MUN

Model United Nations

 Statement of Purpose
• The Model United Nations program is an
extension of The Hague International Model
United Nations (THIMUN). It seeks to reflect
the ideas and principles of a peaceful post Cold
War world.
• The program accurately reflects the original
motives of the authors of the 1945 San
Francisco Charter.
• MUN strives to operate in a spirit of cooperation
and consensus. Seeking compromise
The Country Assignment
 At the MUN, as in the UN, delegates are
representatives of nations.

 Small Conferences
 delegates may represent a country by
themselves.
 Large Conferences (ie. THIMUN, BAIMUN)
 schools are assigned countries, and all the
members of the delegation which a school
sends to the conference represent that
country in their different committees.
Committee Selection

 The MUN as with the real U.N. is

divided up into committees, each
dealing with a specific issue.

 The committee selected will

determine the general topics, as well
as the specific issues one explores
during the conference.
Examples of General
Committees
 General Assemblies
 These are the
largest committees,
in the MUN, and the
topics vary from
year to year.
 ECOSOC
 The economic and
social committee.
 Human Rights
 Disarmament
 Special Conference
 This conference may
deal with any general
topic (ie: peace and
security), though is
smaller than a General
Assembly.

Note: Each of these general categories contains subcategories;

current individual issues in the topic of the committee.
Timeline of Events
1. Prep Work 3. Second Conference
Phase
1. Research Research
1. Formal Session
2. First Resolutions
(DEBATING)
2. First Conference
Phase  This is the bulk, of
the conference and
1. Opening Ceremony
is where all the
2. Opening Speeches
other work comes
3. Merging together.
4. Getting Approved 4. Closing Ceremony
Preparing for the
Conference
Researching
 A delegate’s goal at this stage is essentially to find
out everything possible about the issue before their
committee, and how it relates to the country they
represent.

 During this stage there are two assignments which

an MUN director may decide to assign the
delegates as preparatory work; a country profile,
and a policy statement.
Country Profile
 One or two pages of general information about
the country.
 Possible Topics
 History
 Stability
 Government
 Economy
 International Relations
Country Profile –
Countries Unrelated to the Issue
Key points to consider
 Economic interests
 Donors (Aid recipient?)
 Allies
 History
 Population Demographics
Policy Statement
 Approximately three hundred words
 Details nations policy on a particular
issue.
 Delegates write one statement per issue.
 (More than one issue per committee)
 Delegation: Cuba
Commission: Economic and Legal Heading
The Treatment and Trial of Perpetrators of Act of International Terrorism with
the International Criminal Court.
Issue Title
Cuba applauds the signatories of the Rome Statute in their efforts to address the
issue of international terrorism. Cuba has not ratified the Rome Statute, but
requests all participating nations to take extreme caution in any decision or
action they take. Any vagueness or lack of detail can lead open individuals
worldwide to injustice. Cuba also asks the International Criminal Court
Issue
(ICC) to consider the consequences of this decision on high tension regions
Discussion
such as Palestine and Israel. Though due to a variety of reasons Cuba has
been unable to ratify the Rome Statute, it has often communicated with the
ICC on several matters. The Republic of Cuba is constantly threatened by
terrorist for two main reasons: The island’s geographical location acts as a
stepping stone, attracting drug trafficking and money laundering from the
Americas. There are individuals that cling to the guerilla tactics and wish
to overthrow the Cuban government. There have been several attacks on
the Republic of Cuba, as well as Fidel Castro himself. Cuba is eagerly
willing to join the ICC.
Writing Resolutions
What is a Resolution?
 A resolution in MUN is the same as one in the
real UN. It is a document comprised of
clauses or points, which states the
organization’s intended solution to a problem.
 In dealing with a problem in the MUN the issue
is discussed and debated, and a resolution is
drawn up, calling for a certain action.
 What is unique and valuable about a resolution
in the UN is that it is an agreement between
many nations, not the dictum of one.
Clause Writing
Two Types of Clauses
 Preambulatory Clauses:
 Background information on the issue.
 Argumentation and reasoning.
 This is basically the research on which one bases
later arguments.
 Operative Clauses:
 Calls for action, based on evidence supplied in
perambulatory clauses.
Preambulatory Clauses
Example Clause
Committee: Special Commission on Peace and Security,
Question of: Combating terrorism in the Middle East)

1. Recalling UN resolution 52/165 on Measures to

eliminate international terrorism, defining terrorism
as criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a
state of terror in the general public, a group of
persons for political, philosophical, ideological, racial
ethnic, religious or other reasons that may be
invoked to justify them.

Starting
Phrase

Defines Terrorism
Operative Clauses
Formal Header
Example Clause
Committee: Special Commission on Peace and Security
Question of: Combating terrorism in the Middle East

 Urges relevant UN bodies and Middle Eastern nations to

increase public awareness of the effects of terrorism
through the use of mass media and education, that
would describe,

(A) The horrors of terrorism, and it’s ineffectiveness as a

constructive means of protest. Often the target group
Starting
Phrase
for terrorist attacks is only a small percentage of the
total affected (ie: embassy bombing in Kenya).
(B) Outlining and affirming Islam’s discordance with
terrorist activities in accordance with the UN definition
of terrorism. Reference to
Preamb.
Resolutions Continued…

Before the conference write,

 4 perambulatory clauses
 5 operative clauses

Note:
Some directors will require more clauses,
however clauses tend to deteriorate in quality when
more are required.
The Conference
The Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony is essentially

a presentation to the delegates. It is
a series of speeches made by the
secretary general, the chairs, and
possibly a guest speaker. This is
where delegates take one last
breath before the conference
begins.
Opening Speeches
 In an opening speech a delegate should outline
his country’s policy towards an issue that will be
discussed in their committee.
 The opening speech is approximately one minute
thus delegates must speak generally and
concisely about issues, though be sure to convey
a clear stance.
 The speech is a delegate’s first opportunity to
make his/her view’s known, and the better this is
done, the easier the merging process is later, as
like-minded nations may locate one-another more
quickly.
A Sample Speech…
Opening Speech (Notes)
Opening Phrases
- “Honorable chairs, fellow delegates…”

- “Madame President… honorable

delegates”

Presentation
- Dramatic + Informative

- Must respectably represent nation, may

not slander other nations
Lobbying + Merging
(grouped together at MUN)
Lobbying

1. Meeting People
 Forming resolution groups

2. Stick to country policy

 N. Korea and the United States are
not signed on to the same treaty
regarding nuclear proliferation.
Merging
 Forming groups
 Combining resolutions
 Writing new resolutions

Recommendations
- Locate countries with similar policies

- Form groups strategically

- Collect two best points from all submitters

Signing On
Main Submitter
 Reads out the operative clauses before
resolution is debated. (should be a
confident speaker)

Co-Submitters
 Are signed on in support of the resolution
 Usually stand to speak in favor of a
resolution, though are not obligated to.
(less comfortable delegates)
Getting a Resolution Approved

Description
 Resolutions are checked by administrators for
errors.
 Once checked and corrected resolutions get
approved.

Notes:
 Follow conference specifications exactly for
resolution formatting.
 Potentially very frustrating
Formal Debate
Debate Outline

1. Presenting the Resolution

2. Debate Time For
3. Debate Time Against
4. Amendment Time
5. Voting
 Key Phrases for
Delegates

General phrases and terms, necessary for

understanding and using formal speech.
Key Terms
 The Floor
 Refers to the forum or committee of delegates
as in
 “would the floor please come to order” - Chair
 Or signifies speaking rights.
 “I would like to yield the floor to the delegate of
______” – A delegate already speaking.
 The Chair
 The individuals in charge of the committee.
They keep order, and run the debate.
Key Phrases

 Yielding
 This refers to
speaking rights.
 One “yields” the
“floor” (their right to
speak).
Key Phrases/Points

 Point of Personal Privilege

 Used very commonly.
 Only point a delegate may make whenever
they wish.
 Means a privilege is violated
 I can’t hear
 the room is too hot/cold,
 I don’t have a copy of ____
Key Phrases/Points…

 Point of Information
a) When directed to the chair
i. Asking the chair to explain something
b) When directed to a speaker
i. Used when questioning a speaker, often in the
form of a leading question.

 Point of Order
a) Directed to the chair
i. Used to question the legality of an action or
decision
Motions
 “Motion to move to voting procedures”
 Directed to the Chair
 The delegate would like to end the debate and vote on

the resolution
 This motion must be seconded (another delegate

shouts out “second”) in order to be considered by the

chair.
 “Motion to table the resolution”
 Directed to the Chair
 The delegate feels debate on the resolution should go

on, but has reached a standstill. Therefore they

propose the resolution be set aside and discussed
later.
 Must be “seconded”.
Debating Explained
Presenting the Resolution

1. Main Submitter
a) Reads operative clauses of resolution
b) Takes “points of information”

2. Co-Submitters
a) Delegates signed on in support of the
resolution. (helped write it)
b) The main submitter will often yield the floor
to a co-submitter to speak on an issue.
Taking the Floor (speaking)

 To get the floor

 Chair may ask, “are
their any delegates
wishing to take the
floor” – delegates raise
their placards.

 After speaking
 one yields the floor to
another delegate
 or back to the chair
Debate Time “For” and “Against”
 The Chair sets debate time “For” and
“Against”.

 Time For
 Individuals speaking “for” the resolution take
the podium to speak.

 Time Against
 Individuals speaking “against” the resolution
take the podium to speak
Amendments
 Submitted in time “against”.
 Delegates write out and submit proposed
changes of a clause to the chair.

 If chair approves the amendment

 Submitter takes the floor, reads the
amendment, and speaks for it.
 A mini debate is held (time “for” and “against”
and a vote) to see if the amendment is added.
Voting
Voting
Time “Against” lapses.
 “Debate time on this resolution has lapsed, we
will now move into voting procedure.” – Chair
 Voting
 Placards are raised “for”, and then “against”
 Abstaining
 A neutral vote; not “for” or “against”. Nations may
abstain if they cannot decide one way or the other,
or as an act of dissention.

 Resolution either “Passes” or “Fails”

Overview

 Each committee debates multiple resolutions

on different issues.
 There is usually time for four or five,
depending on conference length.
 The debating process is used in each.

 At the end of the conference the passed

resolutions are published.
The Closing
Ceremony
And it’s all over…
It’s really that abrupt.