What is MUN?

 A Conference type
 Simulation of UN
 Real UN Bodies
 Real global political topics
 Real diplomatic rules

 It takes place in a professional environment

 An academic, social and cultural event
 An international conference
 MUN is a theatre
Delegates are actors/actresses
Artificial setting
Participants do role-playing
Playing the game of diplomacy
Participants wear costumes. The dress code:
business attire-smart
The topics could be fictional, but they should be
reasonable and should fit the real context of
global public events.
 KNOW YOUR COUNTRY
 First, you will need to learn about your
country so that you can address the
issues raised at the conference as a real
UN delegate from that country. To
represent your country accurately .
 People in MUN
Inside the Committee
 Chair -A member of the dais that moderates debate,
keeps time, rules on points and motions, and enforces
the rules of procedure. Also known as a Moderator.
 Delegate - A student acting as a representative of a
member state or observer in a Model UN committee.
 Admin-
 Observer
 Press Corps

Outside the Committee

 Secretariat (Academic Team)
 Organization Team: business, media, public
relations, logistics, design, IT, finance, head of staff
 Vocabulary

• Debate (to discuss)

• Placard
• General Speakers’ List
• Chairperson
 Being a Delegate
 Attracting the attention
Dress Properly all the time .
Be friendly, try to meet with people
Body language:
Sometimes it is not important what you say, but
how you say it.
Don’t be SHY!

 Be Serious
Act like a diplomat
Courtesy
Official language
You should have a style
Defending your country’s position
How to address
• Honorable delegates
• Distinguished chairs
• Fellow delegate(s)
• Madame Chair
Inside the Committee
• Look professional
– Prepare note sheets
– Participate in the debate
– Pay attention to the details
– Listen to what is being said
– Make points of information
– Collaboration
 During the break time-lobbying
times
Be social
Make contact with as many participants as
possible.
1st day: Interact with different groups of
people.
2nd day: specify the people that you want to
work with.
Look for original arguments
Distribute notes indicating your ideas
Participate in the social events
 Opening Speech
• You may refer to your position paper
• 1-2 minutes long
• Your country’s basic purpose
• What your country wishes to
receive/achieve in this conference
• After you are done with your speech you
should always say, ‘I yield the floor back to
the chair’ if you wish to have a sit. If you
would like other delegates to ask you
questions, then you should say, ‘I yield the
floor to the questions’.
 Example:
Mr. Secretary General, Mr. President, honorable delegates,
distinguished chairs; we are very proud to be here,
representing Haiti. Haiti has been struggling with some
political troubles in these previous years. But we are sure with
the help of UN we will eradicate these issues. Poverty, hunger,
diseases, and instability are other issues that Haiti and the
most of the developing world is concerned about. Our children
are dying because of scarcity; they are dying because of
starvation. We are trying our best to eliminate these crises. We
are trying to develop our economy as a cure to our illnesses.
But Haiti is still concerned about her and the world’s future.
The problems that we have are not new to you, we’ve been
dealing with these concerns in the past and we will continue to
deal with them in the future. But we anticipate that by the
actions that we will take, by the decisions that we shall give in
this conference by cooperation and solidarity, we will all be the
light for everyone’s future. Haiti is ready to participate for a
better world with all its heart.

Thank you,
 Rules of Procedures
• Points and Motions

• Types of debate
 Points
• If you want to make a statement raise a point
– Point of personal privilege = Toilet, Extreme
Hot, Inaudibility
– Point of order = Something Wrong Here
– Point of information directed to the speaker
= Ask a Question (about something mentioned by
the speaker)
– Point of information directed to the chair =
Ask a Question (about the topic under discussion)
– Point of parliamentary inquiry = Did you
forget the rules?
• Points during the debate may NOT interrupt a
speaker!!! except; point of personal privilege
 Motions
Motions are for proposing an action
• Motion to set the agenda- Alphabetic country list
• Motion to move to moderated/unmoderated caucus
• Motion to move directly to the voting procedure
• Motion to adjourn the debate (All UN or Model UN sessions end
with a vote to adjourn. This means that the debate is suspended
until the next meeting. This can be a short time (e.g., overnight)
or a long time (until next year's conference).
• Motion to reconsider a resolution
• Motion to extend debate time
• Motion to set speaker’s time

• Second a motion - To agree with a motion being

proposed.
• Object a motion - To not aggree with a motion being
proposed.
 Types of debate
• Open debate (automatic)
– Speaker’s list
– General debate time
– Floor is open to motions and points
• Moderated Caucuses
– Opens upon a raised motion
– Suspends the speakers list
– Aims to facilitate debate on a particular aspect of
the topic
– Anyone can speak as long as they show their
placards
– There is specific amount of time delegated
• Unmoderated Caucuses
– Formal lobbying time
– Takes place inside the committee session
 Moderated Caucus

• Requires a simple majority vote by the

body
• Formal environment, rules of procedure
continues in the same way.
• If motion passes, Chair will say "all those
wishing to speak, please raise your
placard“ recognizing the delegations one
after the other.
• No need to come up to the podium.
 Unmoderated Caucus

• Informal environment that overrules any rules of

procedures

• Allows you to work together to discuss further

details and to make lobby for your decisions

• Requires a simple majority vote by the body

Note Passing
 What is a Resolution?
• The UN’s method of outlining the steps
needed to solve a problem

• Result of debates and negotiations, done

through the sessions.

• A comprehensive document of the

committee’s ideas on the topic

• It’s a ONE BIG LONG sentence.

 Roadmap for a Resolution

1. Working Paper
2. Draft Resolution
3. Introducing Draft Resolution
4. Amendments
5. Voting
= RESOLUTION 
 Working Paper

• Draws a roadmap for upcoming

discussions and aids to the preparation of
draft resolution

• No need for signatories

• No certain type or format -you may not

write it in a resolution format.

• Let the rest of the committee know what

your ideas are for future collaboration
 Draft Resolution
• Once the draft resolution is prepared, in order to
introduce it, you need to get appropriate number of
signatories.

• If it gets the enough number, it will be sent to the

Chair

• After Chair gives a permission, each delegate will

obtain one copy of the draft resolution then you’ll
discuss it.

• Just because you have signed the reso. (to be

discussed) does not mean you have to vote for it.
 Submitters & Signatories
• Submitters
– Principal authors that agree with all of the reso

• Signatories
– These countries may not totally agree with
substance, but want to see it debated.

Note: Recall that the draft resolution must have

signature of appropriate number of submitters
and signatories to be approved by the Chair
What is the format of the draft
Resolution?

Beginning

Perambulator
y Clauses

Operative
Clauses
 Amendments
• Use if you just want to fix a few points of Draft
Resolutions.

• Amendments can not be amended .

• Requires a simple majority vote by the body

• If amendments pass, then the amendment is

added to the draft resolution and the draft
resolution is voted on with the added
amendments.
 Crucial Points
• Stay on topic!
• Participate in the discussions
• Socialize
• When you forget the procedural rules,
raise a point of parliamentary inquiry
• Be respectful to the chair’s decisions all
the time.
• Never challenge chair’s decisions unless
the chair is undeniably wrong.
 MUN’s Benefits
Improve your knowledge in political issues
and popular public debate topics
Practice your English !!
Master your professional skills.
Meet with people who share the same
interests with you
Extend your social network (conferences,
work, internship, education)
Build up a powerful CV
Look cool! Become popular in school!
Enjoy a international professional
environment
THE BASICS
• Remember it is not your opinion
you are expounding but the
country you are representing.
• Be willing to continuously improve
and refine your capabilities.
• Technique matters - so practice it.
• Be aware of different political
perspectives - East vs. West and
North vs. South.
AND ONE LAST THING
• Congratulate your team
members (and other
players!) on their
contributions to the team
and the conference.
Don’t Forget!

• MUN is not just an academic event

• It is also something social