Would You Believe...the Helsinki Accords Changed the World? - by Peter L W Osnos (Paperback)

About the Book

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.

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

"How is it that an obscure Cold War agreement became
the underlying force for a potent new movement-and helped end the Cold War
itself? Peter Osnos and Holly Cartner reveal the fascinating story of this little-known
history, which they witnessed firsthand. The Helsinki Final Act was a seed out
of which a mighty oak grew." --David E. Hoffman,
winner of the Pulitzer Prize and author of Give Me Liberty: The True Story
of Oswaldo Payáaacute; and His Daring Quest for a Free Cuba

"It is now almost fifty years since major states and
nonprofit groups put human rights on the priority list for international debate
and action. Governments agreed to new norms and regulations including rigorous requirements
of accountability. Over the years, both public and private efforts based on the
Helsinki Accords and led by Human Rights Watch have given power and force to
those goals. This compelling and highly readable book tells the remarkable
story of that transformation." -James F.
Hoge, Jr., former editor of Foreign Affairs and former chairman of
Human Rights Watch

"Peter Osnos and Holly Cartner draw on their deep
personal connections to, and work with, the Helsinki Accords and Human Rights
Watch to provide an impressively succinct and accessible account of why both matter
so much. In a time of renewed crisis in Europe, they provide a valuable
reminder of the importance of working for lasting peace and cooperation." -M. E. Sarotte, author of Not One
Inch: America, Russia, and the Making of Post-Cold War Stalemate

"This impressive book tells the story of the consequences-not immediately foreseen--of the Helsinki Accords. As
people who have experienced this history deeply, Peter Osnos and Holly Cartner can
vividly describe how and why Human Rights Watch achieved its stature based on
decisions made in 1975. The narrative brings us back to a time when human
rights and principled politics were center stage and when, despite the Cold War,
international adversaries pursued some common ground." --Karen Barkey,
Charles Theodore Kellogg and Bertie K. Hawver
Kellogg
Chair of Sociology and Religion, Bard College