18th International Conference of Editors of Diplomatic Documents
Bern, 3–4 September 2026

Thursday, 3 September 2026

From Geneva to Helsinki: The Making of the CSCE
Conference Venue Room 201 (2. OG), University of Bern, Hochschulstrasse 4, 3012 Bern
9:00–9:30	Opening and Reports on Ongoing Projects: Opening Address Helena Pinto Janeiro: Project Presentation «DiploDocWomen» Melissa Woods Nelson: Project Presentation «Partners and Spouses in Diplomacy»
9:30–10:30	Session I Chair: Liliane Stadler (Associated Researcher Dodis) Vincent Genin: «Belgium and the CSCE: The Archives of a Proactive Small State» Piotr Długołęcki: «Poland’s Participation in the CSCE Process in Light of its Relations with the USSR and West Germany»
10:30–11:00	Coffee Break
11:00–12:30	Session II Chair: Liliane Stadler (Associated Researcher Dodis) Richard Smith: «Britain and the CSCE» Sophie Lange: «Environmental Protection in the CSCE Process: The Case of East and West Germany» Michal Saft: «Drawing a Line in the Middle of the Mediterranean: Israel’s Diplomatic Struggle at the CSCE, 1973–1975»
12:30–14:00	Lunch
From Geneva to Helsinki: The Making of the CSCE
Conference Venue Aula (2. OG), University of Bern, Hochschulstrasse 4, 3012 Bern
14:00	Session III Chair: Madeleine Herren (President Dodis-Commission) Opening Addresses: Sacha Zala (Director Dodis) Muriel Peneveyre (Ambassador, Head of Switzerland’s OSCE Chairmanship Task Force at FDFA) Nicolas Badalassi: «France and the CSCE» Antonio Varsori: «Italy’s Policy Towards the Helsinki Negotiations and the CSCE» Michael Kennedy: «Ireland’s Evolving Attitude to the CSCE 1969 to 1975» Thomas Bürgisser: «Switzerland and the Geneva Laboratory of the CSCE 1973–1975»
	Coffee Break
From History to the Present Day
17:00	Session IV Opening Addresses: Virginia Richter (Rector of the University of Bern) Pierre-André Page (President of the National Council) Historical Keynote: Sacha Zala: «The Origins of the OSCE: New Insights from the Joint Documentary Edition» Interlude: Excerpt from the Documentary Film on the Origins of the CSCE/OSCE Panel: «From Past to Present: Witnesses in Conversation with the OSCE Secretary General» Umberto Vattani (Ambassador, Former Secretary General of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Feridun Sinirlioğlu (OSCE Secretary General) Panel Moderator: Daniel Möckli (CSS-ETHZ) Ignazio Cassis (OSCE 2026 Chairman-in-Office, Federal Councillor): «Conclusion – OSCE, Quo Vadis?»
19:00–22:00	Conference get-together At Restaurant Schwellenmätteli Organised Transport

Friday, 4 September 2026

Diplomatic Documents and AI
Conference Venue Rathaus (Town Hall), Rathausplatz 2, 3011 Bern
9:00–11:30	Session V Opening Address: Thomas Moser (Cantonal Government’s Commissioner for Foreign Affiars) John Powers: «The State of AI and Tools for Diplomatic Documentary Editing» Kaspar Riesen and Tobias Steiner: «AI and Diplomatic Documents»
	Coffee Break
	Maurizio Rossi and Lena Heizmann: «AI in the Dodis Ecosystem» Presentation of the «Dodis-Tool – The Swiss Army Knife for Editors»
11:45–13:00	Lunch
Progression Reports
13:00–14:15	Session VI Justine Greenwood (AUS) Brendan Kelly (CAN) Sylvie Le Clech (FRA) Tim Geiger (GER)
	Interlude
14:30–15:30	Session VII Georgios Polydorakis (GRC) Miruko Atsuta (JPN) Flurina Felix (SUI) John Powers (USA)