Delegates should refrain from discussing the issues with other delegations until their first committee session. The resources listed below are only a starting point for your research. Delegates are advised to evaluate online sources carefully and only use reputable sources. Librarians can provide invaluable assistance with your research. At the advisors meeting during the conference, pick nation assignments for the following year.
For more information, see "Section Two: Preparation". Register delegation upon arrival. Submit National Flag entry, if desired. Distribute identification badges and all conference material to delegation. Acquaint delegation with the location of all rooms. Answer any questions that fellow delegates may have concerning their nation assignment during the course of the day. This includes keeping track of any reference material which may have been brought with you.
Delegates should remember that they are part of a team, and that team success depends upon individual responsibility. Delegates have two primary tasks:. The first is adequate preparation BEFORE the conference, in order to carry out your assigned tasks as an informed delegate. The second task is to actively contribute your knowledge in committee meetings, caucuses, and the General Assembly. Verbal participation is most vital in order for the Model United Nations to serve its purpose. One suggestion is to divide by committee assignments.
Research findings should be shared at study sessions so that all delegates will benefit from a general knowledge of all areas. Research is the most important part of advance preparation. Consult your school librarian about what information is available to you. Also ask teachers if they have materials in their personal libraries that you might use. Basic suggestions for research and preparation include the following: Become familiar with United Nations functions, charter, parliamentary procedure, and SMMUN conference rules.
Learn general information about your nation history, geography, economy, culture, foreign policy. Learn general information about the United Nations history, role, power. Decide what possible actions you will take on the agenda items.
Prepare a list of these for easy reference. Prepare a position paper on how your state stands on the agenda items. This should be used for backup arguments when supporting your resolutions. Submit a formal resolution on one or both topics of each committee.
These are extensive tasks for the delegate to undertake, but they are necessary if the delegate is to become a well informed, effective participant in the SMMUN. What countries border it? Does the state border an ocean, or is it landlocked? What type of terrain surrounds it? Are there any canals or major rivers? How stable is the government? Is the state developed or developing? What is the state's primary source of wealth?
Natural resources? What does the state export? Is there a predominant religion or culture? Does the state fit into a general category i. What organizations is the state a member of e. Basic Political Information What type of government does the state have democratic, monarchial, military dictator? What type of economic system does it have market, command, traditional, mixed? Since the SMMUN is student run, a position paper provides students with both the facts and the confidence necessary to act independently of faculty assistance.
As such, an effort should be made to come to know not only what position on major questions your country has taken, but why it has done so. A suggested outline for position papers follows:. Background Information on Committee Topics Main elements of the issue. General importance of the issue e. The Country's Position on the issue As stated in UN sources, including speeches, votes on resolutions adopted, and resolutions proposed.
As revealed in the National Press, parliament, periodical articles, speeches of the leading government officials, and subject experts. P reparing Resolutions Most of the decisions of the United Nation's bodies are expressed in the form of resolutions. Resolutions typically are submitted under the sponsorship of one or sometimes several delegations, and they are usually first discussed in a committee meeting, where the text may undergo several amendments before approval.
The resolutions, as approved by the Committee, then go to the plenary session of the General Assembly for final consideration, which will result in its adoption or rejection. All resolutions should deal with topics listed as one of the agenda items in this handbook. The purpose of the agenda is to keep the number of topics down to a manageable level; resolutions that deviate from that agenda serve only to defeat this purpose and will not be considered.
Resolutions usually follow a regular format. All delegations are expected to observe the following directions when preparing their resolutions. All resolutions should be typed for legibility. A sample resolution is included in "Section Four: Reference. Directions for Preparing Resolutions:.
If properly done, it will greatly facilitate the work of the staff in processing the resolution. At the left margin should be a section indicating the subject of the resolution, which committee it was submitted to, and which delegation proposed it. The preamble often refers to earlier UN resolutions or other actions taken on the matter. Reference is also often made to some appropriate article in the UN Charter.
The preamble begins with the name of the UN body concerned and continues with what the body is doing using such words as: recognizing, believing, noting further, recalling, taking into account, desiring, noting, recognizing further, etc. Activating Clauses: The numbered activating clauses requests, declares, encourages, supports, endorses, invites, stresses, expresses the belief, etc.
The resolution may request action by Member States, or by bodies of the United Nations family. The resolution should be single spaced within clauses and double spaced between sections. The first word or phrase opening the clause should be capitalized. Each preamble clause ends with a comma. Each activating clause ends with a semi colon, except for the last, which ends with a period. Be clear and concise.
Contain correct spelling and good grammar. Contain no more than one resolution. Not be in conflict with the UN Charter. Not appear contrary to your country's position. Be typed. Not be similar to another resolution. Be current. Mean exactly what the delegation wished it to mean, so that "representatives of government" can understand it, and therefore cast a vote on it. Also note:. Discovering and keeping with your national character throughout the conference is essential for creating the educational atmosphere desired.
SMMUN seeks to provide a medium for creative diplomacy, where delegates can experience the problems and frustrations of international politics; this is where role playing is most important. We ask delegates to use their imaginations and cast themselves realistically into the role of the country they are representing.
We encourage delegates to wear national dress, if they choose to. If not, proper dress attire is expected. Delegates are expected to take their roles seriously and to dress and act accordingly. Debate Debate is, without a doubt, the most important function of the United Nations. Through debate, each nation has a chance to express its views on international issues, to comment on the positions of other nations, and to propose solutions. It is argued that the role of the United Nations as a forum for international debate has contributed materially to the easing of world tensions.
While general policy debates are held at the beginning of each session of the General Assembly, they are the exception rather than the rule. Most debates in the UN center on a single agenda topic and, more specifically, upon resolutions which have been proposed concerning that topic.
Due to the shortage of time inherent in the SMMUN, most speeches will be relatively short and impromptu in nature. Since it is impossible to anticipate the direction of debate or the nature of proposals considered, delegates should probably not prepare lengthy speeches in advance, because such speeches may turn out to be either irrelevant or repetitious in the context of earlier debate.
With the obvious exception of the first speaker on a topic, delegates must be able to react to the flow of debate preceding their speeches. Weaker arguments of allies must be bolstered while repeated claims of opponents must be refuted. Thus, delegates must be flexible in their preparations. Good organization is essential. Additionally, it is usually possible to pre- write short segments of debate on a given issue. Those few relevant segments may then be worked into the context of a larger impromptu speech.
If a time limit is set on debate within your committee, a useful technique is to yield the floor to another delegate who holds views similar to your own. This procedure assures maximum use of available time. Caucus Groups One of the most important, yet least understood aspects of the United Nations General Assembly, is that of caucus groups. Caucus groups may be thought of in terms of voting blocs; that is, member states which tend to vote together as a bloc on a particular issues in the General Assembly.
For the purpose of the SMMUN, however, we shall consider caucus groups as informally organized and structured groups of countries with similar ideologies or needs. The rationale behind the use of caucus group meetings within the General Assembly is a simple one.
It is obviously the purpose of member states to use the United Nations both as a forum for expressing official opinions and as an instrument for protecting their national interests. As neither end could readily be accomplished with all countries pulling in the opposite directions of individual national interests, it has become necessary to attempt to combine the common interests of individual nations in an effort to exert a greater amount of political influence within the Assembly.
Caucus groups represent nothing more than the aggregation of interests of member states on various issues. It is necessary to realize one major fact about caucus groups and their role in the United Nation's system: they are neither political parties nor decision making groups. Rather, they are a means of consultation and communication among nations with supposedly common interests. Seldom is absolute agreement reached within any caucusing group. Hopefully, the utilization of caucus groups will lead to more enlightened debate and better organized proceedings in the General Assembly and its committees.
One thing all delegates must realize, however, is that while caucus groups are important in the exerting of influence in the assembly, no single caucus group or voting bloc can dominate it.
It is the interaction between nations and groups of nations with conflicting interests which lead to the success or failure of measures in the General Assembly. General Assembly Plenary Committee This committee typically considers issues that se v eral committees would ha v e the power to discuss, but which would best be add r essed in a comp r ehensi v e manne r.
Ad ditional Committees which vary every year. Awards Several special awards will be presented at the conclusion of the conference.
They are:. B est Representation of the National Flag : Delegations who wish to enter this competition will make and bring a copy of their nation's official flag.
To be considered for this award, flags must:. Flags may be picked up by their delegations at the end of the conference. Most Creative Representation of the National Flag Delegations who wish to enter this competition will make and bring a copy of their nation's official flag. B est National Costume : Delegates interested in this award should be as authentic as possible.
If delegates choose not to dress in national costume, they should wear proper dress attire i. Best Delegation: Awarded for each committee meeting and the General Assembly. These will be based on delegate participation and performance throughout the conference. Essay Contest: F irst, second and third place prizes and honorable mention recognition will be awarded to the top essays.
Complete rules can be found on the Essay Contest page. To receive an award, the student must be present during the conference. S ecurity Council Rules. Forming blocs. How to write a resolution. Tips and tricks to master MUN conference debates. Delegate Handbook Below is an page Delegate Handbook. Handouts and Activities Attached are handouts to give students in order to assist them in the position paper and clause writing process.
Parliamentary Procedure While the delegate handbook explains parliamentary procedure in detail, we have also created a Powerpoint that can be used to teach parliamentary procedure to students.
Debate A formula for the perfect position paper Top 20 terms to know in committee Forming blocs How to write a resolution Tips and tricks to master MUN conference debates.
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