Model United Nations

Handbook

Compiled by Tanaka Nhokwara

Edited by Helen Barton
Extracted from EAMUN and MUN handbook

Last updated: September 2015

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Table of Contents
Table of Contents..................................................................................................................................1
The United Nations...............................................................................................................................2
Model United Nations Basics
The Representative................................................................................................................4
Role Playing.............................................................................................................................4
Research and Preparation.....................................................................................................5
The Opening Speech..............................................................................................................7
Rights to Reply........................................................................................................................7
Delivering Speeches...............................................................................................................7
Asking/Answering Points of Information............................................................................8
Seven Step Strategy for MUN Research.............................................................................................9
Researching a Country.........................................................................................................................10
Helpful Research Websites..................................................................................................................14
General Rules During Debate/Definitions of Terms.........................................................................15
Order of Debate....................................................................................................................................16
Writing a Resolution.............................................................................................................................19
Things to Look Out For When Writing Resolutions..........................................................................20
Sample Resolution #1..........................................................................................................................21
Sample Resolution #2..........................................................................................................................22
How to Make an Opening Speech…………………………………………………………………………………...23
Public Speaking Tips………………………………………………………………………………………….…………...24
Lobbying and Merging……………………………………………………………………………………………………25
Merging Resolutions/Co-Submitting Resolutions………………………………….………………….……....26
Dress Code Guidelines.........................................................................................................................27
Formal Expressions and Terms of Address.......................................................................................28
Chair Phrases........................................................................................................................................26
General Terms and Phrases................................................................................................................28
Overview of Motions...........................................................................................................................30
List of Resources Used…...………………………………………………………………………………………..……..32
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 The United Nations
This section is a basic guide and explanation for all those schools that are taking part in the MUN
program for the first time. MUN simulates the activities of the real United Nations Organization
and aims to build up the confidence and enhance the debate skills of all the participants.

At the Annual Conference, delegates are divided into various committees which each deal with
specific issues that the real UN would have to deal with.

1. The Human Rights Committee: This committee deals with international human rights
concerns.
2. The Political Committee: This committee deals with issues that require political
cooperation or seek to resolve political conflict.
3. The Ecology and Environment Committee: This deals with all issues concerning the
environment and ecosystems all over the world
4. The Economic Committee: This committee deals with global financial issues as well as
issues of development.
5. Global Agenda Committee: This committee’s details are given later in this booklet.
6. The Security Council: This deals with important matters and concerns of international
security.

Any country participating may write resolutions for any of these committees. A resolution is a
document that explains a problem of the delegate’s choice e.g. child trafficking, and offers
possible solutions to the problem. Resolution writing techniques and a sample resolution are
explained later in the booklet.

The delegate will have to read out their resolution and defend it at the meeting of the
committees during the annual conference. Delegates will then vote on the resolution and if it
passes, it will be re-debated in the General Assembly. The General Assembly, or GA, is a meeting
of two or more merged committees.

All delegates are required to behave in a diplomatic manner and to follow parliamentary
procedure that is explained later in this booklet. All terms used during conference are also
explained in this booklet.

“The United Nations itself was created in the belief that dialogue can triumph over discord, that
diversity is a universal virtue and that the peoples of the world are far more united by common
fate than they are divided by their separate identities.” - Kofi
Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations

The United Nations officially came into existence on October 24th, 1945, when the UN
Charter had been ratified by a majority of the original 51 member states. The day is now
celebrated each year around the world as United Nations Day.

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The purpose of the United Nations is to bring all nations of the world together to work for peace
and development, based on the principles of justice, human dignity and the well-being of all
people. It affords the opportunity for countries to balance global interdependence and national
interests when addressing international problems.

There are currently 193 Members of the United Nations. They meet in the General Assembly,
which is the closest thing to a world parliament. Each country, large and small, rich or poor, has
a single vote. The decisions made by the Assembly are not binding, instead they become
resolutions that carry the weight of world governmental opinion.

The United Nations Headquarters is in New York City, but the land and buildings are
international territory. The United Nations has its own flag, its own post office and its own
postage stamps. Six official languages are used at the United Nations – Arabic, Chinese, English,
French, Russian and Spanish. The UN European Headquarters is in the Palais des Nations,
Geneva, Switzerland. It has offices in Vienna, Austria and Economic Commissions in Addis
Abbeba in Ethiopia, Amman in Jordan, Bangkok in Thailand and Santiago in Chile. The senior
officer of the United Nations Secretariat is the Secretary-General, currently it is Ban Ki Moon.

The Aims of the United Nations:

• To keep peace throughout the world.

• To develop friendly relations between nations.
• To work together to help people live better lives, to eliminate poverty, disease and
illiteracy in the world, to stop environmental destruction and to encourage respect for
each others’ rights and freedoms.
• To be a center for helping nations achieve these aims.

The Principles of the United Nations:

• All Member States have sovereign equality.

• All Member States must obey the Charter.
• Countries must try to settle their difference by peaceful means.
• Countries must avoid using force or threatening to use force.
• The UN may not interfere in the domestic affairs of any country.
• Countries should try to assist the United Nations.

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Model United Nations Basics
The Representative
Delegates are fundamental to any Model UN Conference. A delegate’s job is to research the positions of
a UN Member nation, both on specific topics that will be discussed at the conference and as a general
overview of that nation’s policies. Delegates should then be able to prepare draft resolutions to be
submitted for debate at the conference.

Delegates attend the conference to represent their nation in discussing the resolutions presented.
Delegates should always be concerned with accurately representing their assigned nation’s views and
policies, rather than any individual views. When delegates reach the floor of the MUN conference, they
assume the role of a Distinguished Representative from their country, with all the rights and
responsibilities, which that entails.

At the conference, Representatives, as their countries’ spokesperson, will debate issues on the agenda
for discussion. They will draft and discuss resolutions, caucus with Representatives of other countries,
and work to solve the problems facing the world. In the [real] UN today, nations usually debate issues in
an attempt to reach a consensus that can be agreed to by all, or at least most, nations. The resolutions
under discussion at MUN can be accepted by consensus, adopted, amended, combined or even debated
to the point that no final document can be produced on a given issue.

Role Playing
MUN is a simulation of the UN. By its very nature, the quality and tone of the debate will be dramatically
different than in the “real” UN. In the UN, Representatives and their consular staffs spend months in
preparation, “behind closed doors” caucusing and interacting with other nations before an issue is
brought to a vote. A UN Representative, Foreign Minister or Head of State will almost always make a
prepared speech that will not be “news” to the other Representatives present.

At MUN, Representatives will have three days to assume the role of their nation’s Representative and
simulate the actions of the UN. This consolidation of time leads to many different circumstances with
which each country will have to contend. Among the considerations is the fact that Representatives will
rarely have the opportunity to make a pre-written speech on a topic. Instead, they will often be forced
to verbally react to circumstances as they arise, and they may be in a position where it is reasonable to
reinterpret their nation’s position in light of new facts. Representatives should not simply read from
their country’s established record on the issues presented; they should be prepared to compromise with
the other nations represented and adapt their policies where needed to meet the current circumstances
of the world as simulated at the conference.

Note that this in no way gives delegations license to act “out of character.” Representatives should
research and generally follow the policies of their country, modifying these as new circumstances
dictate. Successful role-playing involves walking a careful line on policy; avoid the extremes of either
reading verbatim a country’s past statements, or creating ad hoc policy with no previous basis.

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Research and Preparation
As a general rule, Representatives should become familiar with several items in their preparations for
the conference, from the UN system as a whole, to the specifics of their country’s position on the topics
of discussion for their respective committees. Research and preparation can be looked at in six areas:

1. The UN system as a whole: it is vitally important for each Representative to understand the
basics of the organization which they are simulating, the United Nations. A well-prepared
Representative should not only know the basics of the UN’s structure, but should have a good
understanding of how the body they will be working on fits into the organization.

2. Current statistical information and a general background of the represented nation’s history and
policies: This is the first key to understanding what actions a nation may prefer on the specific
issues. Research should include, but not be limited to, areas such as population, government
type, natural resources and trade data for the nation being represented. Traditional allies and
adversaries should also be noted. Additionally, a country’s history can be crucial to its
contemporary actions, including the question of whether that country was previously colonized,
or possibly a colonial power, when the country gained statehood, and what means were used in
gaining independence (civil war, violent struggle, peaceful movement, etc.).

3. Specific background of the nation’s viewpoints on the issues to be discussed at the conference:
Focused research on the issues being discussed in each committee and on your government’s
position on those issues. Research should include UN documents, articles, periodical sources,
books and internet resources beyond the UN web site. UN resolutions and reports on the issues
under discussion are especially helpful because they provide a quick reference to what has
already been accomplished by the UN and to what still needs to be done in the future. These
documents also frequently provide voting information, which allows Representatives to quickly
determine their country’s past positions on issues. Representatives should strive in their
research to know as much as they can about the country and its stance on each topic, and to
educate themselves enough to make reasonable policy assumptions on issues, which are not
totally clear.

4. The current world situation as it applies to the nation: There is a significant difference between
the policies of the only remaining superpower and a nation with very little military might. Even
more significant at the UN is the difference between the policies of the relatively rich,
industrialized nations and the relatively poor, developing (and especially least developed)
nations on many issues. Additionally, a nation which is currently involved in a civil war, or a
nation which is under UN sanctions, may have contrary and unique responses on some issues,
which are very different than those of the remainder of the international community. Knowing
where the nation you represent fits in the current world geo-political context, as a complement
to your country specific research, can answer many questions, which will come up during the
simulation.

5. A specific background of the perspectives of nations with differing viewpoints on the issues:
While it is reasonable to expect Representatives to know who their general allies and
adversaries on a given issue should be (regional partners, long-standing allies, etc.) it is very
difficult to have detailed information on what the policies of each country in the simulation will
be on a given issue. This is an area where complete knowledge will serve participants well, but it
is much more likely that each Representative will be learning the formal policies of other
countries in the committee when they give speeches from the floor and confer behind the
scenes in caucus sessions.

6. The rules of procedure for MUN: While substantive discussions of the issues form the basis of
any good simulation of the UN, the rules of procedure are what is used to facilitate the
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 substantive debate which occurs. In general, the rules are intended to provide an even playing
field, allowing each country to accomplish its individual goals in speaking their policies, while
also maximizing opportunities for the group to reach agreement, or even consensus, on the
issues.

7.

Rights of Reply
Following the delivery of a number of opening speeches, rights of reply are entertained by the Chair. Again,
the right to speak should be treated seriously and should not be abused. A reply is s short statement
pertaining to an item or items presented in a previous opening speech, not a questions addressed to a
speaker. Like an opening speech it should be content-based and may be dramatic in tone but should not be
purely rhetorical.

Delivering Speeches
A speech must have a clearly understandable structure. Speakers should use simple rhetorical techniques to
reinforce that structure, such as numbering the points in their argument, having a key word or phrase for each
argument and repeating and reiterating the main points before yielding the floor.

Speakers should deliver their speeches in a clear, loud voice. Every speech should have an obvious
beginning, e.g. “Honorable chair, ladies and gentlemen, I am in favor of this resolution because…”, a clear
development of argument, which has been worked out as part of the preparation process, and an obvious
end, e.g. “Therefore, I urge the House to vote in favor of this resolution. I will now yield to points of
information.”

Asking Points of Information

Although points of information must be phrased in the form of a question, they are not always genuine
questions used to elicit information from the speaker. In many cases, they are used rhetorically in order to
express an opinion when one does not have the floor or to support [or annoy] the speaker who does have
the floor, e.g. “Does the speaker not agree with me that the recent shooting of unarmed civilians by the
British security forces can only be regarded as murder?”

Answering Points of Information

The speaker who has the floor should not allow him/herself to be put off by points of information, however.
Since s/he has the floor, s/he can use the opportunity to reply to the question in any ways/he chooses,
reemphasizing an argument s/he has already made in his/her speech or using the question as a springboard
from which s/he can launch into further arguments. Points of information should never be answered with a
simple yes or no, which would be a wasted opportunity. Speakers in debate should use politicians as their
model when answering (or evading!) questions.

It is in the cut-and-thrust of answering points of information that the debate becomes more lively, so
students should be encouraged to answer points which arise and not simply yield the floor after delivering
their prepared speech.

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Researching a Country
You should find out the following information about your country

History: • Topography
• General
• Last 50 Years
• Recent History

Defense:
• Military Structure
• Dependency on Other Nations
• Membership of Alliances

Cultural Factors:
• Ethnic Groups
• Religions
• Cultural History

Political Structure:
• Origin of political structure
• Constitution and Government
• Stability and Policy of Present
Government

Natural Resources:
• Basic Commodities Produced
• Trade Agreements
• Degree of Self-Sufficiency

Economy:
• Monetary System
• Dependency and Debt
• Membership of Economic and Trade
Organizations

Views on World Problems:

• Role and Influence in the World
• Memberships of blocs and geo-political
groupings

Geography:
• Bordering Countries

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 Helpful Research Websites
CIA World Fact Book

<https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html>

Africa Country Pages

<http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Home_Page/Country.html>

Yale University’s United Nations Collection

<http://www.library.yale.edu/govdocs/un.html >

U.S. State Department's Background Notes

<http://www.state.govr/pa/ei/bgn/>

Library of Congress Country Studies

<http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html#toc>

UC Berkeley General Foreign Government Resources

<http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/doemoff/govinfo/foreign/gov_forgen.html>

Stanford University Model UN Research Site

<http://www.stanford.edu/group/Jonsson/mun.html>

BBC Country Profiles

<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/country_profiles/default.stm>

Directory of Every Embassy Worldwide

<http://www.embassyworld.com/>

Nation master (contains all sorts of statistics)

<http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php>

United Nations Websites

United Nations Website on every UN Member State

<http://www.un.org/en/members/>

UN Documentation Research Guide

à <http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/resguide/>

UN System of Organizations
<http://www.unsystem.org/>

General Assembly Resolutions

<http://www.un.org/documents/resga.htm>

Economic and Social Council Resolutions

<http://www.un.org/ecosoc/docs/resdec1946_2000.asp>

Security Council Resolutions

<http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/unsc_resolutions.html>

Be sure to visit your country’s government home page for details on their policies, too.

General Rules During Debate

• The decisions of the Chair are final.
• Only the Chair, a member of the house recognized by the Chair for a point, or the
speaker holding the floor has any right to speak.
• All speakers, including those rising to points, must stand when speaking and address the
Chair first.
• The Chair may, if circumstances warrant it, extend or reduce debate times or speaking
times and limit the number of points of information.
• Except by a decision of the Chair, there will be no suspension of the rules or changes in
the order of debate.

Definition of Debating Terms

• The Chair (Chairman, Chairperson): The Chair’s role is very important. It is his/her job to
conduct the debate and to maintain order while remaining totally impartial.
• The house: All the members of the class/conference, except the Chair.
• The submitter: The person who is proposing the motion in the form of a draft resolution
for debate.
• The motion: The proposal for debate, which will eventually be voted on.
• A point of information: A question directed either to the speaker who has the floor or
to the Chair by a member of the house who has been recognized by the Chair.
• A point of order: A question directed to the Chair by a member of the house who feels
that a mistake has been made in the order of the debate or who requires clarification of
the rules of procedure.
• A point of personal privilege: A question directed to the Chair by a member of the
house referring to the comfort or well-being of the member. It may not refer to the
content of any speech and may only interrupt a speaker if the speech is inaudible.
• A point of parliamentary inquiry: A point of information directed to the chair
concerning rules of procedure.

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• A call for the orders of the day: A call for the return to the main agenda of the
committee, council or assembly. It may not interrupt a speech and must not refer to the
content of any speech.
• A move to the previous question: A call for the closure of debate and for a vote to be
taken for a motion pending.

Order of Debate
1. The Chair calls the house to order.
2. Opening Speeches: Each country is permitted to make a one minute opening speech on
a topic of their choice (usually relating to the issue about to be discussed). Every speech
should begin with, “Madam/Mr. Chair, Honored Delegates…” and end with, “Thank you,
Mr./Madam Chair!” After three opening speeches, the Chair will entertain one Right of
Reply to each speech lasting no longer than one minute.
3. The Chair calls upon the submitter of the resolution to read the resolution aloud to the
house. The Chair then asks if anyone seconds the motion. Any member of the house
may simply call out, “Second!”
4. The Chair sets the debate time, for instance 10 minutes for the motion and 10 minutes
against the motion (if in closed debate format).
5. The Chair gives the floor to the submitter, who delivers a speech in favor of the motion,
after which s/he may yield to points of information, i.e. answer questions from the
members of the house who have been recognized by the Chair. Points of information
must be in the form of a question. The time taken for the question is not included in the
debate time but the time taken for answering it is included. The speaker may retain the
floor for the whole of the debate time, or s/he may yield the floor during the debate
time to another member of the house to speak in favor of the motion, or s/he can
simply yield the floor back to the Chair when s/he has finished without nominating the
following speaker. Once a speaker has yielded the floor, no more points of information
may be addressed to him/her.
6. If a speaker yields the floor back to the Chair, the Chair will recognize any member of
the house who wishes to speak in favor of the motion. This procedure is followed until
debate time for the motion has been exhausted.
7. When the debate time for the motion has been exhausted, the Chair calls upon the
speaker to yield the floor back to the Chair. The Chair then declares the floor open to
members of the house who wish to speak against the motion.
8. The Chair recognizes a member of the house to speak against the motion. The same
procedure is followed for the opponents as for the proponents.
9. When the debate time against the motion has been exhausted, the Chair may, according
to circumstances, propose an extension of time or close the debate and put the motion
to a vote. Once the Chair has closed the debate, all points, except points of order
relating to the conduct of the voting, are out of order. Voting is done by a show of hands
or placards.

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 Writing a Resolution
There is a specific format that each resolution is required to have. The entire resolution is one
continuous sentence, separated by commas and semi-colons. There are two parts to every resolution:
the preambulatory clauses and the operative clauses.

Preambulatory clauses contain background information, argumentation and the arguments

brought forth to support the operative clauses. Operative clauses contain the policy statements of the
body making the decision. Each operative clause should contain only one clear, unambiguous statement
of the decision being taken by the body. Each operative clause should be numbered separately,
arranged in a logical or chronological sequence and each must begin with a verb in the third person
singular of the present tense.

When writing a resolution, it is best to write the operative clauses first (so you know what action
you would like to see the United Nations take or what attitude it ought to adopt) and then to write the
preambulatory clauses, which will provide background information to the problem and the reasoning
behind the calls for action contained in the operative clauses.

Preambulatory Phrases:

Acknowledging Having adopted

Affirming Having considered
Alarmed by Having considered further
Approving Having devoted attention
Aware of Having examined
Believing Having heard
Bearing in mind Having received
Confident Having studied
Congratulating Keeping in mind
Contemplating Noting further
Convinced Noting with appreciation
Declaring Noting with approval
Deeply concerned Noting with deep concern
Deeply conscious Noting with regret
Deeply convinced Noting with satisfaction
Deeply disturbed Observing
Deeply regretting Pointing out
Deploring Reaffirming
Desiring Realizing
Emphasizing Recalling
Expecting Recognizing
Expressing its appreciation Referring
Expressing its satisfaction Reminding
Fulfilling Seeking
Fully alarmed Taking into account
Fully aware Taking into consideration
Fully believing Taking note
Further deploring Viewing with appreciation
Further recalling Welcoming
Guided by
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Operative Phrases:

Accepts Endorses Regrets

Affirms Expresses its Requests
Approves appreciation Resolves
Asks Expresses its hope Seeks
Authorizes Further invites Strongly affirms
Calls for Further proclaims Strongly condemns
Calls upon Further recommends Strongly urges
Condemns Further requests Suggests
Congratulates Further resolves Supports
Confirms Hopes Trusts
Declares accordingly Invites Transmits
Deplores Proclaims Urges
Designates Proposes
Encourages Recommends

Things to Look Out For When Writing

Resolutions
Checklist
ü Each resolution will have three headings at the start of the first page:
Committee:
Question of:
Co-Submitters:
ü The introductory clause or phrase of each preambulatory clause is underlined.
ü The introductory clause or phrase of each operative clause is in italics.
ü There is a line space between each clause.
ü There is an additional line space separating the preambulatory clauses from the
operative clauses.
ü The lines of the text are numbered consecutively (if the empty lines between the
clauses are numbered, that’s OK, too).
ü Each operative clause is numbered successively.
ü Subclauses are lettered a., b., c., etc.; sub-sub-clauses are numbered i., ii., iii., etc.
ü Acronyms and abbreviations are written out in full the first time they are used in the
resolution, e.g. UN is written United Nations (UN) the first time it is used.
ü School names do not appear anywhere in the resolution.
ü Co-submitting countries’ names appear only on the first page of the resolution.

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 Sample Resolution #1
Committee: Human Rights Commission

Question of: Threats posed to the enjoyment of human rights by anti-terrorism policies and practices

Submitter: Belgium

The Human Rights Commission,

Acknowledging the environment of fear that terrorism engenders in many parts of the world,

Alarmed by the loose interpretation of the Geneva Convention for the Treatment of Civilians and
Prisoners of War and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

Deeply concerned by the faulty assumption that national or international security must come at the
expense of human rights,

Recognizing the progress made by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) such as Amnesty

International and Human Rights Watch in the field,

Emphasizing the role and presence of the international community in the eradication of terrorism,

Reaffirming that the principle of non-discrimination and the fundamental human right to equality
are inconsistent with the practice of racial profiling,

1. Advises all Member States who have not already done so to implement international
instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Geneva Convention,
and to work in cooperation with the international community;

2. Calls for the creation of the Human Rights Violations in Anti-Terrorist Practices Committee
(HRVTC), that would ensure that all Member States fully implement the resolution;

3. Urges governments to review their internal security policies under the expert guidance of the
HRVTC, so as to ensure that fundamental human rights are respected, and that in no case is an
extra-legal structure designed to bypass existing judicial systems created through practices
based on:

a. searching houses or individuals without a warrant, or when the owner is away,

b. wiretapping and other interference with private communications without warrants,

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 c. confiscation of property of suspected terrorists,

d. seeking information concerning individuals’ private lives including, but not limited
to, library records, internet habits, medical records, education and financial records,

e. the denial of the right to see immediate legal counsel;

4. Requests that Member States declare all detention facilities to the UN in order to ensure
that regular inspections can be made by the HRVTC and that special facilities be designated
for the detention of suspected terrorists only, fully complying with the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights and the Geneva Conventions;

5. Urges Member States to consider sleep deprivation, the forced wearing of black hoods, the
deregulation of the natural body clock by deprivation of daylight and other measures as a
means of torture and, thus, prohibited;

6. Trusts that Member States will respect the human rights of all its citizens and that all
citizens will be considered innocent until proven guilty under the jurisdiction of existing
judicial systems.

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 Sample Resolution #2

Committee: Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

Question of: Promoting Gender Equality in Africa

Co-submitters: United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany

The Economic and Social Council,

Taking note that 1/3 of children in Africa does not go to school and that 2/3 of the 40 million
non-attendees are girls,

Aware of the average African woman’s life expectancy of 46,

Noting with deep concern that the probability of an African girl to go to school is 60%,
compared to the same probability for a British girl, which is 100%,

Realizing that the annual amount of African women who died during childbirth is 9.2 million
and that an additional 29,800 African women die from abortions, compared to only 8 in the
United Kingdom (UK),

Fully aware of the fact that African women have an average of 5.5 children and only about
15% of African women use any form of contraception,

Observing that women have the responsibility to collect clean water and food to support
their families,

Noting further that in most African nations, when their husband dies, women lose all rights
to cultivate their husband’s land, and lose cattle, livestock, and farm equipment,

Deeply concerned about the 25 million people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa, 57% of whom
are women, mostly between the ages of 15 and 19,

Emphasizing that domestic violence, including rape, kills more women aged 15 to 44 than
the combined number of deaths resulting from cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and war,

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1. Encourages African Member States to create campaigns in order to educate the
public about women’s situations and increase gender equality in Africa;

2. Recommends developed countries to help African governments to disseminate

information regarding the reality of gender inequality in Africa;

3. Recommends further that United Nations (UN) organizations (like the United
Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund [UNICEF], World Health
Organization [WHO], International Labor Organization [ILO] and United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO]) develop publicity
campaigns to end the problems associated with gender inequality in Africa;

4. Requests African businesses to assist women to assume more leadership roles in

order to address the evident gender inequality in the workplace.

How to Make an Opening Speech

• First, you should thank the presiding official by saying "Thank you Mr./ Madame/
Honorable Chair/ President…"
• Then begin by providing a brief history on the issue as it relates to your country.
• Speak about how the issue is currently affecting your country.
• Provide your country's position on the issue. Include an explanation for your country’s
stance, such as economic or security concerns or political or religious ideology.
• You may choose to give an explanation of how your country's position relates to the
positions of other member states such as the major powers or countries in your regional
bloc.
• You should discuss some of the past actions taken by the UN, member states and NGOs
to address the issue.
• Present ideas for a resolution, stressing your country’s objectives for the resolution.
• Talk about the role that NGOs or regional organizations have to play in addressing the
issue.
• Indicate to the committee members whether your country is willing to negotiate.

How to Make a Speech during Debate

• Again, you should thank the presiding official by saying "Thank you Mr./ Madame/
Honorable Chair/ President…"
• Encourage collaboration among member states by proposing ways that your country would
be willing to work with other member states.

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 • By referencing what other delegates have said, you can show support for your allies or
indicate which proposals your country does not favor.
• Present ideas for draft resolutions.
• Explain why your country does or does not support other draft resolutions.

Public Speaking Tips

Prepare: Decide how you feel most comfortable delivering your speech. You may choose to use
your position paper text as your opening speech or you may write out some key points. In time,
you may feel comfortable speaking without any written notes at all. If you plan to use a word or
phrase that is unfamiliar to you, make sure you learn its meaning and how to pronounce it
properly.

Practice: Rehearsing your speech is the best way to perfect your public speaking skills. Try
practicing in front of a teacher, a parent, or fellow Model UNers from your class or club. When
you listen to a speech, provide constructive feedback rather than criticism. When someone
critiques your speech, accept the feedback graciously and use it as a tool to strengthen your
public speaking.

Consider your audience: Make your speech appropriate to the age and experience-level of the
other delegates at the conference. Remember that the beginning of the speech should captivate
your audience and make them to want to hear more.

Eliminate unnecessary “filler” words: Fillers are words and phrases such as "umm," "well," "sort
of,” and “like". These words take away from the message you are trying to convey. Some
additional fillers to avoid are “so,” "you know," "I think," "just," and "uh."

Use meaningful pauses: Leaving a moment of silence between sentences can be a powerful
public speaking tool. Pausing after an important point or before answering a question will help
to hold the audience’s attention. A pause can also give you time to formulate your next
statement.

Breathe: Try to breathe from your diaphragm – the organ below your lungs that controls your
respiration. You are breathing properly if you can see your abdomen rising and falling with each
breath. Try to inhale and exhale completely.

Pace yourself: Don’t talk too fast or too slow. Remember that most speakers have a tendency to
talk too quickly.

Choose a powerful posture: Be aware of your posture when you speak. Slouching, tilting your
head and crossing your arms or legs will take away from your message. Stand up straight, relax
your shoulders, plant your feet firmly and keep your knees unlocked to help you communicate
confidence.

22
Project your presence: Speaking in a low/medium volume can help to project authority, but
make sure that you are speaking loud enough to be easily heard. Focus on speaking with
enthusiasm and energy.

Gesture: It is worthwhile to use your face, hands, arms and body to help you communicate as
long as your motions do not distract the audience from your speech.

Connect with your audience: Glance at your notes rather than reading them so that you can
make eye contact with the other delegates. It is often helpful to speak directly to individual
members of the audience.

Get to the point: Speak concisely so that your audience does not lose your main arguments
among less-important details. Try not to speak in circles. Instead, go straight to your most
important point.

Be positive: Rather than criticizing another point of view, critique it in a constructive way.
Always provide alternatives and be sure to back up your arguments.

Lobbying and Merging

The conference process begins in the lobby with informal dialogue between delegates from
different nations, with ad hoc committees and with organizational meetings. This period, called
lobbying and merging, is when resolutions are merged with others, amended, or perhaps even
discarded, if the delegate has accepted another resolution that more adequately represents
his/her nation’s interests.

Not all of the resolutions will survive the lobbying process or be accepted for debate. However,
delegates should not be discouraged if their resolution does not reach the committee floor.
Their preparation has not been wasted, for delegates can still attempt to add a few of their most
important clauses to a more popular resolution. All delegates should remember that their main
objective is to represent their country actively and constructively in the debates and to
participate fully in the discussions on the agenda issues, whether or not their own particular
resolution is debated.

There are dangers, however, in the merging process. Delegates who seek to create the largest
lobby bloc of voting strength by merging as many resolutions as possible sometimes end up with
an illogical, unrealistic, or inherently contradictory resolution. It is essential that delegates
should be aware of this risk and seek to create resolutions that are representative of the policies
of specific interest groups and that make realistic recommendations for action to be taken in
dealing with the issues.

23
Merging Resolutions
1. Review your country’s general policy on the issue and consider which country or group of
countries might most likely support your draft resolution.
2. Establish contact with the delegates from these countries.
3. Exchange resolutions and read carefully.
4. Take time to discuss your resolution with your fellow delegate. Explain the meaning and purpose
of certain clauses. Comment on the clauses that you either like or dislike. How can the resolution
be strengthened and thereby improved? Make constructive suggestions.
5. If you see that certain clauses are similar, think about how you could merge (join into one) both
resolutions. Always be open to merging resolutions. Merging can strengthen the resolution and,
ultimately, the quality of debate.
6. If you decide to merge, start clarifying the vague clauses.
7. Always be careful that the resolution you and your fellow delegate are writing is in line with the
foreign policies of both countries!
8. Remember: The contacts you make when lobbying are especially useful during debate. Through
these contacts, you can yield the floor to those whom you know have a similar position on the
resolution.

Co-submitting Resolutions
1. Review your country’s general policy on the issue and consider which country or group of
countries might most likely support your draft resolution.
2. Establish contact with the delegates from these countries.
3. Exchange resolutions and read them carefully.
4. Take time to discuss your resolution with your fellow delegate(s). Explain the meaning and
purpose of certain clauses.
5. Try to convince the other delegate why he or she must be in favor of your resolution. Ask the
delegate to co-submit your resolution.
6. If you want to co-submit another delegate’s resolution, be sure that you agree with all the
clauses and that it is entirely in line with your country’s foreign policy.
7. If you discover that one or two points are unacceptable, make suggestions. If the other delegate
is uncompromising, do not co-submit his or her resolution.
8. Remember: The contacts you make during lobbying are especially useful during debate. Through
these contacts, you can yield the floor to those whom you know have a similar position on the
resolution.

24
 Dress Code Guidelines
Dressing professionally and appropriately is an important aspect of Model United Nations preparations. Just
like being polite and having proper manners, dressing appropriately is an important way to show respect for
the nation you are representing, for your fellow delegates and for the United Nations. At some conferences,
delegates may wear their own national dress; however, most conferences will require western business attire.

What is Western Business Attire?

Western business attire, or international standard business attire, serves as customary dress for
workplaces. It entails wearing a suit, which is made up of trousers, a matching jacket, a button-down dress
shirt, and a tie. Conservative dress shoes and socks are also important. Skirts and dresses may also be worn
as long as they fall to a decent length. The main thing to remember is to always insure that your appearance is
tidy and put-together, and that you are well-covered.

Females Males

Suits A suit always looks professional. Be sure to A suit always looks professional. Be sure to keep
keep suits clean and wrinkle-free. suits clean and wrinkle-free.

Tops No t-shirts. A blouse, sweater, or button- No t-shirts. A collared/button-down shirt is

down shirt of any kind is appropriate. Dresses appropriate and do not forget a tie!
are also appropriate as long as they are not
revealing and adequate in length (follow the
rules below for skirt length).

Bottoms No jeans or shorts. Slacks and suit-pants are No jeans or shorts. Slacks, preferable in dark
acceptable. Skirts must be worn with colors, are appropriate.
pantyhose/stockings and should not be more
than two inches above the knee. Bottoms
should have a subtle pattern; avoid loud
designs.

Shoes No sneakers or open-toe sandals. Remember: No sneakers or open-toe sandals. Loafers or other
high-heeled shoes may look pretty, but they types of dress shoes are preferred.
can also be very uncomfortable, so use your
discretion.

Hair Keep hair clean and out of your face for a Keep hair clean and out of your face for a
professional look. professional look.

25
Formal Expressions and Terms of Address
General:
• All speeches should begin: “Mr. (or Madam) Chair(man), ladies and gentlemen of the
house…”
• All references to other speakers should be in the third person, for instance, points of
information should begin with a phrase such as: “Is the speaker aware that…” and
never: “Do you think…”.
• Within a speech, a speaker should not say: “Johnny, you said…” but: “As my (dear,
learned, honorable) friend, Johnny, has told the house…”

Phrases to be used by delegates:

• Mr./Madam Chair(man)…
• I request the floor/I wish to have the floor
• I rise to a point of information/point of order
• I wish to speak in favor of/against this motion/resolution/amendment because…
• Is the Chair/the speaker (not) aware that…
• Does the speaker (not) agree with me that…
• The speaker stated in his speech…Does he (not) realize that…
• I yield the floor to points of information/to the delegate from Vanuatu
• I move to amend the resolution by striking/inserting/adding the words…
• I urge the house to give me its support by voting for/against this
motion/resolution/amendment
• The motion will now be put to the vote.
• Will all those in favor/in support of/against/opposed to the resolution/amendment,
please raise their hands?
• Are there any abstentions? Will all those abstaining please raise their hands?
• The motion/resolution/amendment has failed/been defeated/been passed/ by: x votes
for, y votes against, with z abstentions.

Phrases to be used by the Chair:

• The house will come to order/Will the house please come to order?

26
• The Chair calls upon the delegate from Lesotho to read the operative clauses of
the resolution to the house
• The house has heard the resolution. Is there a second?
• The Chair sets a closed debate time of 10 minutes for and 10 minutes against the
motion.
• The Chair sets an open debate time of 20 minutes.
• The delegate from Bolivia has the floor.
• All points are out of order until the speaker has concluded his/her speech.
• The Chair recognizes the delegate from Samoa. To what point do you rise?
• Please rise and state your point of information/order.
• Has the point of information been well taken?
• The delegate’s point is (not) well taken.
• Will the delegate from Vanuatu please restate his/her point in the form of a
question?
• The speaker appears not to have heard/understood your question.
• Will the speaker please repeat/rephrase his/her question?
• Are there any further points on the floor?
• Are there any further points of information to this speaker?
• Will the speaker please make his/her concluding remarks?
• Debate time for/against the resolution/amendment has expired.
• The Chair moves to extend debate time by 5 minutes for and 5 minutes against
the motion.
• There has been a motion to move directly into voting procedures. Are there any
objections?
• There is an objection. Tunisia: please rise and state your objection.
• Debating time on this resolution has elapsed. We will now move straight into
voting procedures. Admin staff: please take your voting positions, secure the
doors and suspend all note-passing. All points are out of order. All those in
favor…etc.
• The Chair would like to remind all delegates that abstentions on amendments
are not in order.
• Does the delegate’s point of order pertain to the conduct of the voting? If so,
please state your point. If not, the delegate’s point is out of order.
• Will all those in favor/in support of/against/opposed to the
resolution/amendment, please raise their placards high?
• Are there any abstentions? Will all those abstaining please raise their placards?

27
 • The motion/resolution/amendment has failed/been defeated/been passed/ by: x
votes for, y votes against, with z abstentions.

General Terms and Phrases

Veto – the right of a single party to defeat a motion; in the UN Security Council, this right is
given to only the five permanent members (USA, UK, France, China, Russia)

Quorum – the minimum number of delegates required to be present for a vote to be considered
valid; in MUN, this constitutes a majority of all delegates

United Nations Charter – the constitution of the United Nations, which lays the foundation for
the organization as a whole; all member states are signatories to it

Opening Speech – a one-minute speech given by all present delegations at the start of the
conference, outlining some policy goals or positions

Amendment – a change in the resolution intended to improve the resolution with the object of
achieving a higher consensus and thus helping the resolution to pass; can only be proposed by
the speaker who has the floor and after providing a copy of the amendment to the Chair
beforehand; in closed debate, this is done in time against the resolution; if the amendment fails,
the speaker who proposed it retains the floor

Open debate – a debate format, where the Chair determines the debate time, that will be
shared (as equally as possible) by the different parties

Closed debate – a debate format, where the Chair determines equal debate times for and
against a motion

Point of Order – when a delegate wishes to point out an infraction of the rules and/or improper
decorum in speaking; cannot interrupt speech

Point of Information – when a delegate wishes to ask a question (only one question!) of the
speaker; cannot interrupt speech; must be phrased in the form of a question

Point of Parliamentary Inquiry – when a delegate seeks to clarify a Chair’s ruling or point out an
inconsistency in the Chair’s ruling on an issue; cannot interrupt any speech; must be recognized
by Chair before stating Point

Point of Personal Privilege – pertains to noise, personal comfort, etc.; may not refer to the
content of any speech; can only interrupt a speech when it pertains to the audibility of the
speaker

28
Orders of the Day – when a delegate observes a deviation from the stated agenda and wishes to
return to the issue originally scheduled for discussion; may not refer to the content of any
speech

Right of Reply – a response to an Opening Speech that may not exceed one minute in length;
each speech can only be replied to once

Tabling a Resolution – to temporarily suspend further consideration/debate of a resolution; can

only be moved to when a motion to close debate has been heard; requires a simple majority

Reconsidering a Resolution – a resolution, which has been tabled can only be reconsidered
once all other business on the agenda has been complete; requires a 2/3 majority

Move to the Previous Question – closes debate on a resolution and moves straight into voting
procedures

Move to Extend Debate Time – when a delegate wishes to extend debate time on a particular
motion (does not require a second but can be objected to by other delegates)

Move to Limit Debate Time – when a delegate wishes to limit debate time on a particular
motion (does not require a second but can be objected to by other delegates)

Objection to the Motion – objecting to a motion raised by another delegate; cannot be used in
response to a motion raised by the Chair

Yield the Floor – the floor may be yielded by one delegation to another only once consecutively;
delegates within one delegation may not yield the floor to one another

Move to Divide the House – when a vote is particularly close, a delegate may ask for a revote
where there are no abstentions allowed

Roll Call Vote – when a vote was particularly close, each delegation is called on individually to
say which way it voted; only the Chair can decide to do this

Right to Explain Vote – after a vote, one speaker of each side (for, against, abstain) will be
allowed one minute to explain his/her vote; only the Chair can decide to do this.

29
 Overview of Motions
Motion Meaning Can it interrupt? Second Objection How is it
needed? possible? decided?

Point of Personal A request to the chair regarding a No, except if it No No Chair

Privilege delegate’s personal comfort, e.g. refers to the
noise, room temperature, etc. audibility of the
speaker

Point of A request to ask a question of the No No No Chair

Information speaker or chair

Point of Order A request for clarification of the No No No Chair

rules of debate.

Point of A request for clarification of rules No No No Chair

Parliamentary of procedure or point out
Inquiry inconsistency in the application of
rules

Request a Follow- A request to follow up on a point of No No No Chair

Up information to the speaker,
clarifying a previous question

Right of Reply A request to respond to an opening No No No Chair

speech

Objection to the To oppose a motion raised by No No, unless Yes Chair

Motion another delegate the Chair
asks for it

Orders of the Day A request to return to the No No No Chair

scheduled issue being debated, if
the discussion has drifted away

30
 Move to A request to lengthen or shorten No No, unless Yes Chair
Extend/Limit debate time allotted to debating a the Chair
Debate Time given resolution asks for it

Move to Table the A request to postpone debate on a No Yes Yes Simple

Resolution resolution until a later time. majority, can
be overruled
by Chair

Move to A request to reopen debate on a No Yes Yes 2/3 majority,

Reconsider a previously tabled resolution can be
Resolution overruled by
Chair

Move to Adjourn A call for an end to debate No Yes Yes 2/3 majority,
can be
overruled by
Chair

Motion to Move A request for an in-house recess, No Yes Yes 2/3 majority,
Into Caucus where delegates meet to can be
informally lobby overruled by
Chair

Move Straight Into A request to end debate and vote No Yes Yes Chair
Voting Procedures on a main motion
or Move to the
Previous Question

Move to Divide the A request to vote on a main motion No Yes Yes Chair
House again, where no abstentions are
allowed

Roll Call Vote A request to vote again by asking No Yes Yes Chair
each country individually for their
vote on a main motion

Right to Explain A request to explain why a country No No No Chair

Vote voted the way it did on a main
motion

31
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