The Helsinki+50 Conference to be held on Thursday will affect traffic in central Helsinki. The event marks the 50th anniversary of the CSCE Helsinki Accords conference, held at the same venue on 30 July-1 August 1975.
Leaders of 35 countries attended that event, including nearly all European countries as well as US President Gerald Ford and Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, hosted by Finnish President Urho Kekkonen.
According to Chief Inspector Jari Kaikko of the Helsinki Police, the meeting will cause short-term traffic disruptions near Finlandia Hall and along the main downtown road, Mannerheimintie.
Speeches by Guterres, Zelensky and Stubb
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen (NCP), is to deliver the opening address at 10 am. She is the current chair of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the successor of the CSCE.
That will be followed by keynotes by Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the latter two speaking remotely.
On Wednesday, Valtonen is meeting with her Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha in Helsinki.
Kaikko said there may be traffic congestion on Mannerheimintie between around 9 and 10 am.
No major traffic jams are expected in the afternoon. The meeting officially ends at 5 pm, but attendees may leave the venue gradually throughout the afternoon and early evening.
According to Kaikko, no significant traffic disruption is expected on other thoroughfares besides Mannerheimintie, but there may be congestion on detour routes near Finlandia Hall.
The conference will not affect public transport. Tram and bus services will also operate normally along Mannerheimintie.
The police have also received two reports of protests to be held on Thursday, related to Russia's participation in the event.
Disruptions start on Wednesday
There will also be some traffic disruptions on Wednesday, when Paraguay's President Santiago Peña visits Helsinki.
Brief disruptions are likely in the immediate vicinity of the Presidential Palace near the Market Square.
The arrival of international guests to the OSCE conference in Helsinki may also cause short-term disruptions in some places on Wednesday.
According to a statement by the Finnish Foreign Ministry, the high-level conference at Finlandia Hall "respects and pays tribute to the legacy of Helsinki 1975 [and] also reminds us that the OSCE's shared principles are not merely memories of the past but must continue to guide us even in turbulent times. The conference will also highlight the role of civil society in advancing respect for OSCE principles and commitments."
Most of the conference will be streamed live.
The most recent episode of All Points North travelled back in time to hear what it was really like when Finland played host to East and West. Listen to the episode via this embedded player, on Yle Areena, via Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
