Agenda:
The Russian occupation of Ottoman territories and the outbreak of the Crimean War
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In the autumn of 1853, Russian forces crossed into the Danubian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, territories nominally under Ottoman suzerainty, marking the opening move of what would become one of the nineteenth century's most consequential conflicts. The Crimean Crisis Cabinet of 1853 is a fictional historic crisis committee convened under extraordinary circumstances as the Ottoman Empire, and the European order built upon it, faces an unprecedented convergence of military and imperial pressures. The Russian occupation has exposed the fragility of Ottoman sovereignty and destabilised the delicate balance of power that the Concert of Europe has long struggled to maintain. The committee must urgently deliberate on the question of military response and the defence of Ottoman territories, while navigating the competing interests of Britain, France, and Austria. As delegates convene on the 30th of November, 1853, the fate of Ottoman sovereignty and the stability of the European order hang in the balance.
Punya Khemani
Chairperson, CCC
I am Punya Khemani, and it is a privilege to serve as the Chairperson of the Crimean Crisis Cabinet, 1853 at the Emerald Heights Model United Nations 2026. As someone deeply interested in political systems and the way power, policy, and people intersect, guiding a committee set at one of history's most consequential diplomatic crossroads is something I find genuinely exciting. Outside of committee rooms, I enjoy debating, long runs, exploring hiking paths, and have an affinity for all things jazz.
The Crimean Crisis Cabinet of 1853 is a fictional historic crisis committee that places delegates at the heart of one of the nineteenth century's most volatile diplomatic failures. Tsar Nicholas I's occupation of the Danubian Principalities, justified under the guise of protecting Orthodox Christian poses a direct challenge to Ottoman sovereignty and to the stability of the European order. The crisis that followed was as much a product of miscalculation as it was of ambition, drawing the great powers of Britain, France, and Austria into a confrontation none had fully anticipated. Delegates must deliberate upon the military and political dimensions of the occupation, respond to evolving crisis updates, and determine whether the Eastern Question can be resolved, and in doing so, shape the course of a conflict that would define the century.