NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, is an intergovernmental military alliance that was established in 1949. The primary objective of NATO's establishment was to protect its member countries' freedoms and security by working together and conducting joint defense research. Since its founding, NATO has played a vital part in fostering transatlantic cooperation and has made a substantial contribution to the improvement of security, stability, and peace in the North Atlantic region. NATO was founded on April 4, 1949, when the North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington, D.C. Among the first twelve founding members were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States. According to the treaty, an armed attack against one member state would be considered an attack against all members, and collective action would be required to restore and preserve security. The concept of collective defense is the core of NATO's mission. Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty outlines that, requiring prompt collective action in the event of an armed strike against any member. This pledge has served as a strong deterrence and contributed to maintaining peace in the Euro-Atlantic region for more than 70 years. NATO has changed over time in response to shifting worldwide circumstances and safety concerns. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, NATO expanded its membership base and reoriented its strategy to confront emerging challenges such as terrorism and regional conflicts. At the moment, NATO has 31 members, with the recent addition of Finland, from North America and Europe. In SONKALMUN, delegates are going to be expected to contemplate beneficial peace resolutions by cooperating with their allies and finding a meaningful end to the conflicts, most notably to the ones which threaten the alliance's collective security in the region.