What is the United Nations? The United Nations is an international organization whose aims are to facilitate cooperation between countries in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, and human rights issues It is made up of multiple committees and legislative bodies, including the General Assembly that is made up of delegations from countries. Founded in 1945, after World War II, the United Nations has a total of 192 member countries.

What is Model United Nations? Model UN is a simulation of the United Nations Students play the roles of delegates representing a specific country in a UN committee The goal of a Model UN committee is to pass resolutions that will resolve the issues being debated The goal of each delegate is to have his/her country’s interests and objectives reflected in the resolutions

Common terms to know The chairpersons are seated in the front with their gavel and facilitate the debate, They call on speakers, time speeches, and maintain the rules of procedure, Since there are 2 awards (Best delegate and Special mention) at the end of the main session, they will also evaluate delegates for this award.

Decorum: order in committee. The chair may call decorum if delegates are loud or disrespectful, in order to ask for their attention during committee. Motion: a specific action made by delegates to direct debate in a certain direction. Eg. The delegate of Norway motions to start the speakers list.

Yield: this is when a speaker decides to give up the remaining time in his or her speech. Typically, the three types of yields are: 1) Yield to the Chair meaning you give up the rest of your time, 2) Yield to another delegate meaning you give up the rest of your time to another delegate, or 3) Yield to questions from other delegates or Yield to comments to your speech by other delegates. Questions are also sometimes called Points of Information.

ORDER OF PROCEDURE

Flow of debate Speaker’s List Moderated Caucus Unmoderated Caucus Return to Speaker’s List Voting Procedures Set the agenda

Set the Agenda After roll call (every delegate needs to reply in present or present and voting) Delegates will then vote on which topic to discuss first.

Speaker’s List The speakers list will include all delegates and the order will be predetermined by the dias, One delegate speaks for an amount of time agreed upon by the whole committee, After speech, Yield time to the chair (no questions) or to the floor (questions) During the speech, lay out your country’s position on an issue or describing a course of action

Moderated Caucus A debate format that allows delegates to make short comments on a specific sub-issue. Typically, delegates who are interested in speaking will raise up their placards and the Chairs will call on delegates to speak one at a time. In order to move into a moderated caucus, the motion must include the overall speaking time, the time per speaker, and the sub-issue to be discussed. Example: Italy motions for a 5 minute moderated caucus with 30 second speaking time per delegate for the purpose of discussing solutions to women’s rights.

Unmoderated Caucus Delegates talk amongst one another freely for a specified amount of time Usually minutes The chair is not involved in the discussion at all Useful for writing draft resolutions or negotiating intensely with other delegates In order to move into an unmoderated caucus, the motion must include the overall caucus time and preferably the purpose of the unmoderated caucus. Example: Senegal motions for an unmoderated caucus for 10 minutes to complete draft resolutions.

Speech guidelines Don’t forget to thank the chair and acknowledge the (executive board/dias/chairs) before starting your speech: Eg. Thank you honorable chair (after being granted right to ask a question) With the prior permission of the dias, the delegate of Nepal would like to begin (before starting your speech)

Don’t use personal pronouns like I, me, my, What you say should be respectful, true and sensible, No swearing or slang, language should be strictly formal, Do not maintain eye contact specially hostile ones, Use correct vocabulary according to MUN terminology, After you’re done, yield the floor back to the dias,

When the chair-cochair / Secretary General / Deputy Secretary General/Presidency enters all delegates should stand up in acknowledgement of their presence : Eg. Chair: Delegates please rise for the Chair of the Security Council All delegates rise and sit when the SC chair gives permission