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MEMUNC DELEGATE PREPARATION GUIDE
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE
Written by Erica Benson
MeMUNC 2012 Secretary-General
1 0 2 B e d f o r d S t r e e t , P o r t l a n d , M E 0 4 1 0 2 • t e l e p h o n e : 2 0 7 - 7 8 0 - 4 1 9 4 • e m a i l : m e m u n c @ m a c . c o m • w w w. m e m u n c . o r g
Table of Contents
Introduction
1
The United Nations
2
The General Assembly (GA)
3
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
3
Security Council
3
Secretariat
4
Trusteeship Council
5
International Court of Justice (ICJ)
5
Specialized Agencies, Regional Bodies, and International Bodies
5
At MeMUNC
5
Preparation
6
Checklist
6
Preparation Timeline
6
Research Overview
7
Delegate Binder
7
Country Research
9
Country Research Process
9
MeMUNC Delegate Preparation Guide
i
Country Research Questions
11
Research Overview Template
13
Issue Research
14
Background Guides
14
Committee Research
14
Organizing Main Points
15
Past Actions
15
Position Research
16
Status of the Issue
16
Bloc Positions
16
Speeches, Press Releases, and Voting Records
16
Potential or Offered Solutions
16
Position Paper........................................................................................................................17
Writing your Position Paper................................................................................................17
Strategy
19
Clarify your objectives
19
Draft your Opening Speech
19
Gain Support
19
Debate
20
Parliamentary Procedure
20
Opening Session
20
Formal Debate
20
MeMUNC Delegate Preparation Guide
ii
Informal Debate
21
Flow of Debate
22
Resolutions
23
Structure
23
Writing a Working Paper
24
Debating Resolutions
26
Amendments
26
Voting
26
Appendix
i
MeMUNC Delegate Preparation Guide
iii
Introduction
At MeMUNC, model UN is first and foremost a learning experience. It is an opportunity for participants to develop
an understanding of international relations, current global issues, and the relevance of political, social, and economic
relationships between countries. The secondary purpose of model UN is to provide an opportunity for participants to
develop useful skills in research, writing, public speaking, negotiation, and leadership. Typically, as a delegate improves these skills, the quality and impact of the experience in the achievement of the first objective increases as well.
That is why adequate preparation for each delegate at the conference is very important to MeMUNC staff. Preparation has an impact for the individual as well as for the conference as a whole. Each delegate represents an ambassador of his or her assigned country. The role of the ambassador is to endorse actions that align with the country’s core
beliefs and policies. To perform this task, delegates need to understand not only the country’s foreign policy and perspective on the topic but also how that country would interact with other countries. As an ambassador, each delegate’s representation of his or her country has an impact on every other delegate’s experience. An accurate representation enhances the overall understanding of global affairs for the entire committee, and even for the conference as a
whole.
Preparing for MeMUNC (or any model United Nations conference) can be a long and sometimes challenging process,
but being prepared for the conference is the best way to ensure that your experience is truly valuable, useful, and
meaningful. This guide is intended to be used as a how-to for beginning delegates and a resource for model UN veterans. Preparation is essentially comprised of three phases. The first phase is the research phase, which develops your
perspective of your assignment and position. During this phase, you will research your committee, country, and issues. During the second phase, you will brainstorm initial ideas about potential solutions and strategies. These first
two phases lead to the creation of two very important resources for the conference: the position paper and the Delegate Binder. The third phase is learning (or refreshing) your knowledge of model UN procedure and how debate
works. During this phase, you will learn how to successfully and diplomatically negotiate your position. This phase
involves learning about the debate procedure, developing public speaking skills, and learning how to write resolutions.
Preparation can be an exciting process. Think of this as an opportunity to master research, writing, and debate skills
before using them to your advantage at the committee. Without adequate preparation, involvement tends to be low,
and your MeMUNC experience will be, at worst, a very boring and dull experience. But model UN should be the
opposite - it should be a chance for you to practice critical thinking and negotiation skills. It should be stimulating
and insightful about international relations, issues, and the modern world.
By the end of MeMUNC, we hope that you will leave more informed about major world issues, having a better understanding of different countries and how they interact with each other, knowing why diplomacy in the international community is important and relevant, and hopefully, be inspired to continue to be an informed and empowered global citizen.
Happy Preparation!
Erica
MeMUNC 2012 Secretary-General
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The United Nations
The first step in successfully preparing for a model UN conference is understanding a little bit about why the UN
exists and how it works.
The United Nations was founded in 1945 after World War II. The world had already acknowledged a need for an
international mechanism to resolve conflict after World War I, and had tried with the UN’s predecessor, the League of
Nations. The League of Nations had no military power of it’s own, similar to the United Nations today, but the members of the League were unwilling to contribute forces, or enact sanctions, either economic or military. Several major
world powers failed to support the League. Despite the fact that the League was largely Woodrow Wilson’s idea, the
United States never joined. The League initially prevented Germany and Russia (then the USSR) from joining, and
both Italy and Japan withdrew in the 1930’s. For these reasons, and several issues concerning its structure and operations, the League ultimately failed to effectively manage international conflict. After World War II, however, the
leaders of the world acknowledged the weaknesses of the
League of Nations and used these lessons to provide a
foundation for the United Nations, which was created for
essentially the same fundamental purposes.
The Preamble to the Charter of the United Nations describes why the UN came into existence: to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, reaffirm faith in
fundamental human rights, create a form of justice that
will prevent conflict between nations, and promote social
progress. Chapter I of the Charter states the purpose of
the United Nations, and the principles it is based on. The
four purposes of the UN are: 1) to maintain international
peace and security; 2) to develop friendly relations
among nations; 3) to promote cooperation in solving
global economic, social, cultural and humanitarian issues; and finally, 4) to harmonize the actions of all nations towards these aims. In signing onto the Charter, member
nations must acknowledge and agree to seven fundamental principles that govern how the United Nations operates.
The most important of these principles are: 1) All member states are sovereign and equal; 2) All member states agree
to act in accordance with the Charter; 3) Countries must try to resolve conflict through peaceful means; 4) Countries
must avoid using force or threatening to use force; 5) The UN cannot interfere in the domestic jurisdiction of any
member state.
Reading the Charter for yourself is the best way to understand the spirit, purpose, and functions of the the United
Nations. It also familiarizes you with the type of language used in the organization, and gives you experience reading
primary documents. The full charter is included in the Appendix, and on the UN’s website at
http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/index.shtml.
Decision making in the UN works mainly through a process of consensus-building, and results in the creation of
resolutions. The actual actions of the UN in keeping with resolutions depends on the willingness of member states to
accept, enact, or fund them. This is often a complex and difficult process, as each nation is completely and drastically
unique and sovereign. The decision-making responsibilities of the UN are divided between 6 organs: the General
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Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the Security Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of
Justice, and the Secretariat. In addition to these 6 organs, there are several Specialized Agencies within the UN, as
well as international bodies separate from the UN that have a significant impact on the affairs of the United Nations
and the international community as a whole.
The General Assembly (GA)
Each member state has a seat in the General Assembly, making it the only body in the world that is representative of
every nation. The GA’s major functions are to discuss and make recommendations on any issue within the scope of
the United Nations (except if the issue is already being discussed by the Security Council, unless under certain circumstances); initiate studies that might promote international
political cooperation, the development of international law,
and the realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms; receive and consider reports from other bodies of the
UN, develop the budget of the UN and assess the financial
capability of member states; and to elect the the nonpermanent members of the Security Council, members of
other organs, and, on recommendation of the Security Council, appoint the Secretary-General. The GA has six main
committees: 1) Disarmament and International Security
(DISEC); 2) Economic and Financial (ECOFIN); 3) Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian (SOCHUM); 4) Special Political and Decolonization (SPECPOL); 5) Administrative and
Budgetary; and 6) Legal.
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
The Economic and Social Council is responsible for coordinating the economic and social work of the 14 UN specialized agencies, five regional commissions, and nine functional commissions. It’s comprised of 54 member states that
discuss international economic and social issues and create
policy suggestions for member states. Because of the broad
scope and responsibilities of the council, ECOSOC uses
approximately 70% of the UN system’s human and financial resources. The specific purposes of ECOSOC are: 1) to
promote higher standards of living, full employment, and
economic and social progress; 2) identify solutions to international economic, social, and health problems; facilitate
international cultural and educational cooperation; and 4)
encourage universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Security Council
The Security Council is responsible for maintaining international peace and security, and is the only organ of the UN
that authorized to use force - either through economic sanctions, or physical means (often referred to as Chapter 7
powers, based on the chapter in the Charter that describes them - read through this in the Charter to better understand the use of these powers). The council has 15 members, five of which are permanent members (often referred to
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as the P5), and the remaining 10 seats serve two-year terms on a rotating schedule based on region. The five permanent members are China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States. These members
hold the power of veto, and all five must be in agreement on any resolution before it is accepted. Decisions made by
the Security Council are binding for all Member States, which
means that they must be enacted by all nations.
Powers and Functions:
- To maintain international peace and security in accordance
with the principles and purposes of the United Nations;
- To investigate any dispute or situation which might lead to
international friction;
- To recommend methods of adjusting such disputes or the
terms of settlement;
- To formulate plans for the establishment of a system to regulate armaments;
- To determine the existence of a threat to the peace or act of
aggression and to recommend what action should be taken;
- To call on Members to apply economic sanctions and other measures not involving the use of force to prevent or
stop aggression
- To take military action against an aggressor;
- To recommend the admission of new Members;
- To exercise the trusteeship functions of the United Nations in “strategic areas”
- To recommend to the General Assembly the appointment of the Secretary-General and, together with the assembly,
to elect the Judges of the International Court of Justice.
Secretariat
The Secretariat is an international staff that carries out the
day-to-day work of the United Nations. It serves the other
principle organs, and administers any recommended programs and policies. The UN website describes the Secretariat’s duties as being as “various as the problems dealt with
by the United Nations. These range from administering
peacekeeping operations to mediating international disputes, from surveying economic and social trends and
problems to preparing studies on human rights and sustainable development.” In addition, the Secretariat is also
responsible for working with the media to inform the world
on the actions of the UN, organizing international conferences on issues of worldwide concern, and interpreting all
speeches and translating all documents into all official lanM e M U N C
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guages. In 2010, the Secretariat has approximately 44,000 staff members around the world. The head of the Secretariat is the Secretary-General, currently Mr. Ban Ki-moon.
Trusteeship Council
At the creation of the UN, there were several territories that had formerly been colonized that were admitted into a
Trusteeship System, which was in place to provide support and temporary governance to the territories until independence could be established. The Trusteeship Council was originally assigned to the task of supervising this process. The last remaining United Nations trust territory was Palau, which became independent on November 1st, 1994.
At that time, the Trusteeship Council suspended operation, and amended its rules of procedure to meet only if required.
International Court of Justice (ICJ)
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the judicial organ of the United Nations. Its role is to settle legal disputes
submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions to the other organs and specialized agencies. The Court has 15 judges, who are elected by the Security Council and General Assembly, and serve nine year
terms.
Specialized Agencies, Regional Bodies, and International Bodies
Specialized Agencies are autonomous under the UN system, and coordinated through ECOSOC. There are currently
17 Agencies, each of which has a specific function. A full list can be found in the Appendix.
Regional Bodies are organizations such as the European Union, the African Union, and NATO. These organizations
coordinate specific issues agreed to by a group of countries that are typically geographically close. Regional bodies
have a special relationship with the UN. Often, these groups form the basis of blocs - groups of allies or countries
with a similar perspective on a given issue. While regional bodies are required to be consistent with the aims and
spirit of the United Nations, countries are encouraged to use these bodies to settle disagreements before taking issues
to the Security Council. Chapter VIII of the UN Charter describes this relationship in more depth.
There are several other bodies that work outside the United Nations that are important in the international community. These are organizations such as the International Criminal Court and the World Trade Organization. These bodies typically have a close relationship with the UN, although working largely separate. This relationship can be collaboration to achieve a common goal, exchange of recommendations, or cooperation of efforts.
At MeMUNC
MeMUNC simulates specialized agencies, regional bodies, and other international bodies in addition to the committees in the UN. Just like at the real UN, delegates control the direction of debate completely, and attempt to resolve
conflicting perspectives diplomatically. MeMUNC also includes two other important perspectives: the media and
international non-governmental organizations.
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Preparation
Being well prepared for the conference is critical to your experience as a delegate. By conducting careful research, you
will be able to accurately find your country’s perspective and understand key diplomatic relationships. By practicing
rules of procedure, public speaking, and negotiation skills, you will be able to best communicate your position and
advance the interests of your country. Because model UN is a social activity, the best way to prepare is with your
school’s delegation. You will want to attend any meeting your club or group holds in order to practice debate and
speeches, share research with others from your country or on your committee, get feedback on your position, and
finally, to understand diplomatic relations among other countries so that you don’t need to do all of the research on
your own. You will not be able to learn everything without practice - not even through this guide!
Checklist
You will need to develop both specific skills and learn specific content before the conference. Here is a checklist of the
things you will need:
Skills to know:
- How to negotiate, role-playing, speaking confidently in public, writing resolutions
Information to know:
- Knowledge about your committee, country, topics, position, and likely allies, Rules of Procedure, Award criteria
What you’ll need
- A delegate binder, Two Position Papers, Opening speech
Preparation Timeline
Here is a suggested timeline for you to use to make sure that you’re completely prepared for MeMUNC!
8 weeks prior to the conference: Research or review the UN, why it exists, and how it works.
7 weeks prior to the conference: Research your country
6 weeks prior to the conference: Read background guide, and summarize. Fill in any gaps in your understanding of the
issue and research potential solutions.
5 weeks prior to the conference: Determine how your country feels about the topic and how your country would act in
creating resolutions. Draft position paper.
4 weeks prior to the conference: Write position paper, practice procedure
3 weeks prior to the conference: Strategize and practice procedure
2 weeks prior to the conference: Write Speeches
1 weeks prior to the conference: Finalize delegate binder and speeches, review notes (and don’t forget to pack!)
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Research Overview
By conducting thorough research, you will understand all of the content necessary to participate in the conference.
Your knowledge will come primarily from independent research and perhaps occasionally through your world history class, but the best research stems from knowing what’s going on in the world around you outside of both school
and model UN. This involves reading the news and opinion articles and paying attention to how interactions between countries affects the world. This is the best way to start developing a working knowledge of global affairs and
the best suggestion for preparing for a model UN conference. This doesn’t have to be an individual effort - part of the
advantage of joining a model UN or International Relations club is being able to discuss and debate current events,
which helps you learn different perspectives and hear different thoughts about the current global climate.
MeMUNC research should complement and enhance your existing knowledge of the world by focusing on an indepth understanding of a particular country and a particular issue, and relating it to other countries in a particular
committee, and to the world as a whole. The over-all goal of your research is to be able to accurately represent your
country at the conference and to use your perspective to develop useful thoughts and ideas for debate. Achieving this
goal can be challenging. Your preliminary research will inevitably result in an impossible number of different sources
- a simple Google search of “Italy + Corruption” returns with 41,300,000 results! How can you be sure you are choosing the most useful resources from this selection? Good research skills are the foundation of preparation for MeMUNC, college, and beyond. It’s important to focus on streamlining your research process to save time while ensuring that your knowledge is sufficiently comprehensive. Take a few minutes to plan your research based on the
amount of time you have each week and what you’ll need to accomplish - use the preparation timeline above to start!
Delegate Binder
Preparing a Delegate Binder is the best way to organize your research and make sure that it’s complete. As you complete each portion of your research, look back and decide which sources were most helpful. Print a copy or take notes
on especially relevant documents you’ve found. Only include the most relevant sources though - otherwise, you will
have too much information to be effective. See “Delegate Binder Contents” in the Appendix for a checklist of things
to include in your binder.
Research Tips
1. Start with major source, NOT a Google search. MeMUNC usually provides annotated bibliographies with Background Guides - this is the best place to start to get a more in-depth understanding of your issues.
2. Take notes on relevant documents and articles and organize them in a useful, easy to reference format. One way to
do this is to break up your notes under the same sub-titles used in your background guide. This will give you an
at-a-glance understanding of your position as its framed by your committee. Start compiling resources for your
Delegate Binder from the very beginning!
3. Use Wikipedia! Wait, what? Seriously. While wikipedia is not a trustworthy source to rely on for academic work, it
can still be useful as an introduction and summary of your country, issue, and whatever else comes up in your research. Check out the “Works Cited” section at the bottom of a relevant Wikipedia page. This could lead you to a
variety of sources that are related to the content in the wiki. Be sure to double check all of these sources to be aware
of the date published or written, and any bias either in line with or opposing to your country’s perspective.
4. If you’re looking for impartial or accurate information, try using a source published by an internationally respected
NGO.
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5. Keep an objective in mind for each part of your research. To streamline your research process, you need to be
aware of what you’re really looking for. At the first stage, you’ll be looking for your country’s perspective on the
topic. Use this goal to anchor you every time your research takes you too far in another direction.
6. DON’T PROCRASTINATE! Two or three months is a really long time, but don’t cram your research into the week
before the conference. It takes 10 minutes to read a newspaper article and jot down some thoughts - just do it once
a week!
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Country Research
During the first part of your research, you will become an expert on your country by focusing on its foreign policy,
government, economy, and culture. Your objective is to become an ambassador for that country. This is also your
chance to learn more about the world you live in and learn about different perspectives.
Country Research Process
Here is a quick, 7-step process for completing your country research:
Step 1: Maps
Find two maps of your country: the first should be a political map of your country’s region. This map should include
your neighbors, and your neighbor’s neighbors. You will want to understand the relationships between countries in
your region as this will be one of the factors that helps you decide who to work with at the conference. Your second
map should be just your country alone, and can be whatever type of map you think is most important. For example,
if your committee is discussing sustainability, you might want to choose a resource or climate map. If you are unfamiliar with different types of maps, you can learn more at:
http://www.factmonster.com/world/geography/types-maps.html. Save these maps on your computer or print
them out to use at the conference. Here’s an example of two maps I might choose if I were studying the country Romania. Notice that the map on the left shows the entire East European region - I can see at a glance not only who my
neighbors are, but also who Ukraine’s neighbors are. This information will be helpful later on. The map on the right
shows the industrial development of Romania. I can tell by looking at this map what Romania’s economy is like.
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Step 2: Read the news
Find an English translation of a newspaper for your country. This is the best way to learn about the culture of the
people and major events from the country’s perspective - keep in mind that you aren’t necessarily looking for what is
happening in your country. Instead, you are looking for your country’s interpretation of what’s happening. Try
http://newspapers.com/index.php to find one.
Part A: Once a week, look through the newspaper and pick two or three articles with interesting headlines and summarize “who, what, where, when, and how.” Below, you will want to include your own thoughts about what this article tells you about the country. For example, did the people overwhelmingly favor or oppose a piece of recent legislation? This might reflect core values in the society, or the attitude towards the government. It’s best to try to look at the article from several different perspectives. For example, answer the
questions, “what does this say about my country’s government? Economy? Foreign relations? Culture?”
Part B: Keep track of news about your country from an international source such as BBC.com - by contrast
ing these two sources - even on different topics - you will begin to figure out your country’s perspective much more clearly, and how it differs from your personal perspective, as well as the perspectives of other countries.
Step 3: Official Websites
Find your government’s official website, Permanent Mission to the UN, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Try these
sources:
http://www.un.org/en/members/
http://www.usip.org/publications/foreign-affairs-ministries-web
http://www.un.org/esa/national.htm
Use this information to answer the questions at the end of this section. If you need other sources to complete your
research, use the “Useful Links” section in the Appendix.
Note: After starting this process, re-read some of your articles and adjust your initial thoughts by thinking from the
perspective of a UN ambassador from your country - this will really help you figure out how to act at the conference!
Step 4: Specific Info
Use CIA Factbook or BBC profiles to find specific information about your country. Summarize your most important
information in a single page with a map of your country (whichever you feel will be most useful
Step 5: History
Learn a little about your country’s history. Try to find a source that shows your country’s perspective. You will want
to know how the country gained its independence, any major conflicts it has been involved in, and what different
types of governments it has experienced (dictatorship, communism, democracy, etc.)
Step 6: Summarize
Summarize this information in a single page for quick and easy reference at the conference. A suggested template
can be found on page 11.
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Step 7: Extras
Read more in-depth about anything that interested you about your country - any cool developments? Any bizarre
customs or traditions? No matter if these interesting events are completely irrelevant to your topics, this information
might be useful in surprising ways. This part of model UN is about learning all you can about a different country - it
should be fun and interesting!
Country Research Questions
Political Questions
1. What form of government does my nation employ (democracy, monarchy, etc)? How has this impacted my nation
economically, socially, and politically? How has it influenced my nation's relationship with other nations?
2. Which are my nation's most prominent neighboring nations?
3. Which significant aspects of my nation's history have influenced the way my nation conducts itself today?
Economic Questions
1. Which type of economy (agricultural, industrial, etc.) does my nation have, and which type of economic system
(capitalism, socialism, etc.) does it employ? What influence does it have on my nation, and conversely, how has it
impacted the events that have taken place and are currently taking place in my country?
2. What is the population, population density and population growth rate of my nation? How has this impacted my
nation's economy and its available resources?
3. Which natural resources does my nation possess? How has my nation's lack/ abundance of various resources influenced its economy and its relationship with other nations?
4. What is m nation’s record in terms of pollution, energy consumption and other environmental problems? What
actions have been taken to help/hurt the environmental situation?
Foreign Relations Questions
1. Which international organizations, other than the UN, is my nation a member of? How have these organizations
impacted my nation's domestic and foreign affairs? How does my nation view the role and impact of these and other
international bodies?
2. What types of technical and economic aid does my country give/receive? Why?
3. Which countries are my nation's significant allies and enemies? Why? What impact have they had on my nation
politically and economically?
4. What kind of a role does my nation play in the UN? What organizations is it a member of? Does it have seat on the
Security Council? What is the status of my nation's financial contributions to the UN?
5. Which major international treaties has my country signed? Do they honor the terms of the treaty?
Cultural Questions
1. Which religion(s), if any, strongly impact(s) my country?
2. What are the prominent majority and minority ethnic, religious, and political groups in my country? Are there
conflicts between these groups? How have these groups influence the social and political structure of my nation?
3. What is my country’s stance and status on human rights? Women’s rights? Children’s rights? Minority protections?
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Military Questions
1. What are my nation's defensive and offensive military capabilities? How often does my nation employ its military
capabilities? Do they use them domestically or to advance foreign interests?
2. Does my country possess nuclear arms?
3. Is my nation more interested in acquiring or selling arms, or both?
These are just a few questions to get you started. Use each as a jumping off point to explore areas that are more relevant to your specific issues or interests. Although finding answers to each question will best prepare you, start with
the questions that seem most important and relevant to your topic. This will ensure that you are thoroughly prepared
for the critical points, and will also inform the remainder of your research by allowing you to keep your focus on the
most central aspects. For example, if you’re on the Human Rights Council, you will probably want to start with the
“Cultural” section to find the status of human rights issues or policies in your country. Once you have researched the
status of human rights issues, you might find that extreme poverty is seen as a driving factor, which would lead you
to explore the country’s economy next.
You should spend about a week researching your country. Depending on how familiar you are with your country
and region, plan on spending between 3 and 8 hours locating important documents, taking notes, and compiling
your research overview. Keep in mind that you should not stop researching your country once this phase is over there will still be plenty of unanswered questions - you just want to make sure you have the ones that are most essential to your committee and topics answered. Up until the conference, you want to make sure you’re aware of what’s
going on in your country (especially things like political elections and important trials), so it’s absolutely necessary to
continue to check your news source weekly.
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Research Overview Template
[Your Country] Research Overview
[Insert
Map
&
Country
Flag
Here]
Political
Type
of
Government:
Head
of
State:
Population:
Foreign Relations
Regional
Organizations:
Technical
and
economic
aid
given/received:
International
Treaties
Signed:
Economy
GDP:
Major
Industries:
Major
Imports:
Major
Trading
Partners:
Social
Human
Rights
Status:
Standard
of
Living:
Infrastructure:
Military
Capabilities:
Capacity:
Use
(Domestic
or
Foreign):
Nuclear
Arms:
Current Issues
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Issue Research
The second part of your research should focus specifically on your issue. A good place to start is with your committee’s background guide, which outlines which aspects of the problem will be addressed at the conference. Spend most
of your time in this stage of your research trying to identify the causes of the problem, why past action has failed, and
which aspects of the problem are most important to your country. The goal of this research is to be able to understand
what, if anything, can be done to solve the problem in a way that is consistent with your country’s interests and likely
to be supported by other members of the international community.
Background Guides
A Background Guide is developed by your committee Dais team to provide a framework of each topic for delegates.
Think of it as a brief report of the issue and how it is expected to be addressed by the committee. The guide streamlines research by defining what the topic is and sometimes what it isn’t. This document will be read by every other
delegate in your committee, and is usually the best source to refer to during debate. MeMUNC Background Guides
have five sections:
1) Statement of the Issue: This section provides a detailed overview of the topic and how it impacts the international
community.
2) History of the Issue: This section is a description of the development of the issue, important events that shaped it’s
evolution, and how it effected the world in the past.
3) Past International Actions: This section provides key treaties, resolutions, or other actions that have been implemented in attempt to solve the issue.
4) Bloc Positions: A bloc is the group of countries whose perspective on the topic being discussed is similar to yours.
This section describes the major divisions or perspectives within the topic. Reading this will help you determine
who you’re most likely to work with during the committee.
5) Issues a Resolution Should Address: This provides a list of questions that your chair feels are most valuable in
finding a solution. Try to answer these before the conference, and bring them up when writing or debating about
resolutions in committee.
When reading your background, there are a few specific things you should be sure to look for and highlight (or take
notes on if you prefer): the most simple (1 or 2 sentences) identification of the problem, your committee’s purpose
and abilities, key documents or past actions that you will want to research further, and finally, the major perspectives
of the problem among different groups of countries (blocs).
The background guide is a critical resource as it provides a context for the problem and the debate specifically for
your committee. Also included with the background guide is a Welcome Letter from your chairs, a brief overview of
the committee, and an annotated bibliography that can be used to start your own research of the topic.
Committee Research
Don’t forget to research your committee! This often-overlooked component of research is important to really understanding the context of your issue. Some issues are addressed by more than one committee - it’s important to understand the subtle differences in perspective and approach that various UN committees have. Also, understanding your
committee’s purpose, powers, and abilities is key in developing an accurate resolution. For example, a draft resoluM e M U N C
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tion created in the GA that requires all member nations to impose an economic sanction on a particular country
would never pass, because the Security Council is the only body with the authority to create binding resolutions.
While your Background Guide will provide a brief description of your committee, you will want to check out your
committee’s official website to completely understand what your purpose, function, and powers will be at the conference. You also might want to take a look at a few resolutions that have been passed to see what kind of language is
used and what kind of actions are taken. Take notes on this information and bring it with you to the conference so
that you’ll know exactly what you’re supposed to be doing.
Organizing Main Points
After reading your Background Guide, start creating an outline or mind-map of how the issue is broken down. Look
for the different aspects of the problem, describe each briefly, and list any questions or notes you might have. You
might be able to use the sub-headings in your background guide to help you identify important aspects of the issue.
Here’s an example:
Sample Issue Break-Down: Child Labor
Sub-Issue #1: Corruption and Stability of Rule of Law
- Creation of effective laws for employers; enforcement of law. (Note: would monitoring programs
work to help hold employers accountable? Could that be funded and maintained by the UN
without infringing on sovereignty?)
Sub-Issue #2: Safety and Accessibility of School System
- Barriers to attending school: poverty, value not recognized, safe transportation to and from
school, lack of meals.
You will want to understand your country’s perspective on each sub-issue that you identify, and be able to prioritize
them according to relative importance to your country. This will be important in helping you develop your strategy.
Past Actions
The “Past UN and International Action” section is meant to be a brief overview of how the problem has been approached in the past. This is where you should concentrate your issue research. Review the documents described in
the Background Guide for yourself, figure out what has been effective and what hasn’t been effective, and try to
brainstorm why. Understanding why certain actions have failed will help you create stronger resolutions once you’re
at the conference. In addition, knowing when certain elements of a resolution or action have proved to be effective
will help in providing evidence and support for resolutions at the conference.
Similar to your country research, this part should take you about a week to finish. Once you’ve compiled your issue
research, take a second look to identify any gaps in your understanding. Bring questions to your teachers, club members, parents, or global educator. These conversations will at best resolve your problem and at worst will give you
clues of how to direct further research. Overall, asking questions is much quicker and more effective than spending
hours chasing links on Google. Again, don’t completely stop researching the issue until the conference - keep refining
your knowledge of the various aspects of the issue as you think about your position and strategy.
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Position Research
This is the most important part of your research, and the part worth investing the most energy and attention
towards. A well thought out position is the backbone of how you will act in committee. The position you choose for
your country ultimately determines the countries you will work with, the resolutions you support, and the direction
you chose for debate, all of which has a substantial impact on the success of the committee. The purpose of this phase
is to understand why nations act the way they do.
Status of the Issue
Research the actual status of the issue in your country, any policies in place that effect the issue, and whether or not
the action is working. Use news articles that support your position or understanding of the nation’s perspective. If
unavailable, you can also make inferences based on the nation’s domestic policies regarding the issue.
Bloc Positions
Another way to understand how your country feels is to study your country's bloc. Blocs are informal or formal
alliances of nations with similar social, economic, or political interests. Often, blocs will share resources to achieve a
goal. In committee, blocs are important because they facilitate the formation of alliances. Alliances empower the
views of a single nation because each state only gets one vote. The more states (and votes) support the same position,
the more likely others will be forced to negotiate. For example, let’s say that the small African nation of Djibouti
proposes an idea that conflicts with the interests or perspective of the US. Djibouti is much smaller and less powerful
than the United States, and does not have much leveraging power to negotiate the implementation of it’s idea.
However, when joined by other members of the African Union, the US and other western countries cannot ignore the
proposal and the interests of the entire group, and will be forced to consider and negotiate the idea.
Your bloc will not be the same for all topics. In some circumstances, certain blocs will be more relevant to your
country’s position than others. For example, the North African nation Tunisia is geographically close to Europe and
enjoys a strong relationship with the European Union. In some instances, it may be more beneficial for Tunisia to bloc
with the European Union over the African Union, as the benefits to the country might be greater. Background Guides
will often use generalized perspectives as blocs as opposed to concrete groups. This is a way to frame the terms of the
debate. Be sure that you are looking for your country’s underlying perspective on an issue and it’s relevant foreign
alliances and interests when considering your bloc position.
Keep your country’s national policy in mind. Find nations with similar policies and opinions. Be as realistic as
possible, especially when debating highly contentious topics. For example, it would be extremely unlikely for the US
and Iran to agree on questions of nuclear proliferation.
Speeches, Press Releases, and Voting Records
Look up any relevant speeches or press releases from relevant officers in your nation’s executive branch (ie, President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Ambassadors). Keep in mind that while a variety of opinions will exist in a
single country, as an Ambassador, you represent the opinion of the Head of State. An excellent place to start to look
for these things is your nation’s Department of State (or equivalent) website.
Potential or Offered Solutions
Be aware of any solutions that your nation has already considered, and brainstorm a list of solutions that your nation
would be likely to consider. Be as realistic as possible. An excellent resource to use are Think Tanks, which are organiM e M U N C
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zations that research and advocate topics relating to policy and strategy. You can use a Think Tank either in your
country or in your bloc. For a list of Think Tanks organized by country, check Wikipedia
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_think_tanks), but remember to verify the authenticity of the organization.
This list isn’t complete, but it should point you in the right direction. You can also use academic articles, opinion articles written for newspapers or journals, and even from blogs. These sources are sometimes more difficult to use because it is hard to determine whether or not the proposed solution is actually in line with your country’s national
interests and foreign policy. Use your best judgement - does the proposed action seem realistic given your country’s
national policy and key strategic alliances?
Regardless of whether you incorporate the idea into your position at MeMUNC, it is important to consider a variety
of potential solutions before the conference to ensure that you’re well prepared for debate. This is also a good practice
in thinking critically about the viability of current solutions to global problems outside of MeMUNC.
Position Paper
A position paper is a one-page statement about your nation's perspective on a topic, and as the name implies, serves
as your country's official position at the conference. For MeMUNC, you will write two position papers, one for each
topic. This paper summarizes all of the research you've done, and should demonstrate your knowledge of your
country, the issue, and what action your country wants to take.
The best way to write convincingly about your position is to frame it in terms of past action and why it agrees or
disagrees with this action. Also, using quotes or statistics from international documents provides compelling
evidence to support your argument.
Writing your Position Paper
A well-written position paper should have the following sections (Adapted from the UNA "Guide to Delegate
Preparation"):
A.
An introduction that states why your country does or does not think that the issue is important to
address internationally. Note: Keep in mind that there are many issues in which nations might feel that
regional or national approaches rather than by the UN.
B.
A clear and concise statement of your nation's stance on the topic
C.
An explanation of your nation's perspective and why it takes this position
D.
Which international actions your country feels are most significant to the debate and why
E.
Suggested actions that your nation would like to debated in the committee.
Content matters a lot in your position paper. You do not want your paper to be vague and over-generalized. You will
need to address each of the above points completely and thoroughly enough to be convincing that the position is
actually what an ambassador from your nation might take. How can this be achieved in a single page? By mastering
the art of writing succinctly. This is a fancier way of saying "concise" or "direct." To accomplish this, eliminate all
unnecessary words and sentences from your paper. You can determine what is unnecessary by asking yourself, "does
this directly describe my position, and is it essential to understanding my perspective?" Your goal is to eliminate any
"fluff" from your writing and let the final version be as clear and useful as possible. For an example of a position
paper, see the Appendix.
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An effective way of writing your position paper is to write two separate drafts. In your first draft, write two pages
describing and supporting your position. Doing this will make sure that you've thoroughly considered your position.
Then, go through this draft and rank your most important points in each section. When you write your section draft,
only consider your two or three most important points in each section, and try to reword your position to fit the
points you feel are essential.
As a concluding reminder, your position paper is considered when determining awards. Make sure your paper is
high quality and submitted by the deadline.
MeMUNC has specific procedures for submitting your position paper. The instructions are posted on the MeMUNC
website and are also included in the appendix.
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Strategy
The next part of preparation is about implementation. At this point, you should have an idea of your nation’s priorities and perspectives concerning each topic. Your next step is to think about how you will accomplish the things your
nation wants to see done. In the actual UN, ambassadors spend months talking with other ambassadors and consulting a professional staff before the committee meets. In model UN, the best you can do is think about how you will
negotiate with key potential supporters in only 3 days. Your strategy should be just organized enough to give you a
starting point - remember that during committee, your position should be flexible enough to evolve based on the
debate. The key to developing a solid strategy is to identify the perspectives and opinions that are most valuable to
your country and think about how you will sway others in your bloc and beyond to agree with you. Think of your
strategy as a frame of reference as opposed to a series of steps.
Clarify your objectives
Re-read your position paper and identify the concepts, perspectives, and potential actions that are most important to
your nation. Have an understanding of which points your nation might be willing to compromise on and which
points are essential. Identify the strongest elements that support your nation’s perspective - you will want to
remember to bring these up during debate.
Draft your Opening Speech
Each topic begins with a Secondary Speaker’s List, where delegates outline their country’s basic stance on the topic
before delving into specific elements of the debate. Your nation should always be on this list. It is important to communicate broadly with the committee. It helps to have speaking points prepared to make sure you don’t forget anything important. These points can be based on your position paper and presented in a similar structure or could be
more generalized and focus on main points. No matter how you choose to structure your speech, be sure that it is
clear and concise. Practicing before the conference is especially helpful if this is your first model UN conference.
Gain Support
Next, you will need to begin to think about your potential bloc - what countries are most likely to partner with you?
What countries might be convinced to support your view? What will you use to convince them? You will need to rely
on your knowledge of world affairs in general - supplemented by your background guide - to achieve this.
Review the blocs described in your Background Guide, but don’t limit yourself to these options. Think about bloc
from your country’s perspective. Brainstorm ways in which countries in these blocs might be willing to consider
supporting action that you’re in favor of. Start by trying to find common ground. The most effective way to get others to see your perspective is by putting yourself in their shoes. Ask yourself: “What does this country want, and how
can we both get something we want?”
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Debate
Debate is the most exciting part of MeMUNC! The purpose is to find the major concepts and issues that the topic illuminates, and find solutions that benefit the majority of nations. The point of debate isn’t necessarily to achieve consensus among all members, it’s to simulate and better understand how nations interact in the UN and in the international community.
Parliamentary Procedure
Committee sessions follow Robert’s Rules of Order, which is a standard procedure used in formal setting to maintain
a certain structure and organization for debate. Before the conference, be familiar with how these rules work so that
you can successfully participate and communicate your nation’s position. Debate is moderated by a Dais (pronounced either DAY-us or DIE-us), which is comprised of three or more staff members that recognize speakers, count
votes, and perform other actions that maintain the flow of debate. The Dais does not have a role in the substantive
content of the committee session, but as the authors of your background, are often an excellent resource to ask for
clarity on a specific issue or input on a specific idea.
Opening Session
The first session (like the beginning of each session) is brought to order, which means that delegates are asked to find
their seats and come to decorum (a fancy way of saying “be polite”). The chair will then take roll and determine that
quorum is satisfied, and will announce the number of votes required for simple majority and 2/3 majority. During
the very first committee session, the committee will need to set the agenda to decide which topic to discuss first. To
do this, a delegate must move to open the Primary Speakers’ List. Once this motion is passed, the chair will record
nations who wish to speak and then recognize nations to speak in that order. Once the committee has heard from
several speakers (the amount of speakers depends on the size of the committee and is at the discretion of the chair), a
motion needs to be made to set the agenda to either Topic A or Topic B. This motion requires two speakers in favor of
setting the agenda and two speakers against. If the vote passes, formal debate on the topic begins with an introduction of a Secondary Speakers’ list. If the vote fails, the committee does not immediately begin debate on the other
topic, but instead returns to the Primary Speakers’ list for more discussion.
Formal Debate
Formal debate is organized through speakers’ lists and motions made by delegates. After every speaker or motion,
the chair will ask “Are there any points or motions on the floor?” At this point, delegates will raise their placards to
request (or make a motion for) a specific action for the committee to take. If a delegate wishes to make a motion after
another motion has been made, it must take precedence. A motion takes precedence if it is less disruptive to committee. For example, if a delegate makes a motion for a moderated caucus with a duration of 10 minutes and a speaking
time of 30 seconds, and another delegate makes a motion for a moderated caucus with a duration of 5 minutes, the
second motion would be voted on first because it is shorter, and therefore less disruptive to committee. If the committee votes against the shorter motion, the first motion is still on the table, and will be voted on if no new motions are
made.
Unless in a moderated caucus, delegates should also remember that if a speech is finished before the speaking time is
over, time should be yielded in formal debate. There are three ways to yield remaining time: to the chair, to another
delegate, or to questions.
Points and Motions
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Motions are specific actions that direct the conversation and debate of the committee. For a complete list of motions,
see the Appendix.
Unlike motions, points do not affect the direction of the debate. Points are raised to meet the needs of a delegate’s
safety, comfort, and comprehension. Points do not require a vote, and are subject to full discretion of the chair. The
following points are recognized at MeMUNC:
“Point of Information” - A delegate may make a point of information to ask a question to the Dais relating to procedure, clarify the state of business of the committee, or any other question directly relevant to the committee. During
formal debate, all points of information should be submitted to the Dais in writing, unless in the event that an immediate answer is required.
“Point of Order” - A point of order is used if a delegate feels that the committee is moving contradictory to the rules
of procedure. The Dais will reply to the delegate’s concern and refer to the rules of procedure if necessary. The Dais is
not required to change the procedure in question if the delegate’s point is considered dilatory.
“Point of Personal Privilege” - A point of personal privilege is in order when a delegate’s comfort, hearing, or comprehension is impaired. Unlike other points or motions, a delegate is allowed to raise this point at any time, including
when another delegate is speaking to the committee.
“Right of Reply” - A right of a reply is used when one country directly insults another in a speech. The offended
country should submit a request for a right of reply with a written statement. If approved by the Dais, the delegate is
permitted to read aloud his or her statement.
Note Passing
Delegates are expected to remain quiet and seated at all points in the debate, but that doesn’t mean your communication is limited to formal speeches. Note passing is allowed throughout committee sessions and is encouraged for you
to start to work with specific delegates in the committee.
Informal Debate
Unmoderated caucuses are used to break from formal debate to form blocs, write draft resolutions, and negotiate
with other countries. To make the most of unmoderated caucuses, be aware of what your skills are and how you will
contribute to your bloc. If you are good at writing, be the person who starts writing things down and drafting a resolution; if you are good at negotiating with other countries, be the person who approaches other groups, shares ideas,
establish common ground, and communicates the ideas of other blocs to your group.
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Flow of Debate
Set the agenda
Debate
Formal Debate
This is the primary goal
of parliamentary
procedure. Delegates
speak to the committee
according to their
position on the speakers
list for timed period.
Those wanting to speak
to the committee should
pass a note the Chairs at
the Dias.
The working papers,
draft resolutions &
amendments can be
introduced to the
committee during formal
debate.
Informal Debate
Moderated
Caucus
Un-moderated
Caucus
Chairs call on
delegates oneby-one, so they
can address the
committee in
short speeches.
Temporary
suspension of
debate to
caucus, pass
along working
papers, etc.
This is the place to write working papers,
draft resolutions, & amendments.
Voting Procedures
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Resolutions
Resolutions are the ultimate purpose of MeMUNC committees. Resolutions reflect agreement in the international
community on a method of solving a problem. Although implementation of resolutions is at the discretion of each
nation, compliance with actions outlined in resolutions maintains a nation’s reputation and integrity in the international community.
A resolution goes through three phases before it is passed by the committee. The initial written document that reflects
the ideas of a bloc is called a working paper. These papers cannot be discussed in formal debate, and are typically
passed around and discussed during unmoderated caucuses. When the working paper has been modified into a
proper format, it is submitted to the Dais for approval. This requires at least one sponsor and 15% of the committee as
signatories (including sponsors). Keep in mind that signatories do not need to be in favor of the resolution. Signatories wish to see the working paper become a draft resolution so that its contents can be discussed in formal debate.
Once the Dais has approved the working paper, a delegate may move to introduce it as a draft resolution. If this motion passes, the working paper is assigned a number (often 1.1 for the first paper on the first topic) and becomes a
draft resolution. The sponsors of the draft resolution are then invited to the front of the room to read aloud the operative clauses. At the discretion of the Dais, a delegate in the committee may move for a brief question and answer session (which operates similar to a moderated caucus). A draft resolution is then debated in committee, and additions
can be made through friendly and unfriendly amendments (see explanation below). A draft resolution only becomes
a resolution during voting, and requires a 2/3 majority to be passed.
Structure
Resolutions in the UN and at MeMUNC are created using a specific structure that is comprised of two sections: the
preamble, and the operative clauses. The preamble acts as an explanation of the resolution, and communicates the
reason for existence, compelling statements about the actions to be taken, and any other content that the sponsors feel
is relevant to introducing or justifying the action the resolution will take. The operative clauses are the actual proposed actions. All clauses begin with certain phrases that are used in the UN - use the lists below to find appropriate
phrases to use in your resolution.
Preambulatory Clauses
Affirming
Alarmed by
Approving
Aware of
Bearing in mind
Believing
Confident
Contemplating
Convinced
Declaring
Deeply concerned
Deeply conscious
Deeply convinced
Deeply disturbed
Deeply regretting
Desiring
Emphasizing
Expecting
Expressing its appreciation
Expressing its satisfaction
Fulfilling
Fully alarmed
Fully aware
Fully believing
Further deploring
Further recalling
Guided by
Having adopted
Having considered
Having considered further
Having devoted attention
Having examined
Having heard
Having received
Having studied
Keeping in mind
Noting with regret
Noting with deep concern
Noting with satisfaction
M e M U N C
Noting with approval
Observing
Reaffirming
Realizing Recalling
Recognizing
Referring
Seeking
Taking into account
Taking into consideration
Taking note
Viewing with appreciation
Welcoming
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Operative Clauses
Accepts
Affirms
Approves
Authorizes
Calls
Calls upon
Condemns
Confirms
Congratulates
Considers
Declares accordingly
Deplores
Designates
Draws the attention
Emphasizes
Encourages
Endorses
Expresses its appreciation
Expresses its hope
Further invites
Further proclaims
Further reminds
Further recommends
Further requests
Further resolves
Has resolved
Notes
Proclaims
Reaffirms
Recommends
Regrets Reminds Requests Solemnly affirms Strongly condemns
Supports Takes note of
Transmits
Trusts
Writing a Working Paper
When writing a working paper with your bloc, you will want to focus on taking real action or making a real statement. You don’t want your resolution to lack depth or overlook important details. Don’t write a resolution that simply calls for a special committee to deal with the issue - get into the problem to understand the underlying issues and
the concepts that make it difficult to achieve consensus among all nations.
All resolutions will be different in what they achieve and how they achieve it. In some committees, you might want
to avoid being overly “comprehensive” and try to address separate issues in separate resolutions. In other committees, it might be more appropriate to keep separate actions relating to particularly contentious topics in separate
working papers.
An example of a resolution can be seen on the following page. Take note of the punctuation! Grammar matters at
MeMUNC when submitting your working paper to the Dais. It cannot be approved if it does not follow the structure
outlined below.
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Resolution GA/3/1.1
General Assembly Third Committee
Sponsors: United States, Austria and Italy
Signatories: Greece, Tajikistan, Japan, Canada, Mali, the Netherlands and Gabon
Topic: “Strengthening UN coordination of humanitarian assistance in complex emergencies”
The General Assembly,
Reminding all nations of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which
recognizes the inherent dignity, equality and inalienable rights of all global citizens,
Reaffirming its Resolution 33/1996 of 25 July 1996, which encourages Governments to work with UN bodies aimed at
improving the coordination and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance,
Noting with satisfaction the past efforts of various relevant UN bodies and nongovernmental organizations,
Stressing the fact that the United Nations faces significant financial obstacles and is in need of reform, particularly in
the humanitarian realm,
1. Encourages all relevant agencies of the United Nations to collaborate more closely with countries at the grassroots
level to enhance the carrying out of relief efforts;
2. Urges member states to comply with the goals of the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs to streamline efforts
of humanitarian aid;
3. Requests that all nations develop rapid deployment forces to better enhance the coordination of relief efforts of
humanitarian assistance in complex emergencies;
4. Calls for the development of a United Nations Trust Fund that encourages voluntary donations from the private
transnational sector to aid in funding the implementation of rapid deployment forces;
5. Stresses the continuing need for impartial and objective information on the political, economic and social situations
and events of all countries;
6. Calls upon states to respond quickly and generously to consolidated appeals for humanitarian assistance; and
7. Requests the expansion of preventive actions and assurance of post-conflict assistance through reconstruction and
development.
Source: UNAUSA http://www.unausa.org/site/pp.asp?c=fvKRI8MPJpF&b=457171
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Debating Resolutions
When draft resolutions are introduced to the committee, it is important to know what to look for in order to successfully discuss and debate the content. First, take a few minutes to read the resolution and find the clauses that are most
relevant to your nation’s perspective. Then ask yourself several questions: would your nation find this idea viable?
Why or why not? Is something missing, or is some aspect of the problem not addressed adequately? Are there any
potential negative side-affects of the action that haven’t been considered? Make these points in formal debate to see if
there are any other delegates that agree with you - it might lead to potential support for friendly and unfriendly
amendments.
While it is possible to pass more than one resolution, as an ambassador, you should make sure that you are working
to pass resolutions that are in line with your nation’s perspective and working to eliminate draft resolutions that are
not in line with your national interests.
Amendments
It is possible to modify draft resolutions, even if it’s not one that you are sponsoring. Friendly amendments can be
used if all of the current sponsors of the resolution agree to the change. These changes are written and submitted to
the Dais and then announced to the committee. Unfriendly amendments are used if one or more sponsors does not
want to make the proposed change. The amendment will require at least one sponsor and 10% of the committee in
favor of accepting the change.
Use amendments to make the resolution as complete as possible. Be sure to make an argument for the changes you
are in favor of in debate!
Voting
Once debate has been closed on a topic, the committee moves into voting bloc. During this time, the committee will
adopt or reject the draft resolutions and amendments on the floor. Delegates must vote on everything, and can take
one of three actions: in favor, opposed, or abstention. Abstention from voting means that you vote neither for or
against. This might occur if one of your allies is sponsoring or in favor of a resolution that your nation does not support. Abstaining allows you as an ambassador to act in the best interest of your nation while not harming one of your
allies, especially if that nation has helped or might help you in other ways, perhaps not pertaining to the issue. While
all votes require only a simple majority to pass, there are several ways to take the vote that can be part of a delegate’s
strategy.
Division of the Question
If friendly and unfriendly amendments haven’t worked, your nation can move to divide the operative clauses of a
resolution to vote on certain sections separately. This is particularly useful if you are not a sponsor of a resolution and
certain clauses are against the interests of your nation, but you support the rest of the resolution. To move to divide
the question, raise your placard after voting on all amendments is completed and the resolution you wish to divide is
about to be voted on. State the division you wish to make. For example, if your country is opposed to clause 4, you
might make a motion as follows: “Zimbabwe moves to divide the question to clauses 1-3, 4, and the rest of the resolution.” The chair will then ask if any points or motions take precedence, at which time, other delegates might make
motions for divisions that are less disruptive - for example, a delegate might request to divide the question into
clauses 1-4 and the rest of the resolution. Because this is less of a change, this motion would take precedence. The
motion requires 2 speakers for and 2 speakers against. Try to be one of the speakers in this instance to make an argument for your division. Following the example above, you might want to explain why clause 4 is flawed and how it
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not only negatively affects your nation, but others as well. Remember that, if another motion for division has taken
precedence, you can still communicate your point by being a speaker against. In this case, you will want to reiterate
why it is specifically clause 4 that the committee should be concerned about, and not clauses 1-3. If the motion passes,
the committee will vote on each division separately. If any sections are voted against, they are removed from the resolution, and the draft will need to be modified accordingly. After the divisions have been voted on and the draft resolution is modified, it is then voted on as whole.
Roll Call Vote
Motions for roll call votes are made just before voting on a draft resolution takes place. The motion requires a simple
majority to pass, and the Dais will call each country and record each delegate’s vote. This is used when your nation
wants to exert pressure on other delegates.
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Appendix
Delegate Binder Contents
ii
List of Specialized Agencies
iii
Useful Links
iv
Sample Position Paper
xi
MeMUNC Position Paper Guidelines
xii
Accepted Motions
xiii
Glossary of Terms
xvii
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Delegate Binder Contents
Section I: General
1. Background Guide
Highlight or make note of the following: The function and purpose of your committee;
the bloc you will most likely work with; important documents, resolutions, or actions re
lating to each issue
2. UN Charter (Optional)
3. Conference Awards Policy
4. Parliamentary Procedure
Section II: Country
1. Country Profile
2. “Foreign Policy” sections from national or UN Embassy website
3. Country Questions sheet
Section III & IV: Topics
1. News Articles
2. Resolutions, Treaties, and Conventions (regional, national, or UN)
3. Potential Solutions
Section V: Strategy
1. Position Papers
2. Opening Speeches
3. Notes
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List of Specialized Agencies
1. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
2. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
3. International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
4. International Labour Organization (ILO)
5. International Maritime Organization (IMO)
6. International Monetary Fund (IMF)
7. International Telecommunication Union
8. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
9. United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
10.Universal Postal Union (UPO)
11.World Bank Group
a. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
b. International Finance Corporation (IFC)
c. International Development Association (IDA)
12. World Health Organization (WHO)
13. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
14. World Meteorological Organization
15. World Tourism Organization
16. International Atomic Energy Agency
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Useful Links
Country Information:
- The UN’s National Government Information Page http://www.un.org/esa/national.htm
- UN CyberSchoolBus Country At A Glance www.cyberschoolbus.un.org/information/index.asp
- BBC News Country Profiles www.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/country_profiles/default.stm
- CIA World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
- Country Reports http://www.countryreports.org/
- Embassies in Washington, DC www.embassy.org/embassies
- Governments on the World Wide Web www.gksoft.com/govt/en
- Infoplease Country Information www.infoplease.com/countries.html
- Library of Congress Country Studies http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html
- One World - Nations Online www.nationsonline.org/oneworld
- Southern Center for International Studies, Timelines, and Infolinks www.southerncenter.org/timeline
- Political Resources www.politicalresources.net/index2.htm
- UN Missions www.un.int
- US Department of State Country Background Notes www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn
General UN Resources:
- United Nations Website www.un.org
- World Map of UN Websites www.un.org/aroundworld/map
- Organizational Chart of the UN System (click on a UN body on the chart to go to its homepage)
www.un.org/aboutun/chart.html
- Official Website Locator for the UN System www.unsystem.org
- Directory of Permanent Missions to the UN www.un.org/members/missions.shtml
- UN Member States www.un.org/members
- UN Public Information Guide www.un.org/MoreInfo/pubsvs.html
- UN Databases www.un.org/databases
- UN News Centre www.un.org/news
- UN E-mail News Service www.un.org/apps/news/email
- UN Depository Libraries www.un.org/depts/dhl/deplib/countries/index.html
- UN Map Center www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/english/htmain.htm
- UN Chronicle magazine www.un.org/chronicle
- United Nations University www.unu.edu
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Principle Organs of the United Nations:
- General Assembly www.un.org/ga
- Economic and Social Council www.un.org/docs/ecosoc
- Security Council www.un.org/sc
- International Court of Justice www.icj-cij.org
- Secretariat www.un.org/documents/st.htm
- Trusteeship Council www.un.org/documents/tc.htm
General Assembly Committees:
- First Committee: Disarmament and International Security www.un.org/ga/first/
- Second Committee: Economic and Financial www.un.org/ga/second/
- Third Committee: Social, Humanitarian and Cultural www.un.org/ga/third/
- Fourth Committee: Special Political and Decolonization www.un.org/ga/fourth/
- Fifth Committee: Administrative and Budgetary www.un.org/ga/fifth/
- Sixth Committee: Legal www.un.org/ga/sixth/
Economic and Social Council Functional Commissions
- Commission on Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice www.unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CCPCJ/index.html
- Human Rights Council www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/
- Commission on Narcotic Drugs www.unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CND/index.html
- Commission on Population and Development www.un.org/esa/population/cpd/aboutcom.htm
- Commission on Science and Technology for Development http://stdev.unctad.org
- Commission for Social Development www.un.org/esa/socdev/csd
- Commission on the Status of Women www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw
- Commission on Sustainable Development www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd.htm
- UN Statistical Commission http://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/commission.htm
Regional Commissions:
- Economic Commission for Africa www.uneca.org
- Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific www.unescap.org
- Economic Commission for Europe www.unece.org
- Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean www.eclac.org
- Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia www.escwa.un.org/index.asp
UN Programs and Funds:
- UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) www.unicef.org
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- UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) www.unctad.org
- UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) www.unifem.org
- UN Development Programme (UNDP) www.undp.org
- UN Environment Programme (UNEP) www.unep.org
- UN-Habitat www.unhabitat.org
- UN High Commissioner for Refugees www.unhcr.ch
- UN Population Fund (UNFPA) www.unfpa.org
- UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) www.unrwa.org
- World Food Programme (WFP) www.wfp.org
UN Specialized Agencies
- Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org
- International Civil Aviation Organization www.icao.org
- International Fund for Agricultural Development www.ifad.org
- International Labour Organization www.ilo.org
- International Maritime Organization www.imo.org
- International Monetary Fund www.imf.org
- International Telecommunication Union www.itu.int
- UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization www.unesco.org
- UN Industrial Development Organization www.unido.org
- Universal Postal Union www.upu.int
- World Bank Group www.worldbank.org
- World Health Organization www.who.int
- World Intellectual Property Organization www.wipo.org
- World Meteorological Organization www.wmo.ch
- World Tourism Organization www.world-tourism.org
Related Organizations and Other UN Bodies
-International Atomic Energy Agencywww.iaea.org
- International Criminal Court www.icc-cpi.int
- Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS www.unaids.org
- UN Conference on Disarmament http://disarmament2.un.org/cd
- UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations www.un.org/Depts/dpko/dpko
- UN Office on Drugs and Crime www.unodc.org
- World Trade Organization www.wto.org
Regional Organizations
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- African Development Bank www.afdb.org
- African Union (AU) www.africa-union.org
- Alliance for Small Island States www.sidsnet.org/aosis
- Andean Community www.comunidadandina.org/endex.htm
- Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation www.apecsec.org.sg
- Asian Development Bank www.adb.org
- Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) www.aseansec.org
- Caribbean Community and Common Market www.caricom.org
- Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) www.cisstat.com/eng/cis.htm
- Council of the Baltic States www.cbss.st
- Council of Europe www.coe.int
- Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) www.ecowas.int
- European Union (EU) www.europa.eu.int
- G8 Information Centre www.g7.utoronto.ca
- G77 (Group of 77) www.g77.org
- International Organization for Migration www.iom.int
- League of Arab States www.arableagueonline.org
- Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) www.nam.gov.za/index.html
- North American Development Bank www.nadbank.org
- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) www.nato.int
- Organization of American States (OAS) www.oas.org
- Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) www.oecd.org
- Organization of the Islamic Conference www.oic-oci.org
- Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) www.opec.org
- Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) www.osce.org
- Paris Club www.clubdeparis.org/en/index.php
- Pacific Islands Forum www.forumsec.org.fj
- Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) www.paho.org
- Secretariat of the Pacific Community www.spc.int/corp/
- Western European Union www.weu.int
News Sources
- Newspaper From Around the World www.newspapers.com/country.htm
- World Magazine and Newspaper Directory www.ecola.com
- ABC News www.abcnews.com
- Associated Press www.ap.org
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- BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk
- CBC News Online www.cbc.ca
- CNN www.cnn.com
- The Economist www.economist.com
- Economist Intelligence Unit www.eiu.com
- The Financial Times www.ft.com
- Latin America News Sources online www.lib.utsa.edu/Research/Subject/latinamericapubs.html
- MSNBC www.msnbc.com
- The New York Times www.nytimes.com
- Reuters www.reuters.com
- The Times (London) www.the-times.co.uk
- The Washington Post www.washingtonpost.com
Issues and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
General
- Issues on the UN Agenda www.un.org/issues
- Avalon Project at Yale – Legal and Historical Documents www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon
International Affairs
- Brookings Institution www.brookings.org
- Foreign Affairs www.foreignaffairs.org
- Council on Foreign Relations www.cfr.org
- Foreign Policy www.foreignpolicy.com
- Global Policy Forum www.globalpolicy.org
- International Relations and Security Network www.isn.ethz.ch
- Council for a Community of Democracies www.ccd21.org
Children
- Child Rights Information Network www.crin.org
- Childwatch International Research Network www.childwatch.uio.no
- Database on Research and Information on Children’s Rights
http://child-abuse.com/childhouse/childwatch/cwi/RI-DB/info.html
- Save the Children www.savethechildren.org
- UNICEF www.unicef.org Development
- United Nations Development Programme http://www.undp.org
Disarmament and Security
- Federation of American Scientists www.fas.org
- Carnegie Endowment for International Peace www.ceip.org
- International Crisis Group www.icg.org
- Canadian Security Intelligence Review Committee www.sirc-csars.gc.ca
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- United Nations Department for Disarmament Affairs http://disarmament.un.org
- United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research www.unidir.org
- US National Counterintelligence Executive www.ncix.gov
- US National Security Agency www.nsa.gov
Environment
- Ecolex—Environmental Law Information www.ecolex.org
- EcoNet www.igc.org/home/econet/index.html
- European Environmental Law Page www.eel.nl
- Geneva Environment Network www.environmenthouse.ch
- United Nations System—Wide Earth Watch http://earthwatch.unep.net
- World Bank www.worldbank.org/environment
- World Resources Institute www.wri.org
Human Rights
- Amnesty International www.amnesty.org
- Bayefsky List of UN Human Rights Treaties www.bayefsky.com
- Project DIANA at Yale – Human Rights Documents www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/diana/index.html
- Center for the Study of Human Rights www.columbia.edu/cu/humanrights
- Human Rights First www.humanrightsfirst.org
- Human Rights Watch www.hrw.org
- International Human Rights Law Institute www.law.depaul.edu/institutes_centers/ihrli/index.asp
- International League for Human Rights www.ilhr.org
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
- 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights www.udhr.org
- University of Minnesota Human Rights Library www.umn.edu/humanrts
International Law
- United Nations Homepage—International Law www.un.org/law
- Center for International Legal Studies http://cils.net
- Library of Congress—Global Legal Information Network www.glin.gov - International Law Association www.ila-hq.org
- International Trade Law www.uncitral.org/en-index.htm
- Law of the Sea www.un.org/Depts/los/index.htm
- United Nations Treaty Collection http://untreaty.un.org Landmines
- Adopt-A-Minefield www.landmines.org
- United Nations Mine Action Service www.mineaction.org
- International Campaign to Ban Landmines www.icbl.org
Women
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Women Watch www.un.org/womenwatch
- UN Division for the Advancement of Women www.un.org/womenwatch/daw
- UN International Training Institute for the Advancement of Women www.un-instraw.org
- Americans for UNFPA - One Woman Can www.americansforunfpa.org/getinvolved
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Sample Position Paper
Country: Romania
Delegate: (Name Removed)
School: (Removed)
Committee: International Labor Organization
Topic: Globalization and Development
In the past two decades the rapidly growing world trend has been toward globalization. With the emergence of the internet as a means of communication and the increasing accessibility of international trade,
physical barriers are not the only barriers withering away. Protective tariffs are plummeting and free
trade agreements are becoming more prevalent. Romania appreciates that globalization creates favorable
situations for expansion of commercial as well as economic assets. In the past year Romania has seen a
foreign direct investment (FDI) increase of 199%. Inward FDI increased from EURO 234 million in 2005 to
EURO 699 million in 2006. However, Romania realizes that increased globalization does not automatically
produce more equality.
Globalization and Development can contribute to the advancement of the overall international human
condition; however, the delegation of Romania recognizes that without proper regulation the potential for
advancement will remain limited to an elite few individuals, businesses, and nations. Unless checked and
aimed toward the common good, globalization cannot effectively serve the global community. Crucial in
dealing with the complexities of globalization, good governance must act with solidarity and responsibility. Romania believes that in involving people in globalization we must promote moral values, democratic principals, inclusive global political culture, institutions that safeguard both individual civil rights
and inherent freedoms, and the common good. In addition, coping with the influx of information from
globalization governments must act with solidarity and insight. Access to digital education will undoubtedly result in the confidence of citizens in their respective administrations and allow for a greater degree
of transparency, and therefore a lesser degree of corruption.
Romania believes the multinational business community has the ability and the obligation to support pertinent values in human rights, labor standards, and environmental preservation. As stated by the president, Mr. Traion Basescu, Romania feels a "heartfelt attachment to multilateralism, as an effective instrument designed to identify the adequate answers to the challenges brought by globalization."
Romania is party to the majority of multilateral treaties and conventions identified as such by the Secretary General in the context of the Millennium Summit in 2001. Romania has always supported innovative
and effective ways of establishing cooperation within and between regional organizations. As one of the
newest members of the European Union, Romania is an active member of the World Trade Organization,
and looks forward to offering its support to the redirection of globalization to best benefit the global
community.
Source: http://www.unausa.org/munpreparation/positionpapers/sample
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MeMUNC Position Paper Guidelines
Each delegate is required to submit one position paper per topic. Delegates who do not submit
position papers will not be eligible for awards at the conference.
Heading:
Your heading should be right-aligned. You may include the seal of your country as a header
above this field. Follow the example below, replacing the sample information with your own.
Sample Heading
Country: Genovia
Delegate: Mia Thermopolis
School: Grove High School
Committee: United Nations Development Programme
Topic: Agricultural Sustainability
Content:
Your paper should describe the position you will take on the topic at the conference as an ambassador from your country. This includes an explanation of your perspective of the issue and suggested actions that you support. Use factual support in your paper by referencing speeches, official documents, and relevant statistics. Be sure that your paper does not exceed a single page
single-spaced.
We recommend including the following 5 components:
A. An introduction that states why your country does or does not think that the issue is important to address internationally. Note: Keep in mind that there are many issues that
some nations might feel would be best addressed by regional or national approaches
rather than by the UN.
B. A clear and concise statement of your nation’s stance on the topic.
C. An explanation of your nation’s perspective and why it takes this position
D. Which international actions your country feels are most significant to the debate and why
E. Suggested actions that your nation would like to see debated by the committee.
Save and Submit:
Save your file as a .doc or pdf with the following file name:
[CommitteeInitials].[Topic#].[Country].[DelegateLastName]
Topic #’s are specified in the committee’s background guide. Please abbreviate where necessary
(for example, UAE for United Arab Emirates, ECOSOC for Economic and Social Council, etc.).
Example File Name: UNDP.Topic2.Genovia.Thermopolis.pdf
Email your final version to your advisor. DO NOT email your position paper directly to MeMUNC staff. Position papers not submitted with the student’s delegation will not be considered.
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Accepted Motions
Motion to:
What it does
"Open the speakers list"
A delegate will move to open
a speakers list to either set
the agenda, or to debate the
topic which is officially recognized after the agenda has
been set and debate has begun.
This establishes the order for
Simple Majority
delegates to come before the
committee and speak on the ac cepted topic for a set time limit.
"Change the speaking time"
A delegate may move to
change the speaking time if
they feel like the speaking
time is too restrictive or not
restrictive enough.
Adjusts the speaking time in
moderated and formal debate;
the Chair will ask for a specific
time.
Vote Required
Simple Majority
"Set the agenda"
Establishes which topics are de- Simple Majority
A delegate will move to set
the agenda when debate on bated first. The Chair will ask for
two
speakers
for
and
two
speaksetting the agenda has be come exhausted, a consensus ers against setting the agenda.
has been realized, and the
committee feels it's ready to move on to debate the topic
that has been motioned for.
"Move to a moderated caucus"
A delegate will move to move
to a moderated caucus in
order to move away from formal debate in order to narrow
down debate to a specific
topic outside the rules of formal debate.
"Move to an un-moderated
caucus"
A delegate will move to an
un-moderated caucus in orM e M U N C
der to suspend formal debate
for a specific time period and
purpose. These motions are
accepted solely at the discression of the Chair
The Chair will ask for a specific Simple Majority
purpose, speaking time, and du ration.
Chairs will recognize a motion for
an un-moderated caucus for the Simple Majority
following purposes: 1. writing a
resolution for the topic on the
table; 2. to get into blocs to ne- D e l e g a t e P r e p a r a t i o n G u i d e
gotiate or work out matters substantive to xiii
draft resolutions; 3. to
allow the committee to read, debate and take in a draft resolu-
A delegate will move to an
un-moderated caucus in order to suspend formal debate
for a specific time period and
purpose. These motions are
accepted solely at the discression of the Chair
following purposes: 1. writing a
resolution for the topic on the
table; 2. to get into blocs to negotiate or work out matters substantive to draft resolutions; 3. to
allow the committee to read, debate and take in a draft resolution; 4.or to (in limited circumstances) provide a break for debate.
"To introduce a draft resolu- tion"
A delegate may move to in- Allows delegates to introduce a Simple Majority
troduce a draft resolution if
working paper as a draft resolu the proper number of signato- tion to be subject to debate,
ries and sponsors submit a
modification, and ultimately the
working paper to the dias and approval or rejection of the
upon review by the Chairs it is committee.
deemed to be in the proper
format.
"To introduce a "friendly"
amendment"
After the chairs have approved and returned the
amendment to the sponsors,
one of them can make a motion to introduce a friendly
amendment.
The sponsors of an amendment
may make amendments to op- None
erative clauses of their draft
resolutions at any time by submitting their amendment with the
signature of every sponsor to the
dias for approval from the Chair.
"To introduce an "unfriendly" amendment"
A delegate may motion to introduce an unfriendly
amendment only if they are
not sponsors of the draft
resolution.
Delegates who are not sponsors
of a draft resolution may motion Simple Majority
to introduce an amendment to
the operative clauses of any
draft resolution. They must sub mit the amendment to the dias
for the approval of the Chairs.
Once approved, one of the
sponsors may move to introduce
the amendment. The Chairs will
ask and select two delegates to
Delegate Preparation Guide
speak for and two to speak
against introducing the amendxiv
ment
M e M U N C
the amendment. The Chairs will
ask and select two delegates to
speak for and two to speak
against introducing the amendment
The topic will remain on the table 2/3 Majority
"Table the topic"
A delegate may move to table until the committee votes to eithe topic when debate on a ther close debate on that topic
or remove it from the table and
topic needs to be set aside
until later to address a more resume debate. Once this motion is accepted by the Chairs,
pressing issue, or to begin
they will ask for and select one
debate on another topic on
delegate to speak for and one to
the agenda.
speak against tabling the topic.
"Take topic off the table"
A delegate may move to take
a topic off the table in order
to resume debate on a previously tabled topic.
"To close debate"
A delegate may move to
close debate in order to halt
all debate on a topic and
move into voting procedures
to modify, approve or reject
the draft resolutions introduced during debate of that
topic.
A tabled topic will immediately Simple Majority
be removed from the table if the
previous topic has either been
tabled or closed, at that time the
committee can either resume
debate or close the topic. Once
this motion is accepted by the
Chairs, they will ask for and select one delegate to speak for
and one to speak against taking
a topic off the table.
Chairs will not entertain a motion 2/3 Majority
to close debate if they feel like
not enough debate has taken
place to facilitate quality draft
resolutions or if there are too few
draft resolutions on the floor.
Once the motion is made and
entertained by the Chairs, two
speakers against closing debate
will be allowed to speak.
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will be allowed to speak.
"To adjourn"
Debate will be suspended until Simple Majority
the next committee session, or
until
next
year’s
conference
if
it
is
A delegate may move to adthe final session. A motion to adjourn if the time for a commitjourn the final session may only
tee session has expired.
be made once 90% of the ses sion time has elapsed.
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Glossary of Terms
Abstain: to refrain from casting a vote.
Ad Hoc: for a specific purpose (ex: an ad hoc committee is a committee designed to cover a specific purpose).
Adjourn: To suspend the meeting for a defined or indefinite time.
Agenda: The business of the committee as determined by vote during the first session. Annex: to incorporate into a country the territory of another country.
Auspices: with the help, support, or protection of.
Autonomy: freedom from external control or influence; independence, self-government.
Bilateral: having or involving two countries.
Bloc: a combination of countries, often geographically proximate, which share a common purpose.
Breach of Treaty: failure to observe the terms of a signed treaty.
Capital Punishment: the legally authorized killing of someone as a punishment for a crime.
Cartel: an association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition.
Caucus: a meeting among delegates to discuss issues relating to the resolution and debate topics.
Censure: to blame, criticize adversely, or express disapproval.
Closure of debate: The committee ceases debate on the topic and moves into voting bloc to approve or reject the draft
resolutions produced in formal debate.
Compensatory Financing: a program by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which provides credit to its rawmaterial producing members in when they are adversely affected by unstable markets.
Convention: a practice or custom followed by a government or society, although it is not explicitly written into the
constitution or in legislation.
Coup d’ etat: a sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from the government.
Decolonization: the establishment of a self-governing area.
Decorum: The term chairs will use when asking the committee to come to order and quiet down. Chairs will ask this
at the beginning of committee sessions and if the committee ever becomes unruly to the point of disrupting the flow
of debate.
Deregulation: the process of removing government restrictions and regulations.
Destabilization: the act of making a government unstable.
Detainment: detention.
Dais: The table at the front of the committee form which the Chairs moderate debate and other business of the committee
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Dilatory: intended to cause delay.
Dissemination: the act or process of scattering or the state of being scattered, or spread abroad; diffusion.
Division of the question: A request to vote on a resolution in specific sections rather than as a whole document.
Draft resolution: A draft of a resolution that is subject to debate, amendment, and approval by the committee. They
have been officially recognized by the committee as a working document but have not become a binding resolution.
Expansion: the action of becoming larger or more extensive.
Expropriation: to take property away from its owner without due compensation; usually by a government.
Extradition: the surrender of a fugitive or prisoner by one state, nation, or legal authority to another.
Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO): helps governments improve the production, processing, marketing, and
distribution of food and agricultural products, promote rural development, and eliminate hunger.
Foreign Intervention: interference by one nation into another’s affairs.
Formal Debate: Debate of a topic through the formal speakers list.
Forum: a place or meeting where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP): the total value of goods and services produced in a country during one year.
Hate Crime: a crime motivated by racial, sexual, or other prejudice, typically involving violence.
Indigenous Peoples: those people inhabiting a land prior to the colonization of that land by another nation.
Informal Debate: Debate and negotiation away from formal debate through moderated or un-moderated caucus.
(IBRD) International Bank for Reconstruction and Development: A branch of the World Bank; it lends money and
provides technical assistance for agriculture and rural development projects, energy, ports, power facilities, roads,
railways, and other needed infrastructure.
(IDA) International Development Association: makes loans on very easy terms to the poorest of the developing
nations.
(IFC) International Finance Corporation: assists private enterprise in developing nations.
(IFAD) International Fund for Agricultural Development: seeks to end hunger and malnutrition in developing
countries by helping them improve their food production. IFAD makes loans and grants to projects that promote agriculture, livestock development, irrigation, training, credit, and fisheries.
(ILO) International Labor Organization: seeks to improve working conditions, sets international labor standards,
assists member countries in such fields as vocational training, manpower planning, occupational health and safety,
and social security.
(IMO) International Maritime Organization: promotes cooperation among governments on technical matters affecting shipping. IMO sets standards for maritime safety, efficient navigation, and prevention of control of pollution from
ships.
(IMF) International Monetary Fund: Seeks to promote international monetary cooperation and facilitate the expansion of trade. IMF provides financing to countries with balance-of-payment difficulties along with technical assistance to improve their economic management.
Internal Affairs: having to do with affairs within a country, domestic affairs, etc.
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Junta: a political or military group that rules a country after taking power by force.
Mandate: 1. A commission given to one nation by a group of nations to administer the government and affairs of a
territory or colony. 2. A mandated territory.
Moderated caucus: A form of informal debate where a specific topic is discussed for a specific time and speaking
time. Chairs select who shall speak in a moderated caucus as opposed to adhering to the speakers list.
Motion: A request by a delegate to the chair to take a certain course of action; may require a vote by the entire committee – (see list of accepted motions).
Multilateral: agreed upon or participated in by more than three parties or countries; having members or contributors
from several groups.
Multinational (Transnational) Corporation: a company having branches in several countries.
(NATO) North Atlantic Treaty Organization: a military alliance of 26 European and North American countries.
Nonaligned: a term for nations that remain neutral, not favoring one side or the other. Also, the bloc in the GA called
the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
Operative clause: Section of a resolution or draft resolution that outlines the action the committee seeks to take on
the topic debated.
(OPEC) Organization of Oil Exporting Countries: an association of thirteen countries that depend on oil exports for
their income. OPEC establishes taxes, royalties, and various trade rules.
Peacekeeping Forces: a force sent by the UN, NATO, AU, or the EU to maintain, enforce, or intervene to achieve a
cessation of hostilities between opposing armies, countries, or other groups.
Placard: A large, visible sign displaying the name of each country. These are used to count votes, to recognize delegates wishing to speak during moderated caucuses and to recognize a delegate wishing to make a point or motion.
Proliferation: rapid increase in numbers.
Protectionism: the practice of shielding a country’s domestic industries from foreign competition by taxing imports.
Quorum: The number of delegates necessary to have a session. This is generally one quarter of the committee. Without a quorum, the session cannot begin, and the committee may not move into voting bloc.
Rapporteur: a member of a legislative, military, or official group appointed to record and to make or draw up a report of the happenings of the group.
Resolution: A document written by and approved by a simple majority, outlining a solution to a topic debated by the
committee.
Roll call: The list of delegates present for a given committee session. This will be used to gauge attendance, determine the number of votes needed to pass substantive and procedural matters, and for asking the vote of each country
if a roll call vote is requested during voting procedures. Secretariat: headed by the Secretary-General, it serves as staff to the other organs of the UN and administers the projects and policies laid down by them.
Security Council (SC): an organ of the UN that is given the responsibility of maintaining international peace and
security. The SC has the power to direct UN action against threats of peace.
Simple majority: One more than half. In a committee of 100, a simple majority would be 51. 50% + 1.
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Socialism: a theory or system of social organization by which the major means of production and distribution are
owned, managed, and controlled by the government, an association of workers, or by the community as a whole.
Sovereignty: freedom from external control and guiding principle of the UN Charter.
Speakers list: The list of delegates who are to come before the committee to speak. During formal debate delegates
shall speak in the order established by the speakers list.
Table the topic: When the committee votes to suspend debate on a debate and move to the next topic on the agenda
until they remove it from the table or close debate on that topic; an agreement to resume debate on the topic at a later
time.
Take topic off the table: Also known as untabling a topic. When the committee rules to resume debate on a topic that
was previously tabled.
Un-moderated caucus: A suspension of formal and moderated debate in order to meet and negotiate for a specific
time and purpose
(HABITAT) UN Center for Human Settlements: deals with the housing problem of the urban and rural poor in developing countries.
(UNICEF) UN Children’s Fund: provides technical and financial assistance to developing countries for programs
benefiting children. UNICEF helps them plan and extend services in maternal and child health, applied nutrition,
clean water and sanitation, formal and non-formal education, and responsible parenthood.
(UNCTAD) UN Conference of Trade and Development: works to establish agreements on commodity price stabilization and to codify principles of international trade.
(UNIFEM) UN Development Fund for Women: an autonomous agency associated with UNDP that supports projects benefiting women in developing countries.
(UNDP) UN Development Programme: the central funding, planning, and coordinating organization for "technical
assistance" and development in the UN system. UNDP provides grant assistance to build skills and develop resources in areas such as agriculture, industry, health, education, economic planning, transport, and communications.
(UNDRO) Office of the UN Disaster Relief Coordinator: a clearinghouse for relief in times of natural disasters, such
as earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes. UNDRO mobilizes and coordinates emergency assistance from around the
world.
(UNESCO) UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization: promotes collaboration among countries in the
fields of education, science, culture, and communication. UNESCO trains teachers and educational planners, organizes scientific explorations, preserves works of art and monuments, and assists developing countries to improve their
media.
(UNEP) UN Environment Programme: monitors significant changes in the environment and works to develop sound
environmental practices worldwide.
(UNHRC) Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees: extends international protection and material assistance to refugees (except those in the Middle East aided by UNRWA) and negotiates with governments to resettle and
repatriate them.
(UNIDO) UN Industrial Development Organization: promotes the industrialization of developing countries.
UNIDO facilitates the transfer of technology to them, organizes training programs, and helps them obtain external
financing.
(UNITAR) UN Institute for Training and Research: seeks to enhance the effectiveness of the UN via training programs for government and UN officials and research on a variety of international issues.
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(UNFPA) UN Population Fund: the largest internationally funded source of assistance to population programs in
developing countries. UNFPA aids governments and UN officials and research on a variety of international issues.
(UNRWA) UN Relief and Works Agency: helps Palestinian refugees in the Near East, provides shelter, food, transportation, and education.
UNSCR: UN Security Council Resolution.
Voting bloc: All rules of debate are immediately suspended. The committee, once sequestered, will move to vote on
the resolutions produced during formal debate of the closed topic, subject to the rules and procedures under the Voting Bloc section.
World Bank: seeks to raise the standard of living in developing countries by channeling financial resources to them.
This is done through three institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Working paper: A rough sketch of solutions to the topic. These working papers can be changed and molded into a
draft resolution.
(WHO) World Health Organization: supports programs of health and nutritional education, safe water, family planning, immunization against major diseases, and research.
(WIPO) World Intellectual Property Organization: ensures international cooperation for the protection of inventions, trademarks, copyrights, etc.
Xenophobia: an irrational and obsessive hatred of people perceived as different and foreign; mostly relating to the
concepts of racism and ethnocentrism.
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