Mr chair,

I would like to make this brief statement to express our support for the work of the CiO and ODIHR in organizing and running this year’s WHDC. Iceland would also like to express its gratitude and full support to Poland as a host country of the WHDC.

All topics covered by the WHDC are equally relevant and important. The whole point of the 3rd dimension is to be comprehensive – one cannot pick and choose topics over another. Keeping the dialogue open and free between the civil society and the Participating States, is essential for robust, democratic societies.

By looking at record number of participants that attended this year’s WHDC, the importance of the conference to the civil society is very The OSCE Secretariat bears no responsibility for the content of this document and circulates it without altering its content. The distribution by OSCE Conference Services of this document is without prejudice to OSCE decisions, as set out in documents agreed by OSCE participating States PC.DEL/1134/25 23 October 2025 OSCE+ ENGLISH only clear. This record attendance is even more impressive in the light of shrinking of funding for the 3rd dimension.

Russia’s criticism is unjust and easy to see through. Their criticism only reflects their own reasoning for not being willing to agree on the human dimension mandated conference. It is regrettable that the situation on HDIM still remains unchanged year after year. Iceland expresses full support to the work of the ODIHR and other autonomous institutions of the OSCE.

I thank you Mr chair.