Taking inspiration from past events the United Nations Security Council, the most notable UN body to exist, was involved in past years, the Historical Security Council exists to serve as a platform in which delegates can participate as representatives of countries that were involved with issues of the past and seek solutions to said issues through active debate. The council will consist of double delegations of related member states of the period along with the 5 permanent members of the then Security Council: the United States of America, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, France, the United Kingdom, and the People’s Republic of China. These 5 member states hold the right to veto, which is the ability to strike out any clause that directly interferes with their national policies. The Council will follow the ad-hoc format where individual clauses will be presented by all delegations to be later debated. The council will also require a supermajority or simply more than ⅔ of delegations voting in favor with no vetoes.

This year in Koç JMUN, the Historical Security Council will gather to debate two agenda items that have had significant impacts in shaping global politics and our understanding of international relations: the Rhodesian Bush War (1964-1979), and the Iraq-Iran War (1980-1988). These topics have been considered to be major turning points in the second half of the 20th century for their impact on international politics, the shaping of the Cold War, decolonization and human rights, and lastly, the role of the United Nations in achieving peace and prosperity. Thus, the Historical Security Council offers delegates the valuable opportunity to experience this moment while putting themselves in the positions of those who shaped the very history that we know today.

Although the Security Council holds higher power than other organs when it comes to taking action or enforcing decisions, it is important to note that the UNSC still has the fundamental aim of solving conflicts through diplomacy and mutual dialogue. As the delegates will realize during the conference, the effectiveness of the actions taken and being able to viable solutions can only happen through cooperation between member states to support one another in times of conflict and desperation. For this, this year’s Historical Security Council will work in alignment with this year’s theme of Koç JMUN: “Adopting global diplomacy as a catalyst for combatting international conflicts.”