OSCE Documentation Centre in Prague

The Documentation Centre in Prague preserves the permanent records of the OSCE, documenting its history since the early 1970s. As the trusted repository of the OSCE’s archives — and those of its predecessor, the CSCECSCE
Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe) — it serves as the custodian of the Organization’s institutional memory.

The Centre works with a wide range of stakeholders to encourage the use of its extensive records and to share knowledge on OSCE-related themes.

Its key functions include:

• Preserving and making available the CSCE/OSCE historical archives and records
• Making available and maintaining document collections of plenary meetings of the Permanent Council and Forum for Security Co-operation, as well as the document collections of FSC Military Information Exchanges
• Organizing the Researcher-in-Residence programme
• Conducting multidisciplinary outreach activities
• Facilitating and providing logistics for the organization of conferences and seminars held in Prague, primarily the Concluding Meeting of the annual Economic and Environmental Forum
• Providing records management services

The Documentation Centre conducts an array of multidisciplinary outreach activities, including—upon request—presentations on the role and history of the Organization, as well as exhibitions and events for academics, civil society and students.

The Centre also participates in conferences relevant to its records holdings and co-operates with networks of academia and think tanks of the OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation. Additionally, it offers presentations to visiting groups, which comprise an introduction to the OSCE’s history, structure, activities and the Documentation Centre in Prague.

Four times a year, the Centre compiles Quarterly Selections of recently-released OSCE documents and publications and sends them to more than 16,000 subscribers.

A network of depository libraries in different countries supports the Centre in promoting public access to the OSCE’s public documents.

Every year, the Centre mails compilations of the main OSCE public documents on DVD-ROMs to the depository libraries and the interested public to ensure that the OSCE’s institutional memory is preserved.

OSCE depository libraries are located in the participating States and the Partners for Co-operation States.

CSCE Testimonies: Causes and Consequences of the Helsinki Final Act 1972–1989

In 2010, the Centre embarked on the CSCE/OSCE Oral History Project, which culminated in the publication of the book CSCE Testimonies: Causes and Consequences of the Helsinki Final Act 1972–1989. Available in print and online, it includes interviews with prominent officials and public figures involved in the Helsinki process, as well as all three subsequent review meetings (Belgrade, 1977–1978; Madrid, 1980–1983 and Vienna, 1986–1989). The nine testimonies presented there feature different points of view regarding the evolution and development of the CSCE from 1972 until 1989.

Paris Summit 1990 and the Charter of Paris for a New Europe

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the CSCE Paris Summit and the CSCE Charter of Paris for a New Europe, the Centre and the OSCE Communication and Media Relations Section prepared a commemorative web page on the Paris Summit 1990 and the Charter of Paris for a New Europe that showcased historical documents, testimonies and photographs of this historic event.