Would
You Believe. . . When the Helsinki Accords were signed on August 1, 1975, the
likelihood they would have a profound and lasting impact on the world were very
small. Which is why a book about them after a half century is both surprisingly
topical and well worth reading for anyone with an interest in modern history.
The
thirty-five signatories were the nations of Europe, the United States and
Canada at was formally known as the Conference of Security and Cooperation in
Europe. The Final Act of CSCE contained detailed provisions on respect for
human rights and set country borders that essentially held until Russia invaded
Ukraine in February,2022.
Only
15 years after the summit signing, the Soviet Union imploded and its Eastern
European satellites broke with Communism and the broad range of human rights
issues –civil, social, economic, and political – were a major factor in this
historic turning point.
Peter
L.W. Osnos’ expertise on the history of the accords is vast, as a journalist
and publisher. His narrative writing skill is widely recognized. Holly Cartner provides a vivid account of how
a small organization called Helsinki Watch became Human Rights Watch, the most important
global NGO in its field.
The
fascinating saga of how an underestimated diplomatic accord in 1975 changed
history in the next half-century: highlighting human rights and security in
Europe and leading to the creation of Human Rights Watch, one of the world's
leading NGOs.
