OSCE Perspectives 20-30 Initiative

The OSCE “Perspectives 20-30” initiative aims at integrating youth voices into OSCE security debates to help strengthen the Organization’s efforts to promote peace, stability and comprehensive security throughout the OSCE region. Launched in 2019 with the support of then Slovak OSCE Chairmanship and in partnership with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation Regional Office for Cooperation and Peace in Europe (FES ROCPE), Perspectives 20-30 provides a platform for young women and men to discuss with decision-makers their vision of a safer future for the OSCE area in 2030 and beyond.

The OSCE Perspectives 20-30 Core Group of Experts – 22 young professionals from across the OSCE region – played a crucial role in developing this vision. These young women and men participated in a series of discussions in 2019 organized by the OSCE in partnership with FES ROCPE and the Folke Bernadotte Academy, which culminated in a discussion paper, “Engaging Youth for a Safer Future”. They identified six key areas that will be critical to security in the OSCE area in the coming decade and beyond: new technologies, building peace, environment and energy, rule of law, security and human rights, and education.

The OSCE-wide Youth Forum hosted by the Slovak 2019 OSCE Chairmanship in Bratislava in October 2019 used the 20-30 Perspectives paper as the focus of its discussions. This flagship event brought together over 120 young experts and official representatives from OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation for an intergenerational dialogue on  how young people can contribute to peace and comprehensive security. The final version of the Perspectives 20-30 paper was presented at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Bratislava in December 2019.

For further information, please contact: Perspectives2030@osce.org

Members of the Core Group of Experts

The members of the Core Group of Experts were selected from hundreds of applicants responding to an open call. These twenty-two young professionals, between the ages of twenty and thirty, were chosen on the basis of their expertise, motivation, and networks and in order to ensure proper geographical balance. They reflect the gender and geographical diversity of the OSCE area and come from a wide range of backgrounds including academia, civil society, policymaking, and the media. They contribute to the Perspectives 20-30 initiative in their personal capacity on a voluntary basis.