50th anniversary of the OSCE

In 2025, the OSCE, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, is celebrating an important anniversary: the Helsinki Final Act was signed 50 years ago. In it, the 35 participating states, including the Principality of Liechtenstein as a founding member, formulated ten basic principles to govern their relations - the so-called Helsinki Decalogue.

Three motifs commemorate this historic event. The “Finlandia Hall” (face value CHF 1.20), the venue of the CSCE conference, is an architectural landmark symbolizing the encounter between East and West. The then head of government “Dr. Walter Kieber” (face value CHF 1.90), representing Liechtenstein, left his mark on the conference and underlined the role of small states in international diplomacy. The “CSCE Helsinki Final Act” (face value CHF 2.50) is a historic document that represents a milestone of the CSCE: the common consensus on fundamental principles of international cooperation.

For Liechtenstein, which is not a member of any other security organisation, the basic principles have been central pillars of its foreign policy since 1975. To this day, the OSCE, together with the Principality of Liechtenstein and 56 other states, pursues a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses political and military aspects as well as economic, democratic and human rights issues.