; Whereas, in 1991, participating States met in Moscow and unanimously agreed that issues relating to human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law are of international concern, as respect for these rights and freedoms constitutes one of the foundations of international order; and declared categorically and irrevocably … that the commitments undertaken in the field of the human dimension of the CSCE are matters of direct and legitimate concern to all participating States and do not belong exclusively to the internal affairs of the State concerned ; Whereas the CSCE was renamed the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in January 1995, reaffirming the continued relevance and applicability of previously made principles and provisions in a Europe no longer divided between East and West and as the number of participating States increased from the original 35 to 57 today; Whereas the Helsinki Final Act, by making respect for human rights and implementation of commitments by participating States a permanent priority in the relations between States, provided an international foundation for the democratic aspirations of peoples throughout Europe and contributed to the peaceful end to the Cold War; Whereas the seventh Principle confirmed the right of the individual to know and act upon his or her rights, which inspired citizens from the participating States to associate and assemble for the purposes of monitoring and encouraging compliance with the principles and provisions of the Helsinki Final Act and subsequent documents of the CSCE and OSCE; Whereas, during the Communist era, members of nongovernmental organizations, such as the Helsinki Monitoring Groups in Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and Armenia as well as in Lithuania, and similar groups in Czechoslovakia and Poland, sacrificed their personal freedom and even their lives in their courageous and vocal support for the principles enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act