MUNs - An Overview

MUNs ARE NOT

LIKE DEBATES!
PROCEDURE IS IMPORTANT!
TERMS TO REMEMBER
● Chair - Facilitates Debate, controls the session
● Delegate - Country Representatives (you!)
● Placard - Card with your Country’s name on it - raise it if you want to
speak
● Agenda - Topic for discussion during your MUN
● Position Papers - Small (1-2 page) documents explaining your country’s
position on your MUNs agenda
● Committee - Group of countries attempting to solve a specific kind of
problem (like the Security Council)
BASIC STRUCTURE OF MUS
● Roll Call - Chair, Vice Chair takes attendance
● Debate Begins
○ Speaker’s List - delegates present a speech re: their position for a set amount
of time when called
○ Moderated Caucus - opened to discuss sub topics related to the agenda for a
set amount of time
○ Unmoderated Caucus - informal time to form alliances, draft a resolution
○ Draft Resolution Presentation
● Debate closes, voting on resolutions start
● Conference Adjourns
POSITION PAPERS
● Submitted BEFORE your MUN Conference to explain your
country’s position on the given agenda
● Try to keep it to 1 page - introduce the issue in the agenda and
identify what the problem is, then talk about your country’s
position on fixing the problem.
● An Example
PROCEDURE - 1. ROLL CALL
● Chair, Vice Chair take attendance here
● 2 options - Present and Voting, Present
● Present and Voting - if you have to vote on something during
session, you HAVE to say “In Favor” or “Opposed”
● Present - you can abstain from voting if you want. This is a more
flexible option which you should probably go with.
● Conference starts here! Chair initiates roll call after introduction
PROCEDURE - 2. POINTS OF ORDER, ETC
● Points of Order - If you think procedure is being violated, raise a
point of order. Can interrupt speeches for this
● Point of Inquiry - raised to ask a question
● Point of Personal Privilege - raise if you need a break
● Point of Information - raise if you believe any speech by any
delegate contains some misinformation
● Raise your placard, and say point of ___ when called upon
PROCEDURE - 3. MOTIONS
● After roll call, the only way for delegates to control what’s
happening during the session is to raise a motion.
● To begin any form of debate, the first motion raised is a “Motion to
Open Debate”.
● Chair - “Are there any motions on the floor?”
● Del. of ? - “The Delegate/s of ? would like to raise a motion to
open debate.” (if chair calls upon ?)
PROCEDURE - 3. TYPES OF MOTIONS
● Motion to open the Speaker’s List - the majority of a MUN session,
where delegates present their position re: agenda
● Motion to begin a Moderated Caucus for _ minutes with a speaking time
of _ per delegate regarding ___ topic
● Motion to begin an Unmoderated Caucus for _ minutes
● Motion to extend Moderated/Unmoderated Caucus for _ min
● Motion to Introduce a Draft Resolution
● Motion to Close Debate and enter Voting
● Motion to Adjourn
PROCEDURE - 3. TIME DURING SPEECHES
● If you finish your speech in less time than you were given, the
chair can ask you how you choose to yield your time.
● Yield to the chair - you sit down, and we move on
● Yield to questions - other delegates can ask you questions
● Yield to another delegate - give your time to someone else
(preferably an ally?)
PROCEDURE - 4. WRITING RESOLUTIONS
● Header: Committee, Sponsors, Signatories, Topic (to the left),
Resolution __ (number) to the right
● Sponsors: Main Contributors to Resolution
● Signatories: Countries who agree with Resolution
● After this, Preambulatory Clauses - bullet points beginning
with verbs, to “recognize/affirm/remind” the committee of the
key issues we face re: the agenda. UNDERLINE THE VERBS
PROCEDURE - 4. WRITING RESOLUTIONS
● Next, Operative Clauses - points to
“recommend/request/encourage” the committee to adopt steps to a
solution
● Preambulatory Clauses indicate the issues relevant to the agenda,
Operative Clauses recommend steps to solve it for countries
present
● An Example
PROCEDURE - 5. INTRODUCING A
RESOLUTION
● Motion to Introduce Draft Resolution ___ (number it so people can
identify it)
● Draft Resolutions are presented by Sponsors, delegates can
introduce motions to amend it
● “Motion to Amend Resolution ___ by adding operative clause:
“...””, chair can have delegates in favor raise their placard
PROCEDURE - 6. WRAPPING UP
● Motion to Close Debate and enter Voting - raised by anyone after
all drafts have been presented
● Can’t abstain if you said present and voting initially! Chair handles
the vote
● “Resolution ___ received _ votes in favor and _ votes against it.
Resolution ___ passes, and is officially adopted by the committee.”
RESOURCES
● Delegate Cheat Sheet
● What your Chair will (probably) do