Democratic Federal Yugoslavia was a charter member of the United Nations from its establishment in 1945 as the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia until 1992 during the Yugoslav Wars. During its existence the country played a prominent role in the promotion of multilateralism and narrowing of the Cold War divisions in which various UN bodies were perceived as important vehicles. Yugoslavia was elected a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council on multiple occasions in periods between 1950–1951, 1956, 1972–1973, and 1988–1989, which was in total 7 (out of 47) years of Yugoslav membership in the organization. The country was also one of 17 original members of the Special Committee on Decolonization.