The OSCE Secretariat bears no responsibility for the content of this document PC.DEL/933/26 and circulates it without altering its content. The distribution by OSCE 2 October 2026 Conference Services of this document is without prejudice to OSCE decisions, as set out in documents agreed by OSCE participating States. ENGLISH only
United States Mission to the OSCE
Previewing United States Priorities at the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference As prepared for delivery by Ambassador Darrell Owens to the Permanent Council, Vienna October 1, 2026
As participating States prepare for the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, the United States wishes to lay out our priorities for this year's proceedings.
The Human Dimension is not a venue for empty declarations - it is a mechanism for accountability.
Nowhere is this more urgent than in confronting the alarming rise of antisemitism across our region. Since October 7, 2023, we have witnessed levels of antisemitism not seen since the Holocaust. Yet only 36 of 57 participating States have endorsed the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism, and only 37 have embraced the U.S.-led Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism. In Warsaw, we will press every remaining government to close this gap.
We will also press for better data. Only 19 of 57 participating States reported 2024 antisemitic hate crime statistics to ODIHR, leaving the organization unable to design effective responses. We will call on participating States to strengthen their reporting mechanisms and meet their Sofia Ministerial commitments.
Consistent with the reform priorities we have raised in this Council, the United States will use Warsaw to press for fewer conferences and more concrete deliverables. ODIHR should focus its efforts where it can meaningfully support vulnerable communities: training educators to address antisemitism and Holocaust education in the classroom, strengthening law enforcement's capacity to recognize and counter antisemitic hate crimes, and supporting interfaith programs that build understanding and cooperation.
Ensuring that individuals can practice their religion freely - including from anti-Christian bias and other forms of intolerance - deserves comprehensive attention alongside our work on antisemitism. That is why the United States will convene a side event in Warsaw on October 8, "Promoting Religious Freedom, Tolerance, and Non-discrimination and Countering Antisemitism and Anti-Christian Bias in the OSCE Region," with opening remarks delivered by this Mission. We look forward to a candid discussion on what concrete steps remain for participating States to adopt the IHRA definition and the Global Guidelines.
Finally, we will encourage OSCE participating States to prepare for the day when a just and durable peace is established in Ukraine. This organization can and should aid in this process through confidence-building, border monitoring, and support for democratic institutions. It must begin preparing now, so it's ready the moment conditions allow.
We look forward to working with the Chairmanship and all participating States to ensure Warsaw produces real, measurable outcomes. ### ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Wagramerstr. 17-19, 1220 Vienna, Austria Tel: (+4 3-1) 313390 usosce@state.gov Page 1 of 1 http://osce.usmission.gov