This year, the OSCE celebrates 45 years of the Helsinki Accords and its establishment and is the largest regional security organisation with 56 participating states. Its activities focus primarily on the promotion of peace and security, the strengthening of democracy and good governance and the respect for human rights.

The OSCE has cooperated with the BSF since the forum’s inception in 2006, just a year after Slovenia’s OSCE chairmanship.

State Secretary Tone Kajzer handed over the BSF Distinguished Partner Award to Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, OSCE Officer-in-Charge/Secretary General. He thanked her for the organisation’s contribution in addressing the pressing security challenges, underlining that the promotion, enhancing and maintaining an effective strategic dialogue also figure among the goals and priorities of the BSF.