United Nations Security Council (SC)

Julia Solomon-Strauss, Director

Class Year: 2014

Concentration: Social Studies

Hometown: Chicago. IL

Favorite Country: Uncorrupted Italy

Favorite Food: Uncorrupted chocolate

Favorite MUN Memory: Speaking on the floor of the UN General Assembly and of course being a delegate on HMUN Security Council!

Why should delegates come to HMUN? For the most invigorating, fulfilling, exciting learning experience possible in high school—what could be more fun!?

Questions? E-mail Julia at sc@harvardmun.org.

Topic Areas

Topic Area A: The Situation in the Caucasus
Situated on the border between Europe and Asia (the area between Turkey and Russia between the Black and Caspian Seas), this volatile region has dealt with a series of political, military, and economic crises in its long history. The Caucasus continues to face security threats, but is in fact one of the most neglected regions in discussions international peace and security. It remains one of the most important global regions in which to preserve stability, due to the possibilities for exploiting the region for wealth. The Caucasus has incredibly important mineral deposits, making it not just an issue of marginalized minorities in the wake of the Soviet Union but also potentially powerful nation-states emerging with the wealth of their energy stores.  In the North Caucasus region, insurgencies continue to rip nations apart, an issue that has been unheeded by the international community. The breakaway regions of the Caucasus, hoping to capitalize on mineral growth, complicate the situation of fairly allocating resources. The Security Council must address how to allow this war-torn region to flourish economically and politically in order to create a permanent and prosperous peace for its citizens.

Topic Area B: Standards for Intervention
The United Nations, and especially the Security Council, has an obligation to intervene in situations that threaten international peace and security, in order to take appropriate action and preserve human lives. The enduring struggle faced by the global community is in what circumstances this intervention is warranted, valid, or even crucial. The criteria for intervention, in the form of sanctions or military action, have not been set forth concretely. The Security Council, therefore, continues to grapple with determining the appropriateness of action on a global scale. Various situations include atrocities, such as genocide, or extreme deprivation of human rights. This topic is extraordinarily pertinent given the case studies of the recent months. Today, we face challenges in the Middle East and in Japan, as the country struggles to cope with its nuclear crises and natural disasters. The Council must determine in what cases we are obligated to intervene for the greater international good and how to adapt to the violently changing geopolitical structures of the early 21^st century.

For more information on the UN Security Council, visit:

United Nations Security Council

Overview of the United Nations Security Council including Membership

Times Topics on the UN Security Council