The Helsinki Accords was a wide-ranging pact signed by the United States, Soviet Union, and most of Europe that aimed to advance détente and foster increased cooperation between the two blocs. At the time of the enactment of the Helsinki Accords—or the Helsinki Final Act—in 1975, politicians were skeptical of its import. But as the Cold War progressed and Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and Pope (now Saint) John Paul II entered the world stage, the underpinnings of the 35-nation agreement became more relevant and evident to the world. In fact, the Helsinki Accords are often credited with laying the groundwork for the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, and eventually the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The cornerstone of the Accords was its focus on human rights—fundamental freedoms such as “thought, conscience, and religion”—which, in practice, highlighted what was really happening behind the Iron Curtain. The United States’ insistence on the inclusion of God-given rights cemented its place as the standard bearer of human rights to the oppressed, vulnerable, and marginalized around the globe, many of whom turned to what was then called Helsinki Watch groups for assistance. Today, the Helsinki Watch group is known as Human Rights Watch.
While the world has changed, the United States’ focus on international human rights rarely wavers. From Asia to Africa to the Western Hemisphere, the United States continues to stand, and fight, for the rights of the repressed and persecuted. For generations, no nation has done more in this arena. And while America—in its 250-year history—may stumble, she remains the indisputable beacon of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
