Helsinki España - Dimensión Humana

Helsinki España is a Spanish NGO established in 1990 with the purpose of disseminating and promoting those principles of the Helsinki Final Act of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) related to the human dimension. Since its foundation, Helsinki España has been working for the respect and protection of human rights through the education within the university domain.

Deeply committed to youth development, Helsinki España focuses its work on the organization of international meetings and training programmes on topics related to peace, conflict resolution, international terrorism, poverty, human rights education and youth employment as an instrument for social peace. It also promotes youth volunteering as a mechanism for social participation.

For the development of their training activities, Helsinki España counts on an international network comprised of experts from major international organizations, including the United Nations, OSCE and NATO, diplomats, military personnel, university professors and experts from the civil society. It also counts on the support of a network composed of more than 140 universities from all over the world, the so-called University Network.

Helsinki España believes in the fundamental importance of human rights education for the promotion, protection and effective realization of these rights. Helsinki España also believes that young people, as key members of our societies, share the responsibility to ensure that respect for human rights is a reality in every community and our society as a whole. That is why we focus much of our work in developing projects of human rights education aimed at empowering young people to exercise their rights and duties.

Human Rights Education provides the youth not only knowledge and skills but develops their attitudes and behaviors so that they can enjoy their rights and defend those of others. Our projects promote the knowledge of the instruments and mechanisms of protection of human rights and the acquisition of skills to apply them. We use participatory and stimulating teaching methods that encourage critical analysis.

Helsinki Spain also promotes volunteering as a key tool for the promotion, protection and realization of human rights. We work on the basis that volunteering not only creates opportunities for social participation, but it also strengthens trust, solidarity and reciprocity among people.

Helsinki España is convinced that life without war is a prerequisite and a precondition for the effective realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Helsinki España is committed to the right of peoples to peace and therefore we offer our best resources to contribute to international peace and security.

We use training to raise awareness of global problems that threaten international peace and security as well as the mechanisms of the international community to prevent, respond and resolve conflicts. With our training courses, we empower young professionals to be part of the efforts of the international community in maintaining peace and security in the world.