As far as alliances go, the twentieth century was noteworthy. The post-Second World War establishment of NATO, in addition to its mission of providing security for its members, was also the expression of the resolve of free peoples and sovereign nations to unite in their efforts for collective defence, the maintenance of security, peace and stability, and the safeguarding of common values. After five decades of intense efforts and through the solidarity of its members, today the Allies can take pride in the fact that this collective endeavour has been a true success. NATO also helped to overcome the adversarial relationship between East and West and paved the way for the creation of a new and inclusive security framework.