broadcaster
2. Aigoul Abdoubaetova, Academic Supervisor, MA in Politics and Security
3. Volodimir Abramiuk (Ukraine) – representatives of International Center of Municipal Diplomacy
4. Ana Giorgobiani, Counsellor, OSCE Division, Department of International Organisations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
5. Irine Ghvineria, Dean of the Faculty of Social Science, Caucasus International University, Associate Professor, Doctor of Philology
6. Diana Giglemiani – Student of Master Program in International Relations and International Security CIU, expert of the John MacDonald International Institute of Multitrack Diplomacy
7. Olga Dorokhina, program manager Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Georgian Committee
8. Hans-Georg Heinrich, University of Vienna
9. Kakhaber Kordzaia, Rector Caucasus International University
10. Rusudan Kvaratskhelia, producer of CIU’s Media Club, Associate Professor of Caucasus International University
11. Adam Lamberd, Director Austrian Institute for Caucasus Studies, (live from Vienna)
12. Maksim Lepsky, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Administration, Zaporizhzhya National University (Ukraine)
13. Oleg Mironov, Director, Center of Trans-Regional Studies and Crisis Management Policy (Austria)
14. Paata Pataridze, Center of Research of Terrorism and Political Violence

 

15. Alexander Rusetsky, coordinator Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Georgian Committee, Head of the Department of Innovations and Strategic Development, Caucasus International University

 

16. Indira Satarkulova, Acting Director/Deputy Director, OSCE Academy in Bishkek – OSCE Academy and its policy in the Caucasus
17. Anna Savchuk, General Director of Creative Cinema School “Kinoostrov”, Russia
18. Shamima Oshurbekova, Alumni of OSCE Academy, member of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly in Tajikistan
19. Grigory Trofimchuk, foreign affairs, security and defense analyst, member of experts’ council Research Support Foundation «Workshop of Eurasian Ideas»