2013-14 ACADEMIC YEAR

PREP& 9TH GRADE- MUN LESSON STUDY GUIDE &BOOKLET

What is UN?

The United Nations (UN; French: Organisation des Nations Unies, ONU) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated aims include promoting and facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, civil rights, civil liberties, political freedoms, democracy, and the achievement of lasting world peace. The UN was founded in 1945 after World War II to replace the League of Nations, to stop wars between countries, and to provide a platform for dialogue. It contains multiple subsidiary organizations to carry out its missions.

At its founding, the UN had 51 member states; there are now 193. From its offices around the world, the UN and its specialized agencies decide on substantive and administrative issues in regular meetings held throughout the year. The organization has six principal organs: the General Assembly (the main deliberative assembly); the Security Council (for deciding certain resolutions for peace and security); the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) (for assisting in promoting international economic and social cooperation and development); the Secretariat (for providing studies, information, and facilities needed by the UN); the International Court of Justice (the primary judicial organ); and the United Nations Trusteeship Council (which is currently inactive). Other prominent UN System agencies include the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The UN's most prominent position is that of the office ofSecretary-General which has been held by Ban Ki-moon of South Korea since 2007. NGOs may be granted consultative status with ECOSOCand other agencies to participate in the UN's work.

The United Nations Headquarters resides in international territory in New York City, with further main offices at Geneva, Nairobi, and Vienna. The organization is financed from assessed and voluntary contributions from its member states, and has six official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.

What is MUN?

Model United Nations is a simulation of the UN General Assembly and other multilateral bodies. In Model UN, students step into the shoes of ambassadors from UN member states and debate current issues and problems that affect countries all over the world.

 While representing an assigned country, student "delegates" make speeches, prepare draft resolutions, negotiate with allies and adversaries, resolve conflicts, and learn what international cooperation means and what are the ways of achieving it.

Model UN participants learn also how the international community acts on its concerns about topics including peace and security, human rights, the environment, food and hunger, economic development and globalization.

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The UN Charter established six principal organs of the United Nations: the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the Secretariat. The United Nations family, however, is much larger, encompassing 15 agencies and several programmes and bodies.

General Assembly

Six Main Committees of General Assembly are:

First Committee (Disarmament and International Security Committee)

Second Committee (Economic and Financial Committee)

Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee)

Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization Committee)

Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary Committee)

Sixth Committee (Legal Committee)

The following Bodies report directly to the General Assembly:

Main Committees

Subsidiary Bodies

Committees

Commissions

Boards

Councils and Panel

Working Groups and other

Advisory Subsidiary Body

United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (1)

Programmes and Funds

International Trade Centre (ITC)

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)

United Nations Volunteers (UNV)

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)

Research and Training Institutes

United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)

United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI)

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)

Other UN Entities

International Computing Centre (ICC)

Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)

United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC)

United Nations University (UNU)

UN Women

Security Council

The following bodies report directly to the Security Council.

Subsidiary Bodies

1540 Committee

Counter-Terrorism Committee

International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)

International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR)

Military Staff Committee

Peacekeeping Operations and Missions

Sanctions Committees

Standing Committees and Ad Hoc Committees

UN Compensation Commission

Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict

Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions

Economic and Social Council

The following bodies report directly to Economic and Social Council.

Functional Commissions

Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

Commission on Narcotic Drugs

Commission on Population and Development

Commission on Science and Technology for Development

Commission for Social Development

Commission on the Status of Women

Commission on Sustainable Development

Statistical Commission

United Nations Forum on Forests

Regional Commissions

Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)

Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)

Standing Committees

Committee on Negotiations with Intergovernmental Agencies

Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations

Committee for Programme and Coordination

Ad hoc bodies

Ad hoc Open-ended Working Group on Informatics

Expert Bodies composed of governmental experts

Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals

United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names

UN Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (GGIM)

Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting

Expert Bodies composed of members serving in their personal capacity

Committee for Development Policy

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters

Committee of Experts on Public Administration

Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Other related Bodies

Executive Board of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women

International Narcotics Control Board

Committee for the United Nations Population Award

Programme Coordinating Board of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS

The Trusteeship Council

The Trusteeship Council suspended operation on 1 November 1994, with the independence of Palau, the last remaining United Nations trust territory, on 1 October 1994. By a resolution adopted on 25 May 1994, the Council amended its rules of procedure to drop the obligation to meet annually and agreed to meet as occasion required -- by its decision or the decision of its President, or at the request of a majority of its members or the General Assembly or the Security Council.

Background

In setting up an International Trusteeship System, the Charter established the Trusteeship Council as one of the main organs of the United Nations and assigned to it the task of supervising the administration of Trust Territories placed under the Trusteeship System. Major goals of the System were to promote the advancement of the inhabitants of Trust Territories and their progressive development towards self-government or independence. TheTrusteeship Council is made up of the five permanent members of the Security Council --China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and United States. The aims of the Trusteeship System have been fulfilled to such an extent that all Trust Territories have attained self-government or independence, either as separate States or by joining neighbouring independent countries.

Functions and powers

Under the Charter, the Trusteeship Council is authorized to examine and discuss reports from the Administering Authority on the political, economic, social and educational advancement of the peoples of Trust Territories and, in consultation with the Administering Authority, to examine petitions from and undertake periodic and other special missions to Trust Territories.

The International Court of Justice

The Secreteriat

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MUN AIMS AT:

Increasing knowledge and understanding of the United Nations and its member states

Promoting a global outlook, tolerance and respect for diversity and difference of opinion

Fostering a greater interest in international affairs

Encouraging active citizenship

Developing friendly relations between nations.

Working together to help people live better lives, to eliminate poverty, disease and illiteracy in the world, to stop environmental destruction and to encourage respect for each others’ rights and freedoms.

MUN PARTICIPANT PROFILE:

Caring

Knowledgeable

Inquirer

Supportive info about UN Peacebuilding Commission:

In the enabling resolutions establishing the Peacebuilding Commission, the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council mandated it:

to bring together all relevant actors to marshal resources and to advise on and propose integrated strategies for post-conflict peacebuilding and recovery;

to focus attention on the reconstruction and institution-building efforts necessary for recovery from conflict and to support the development of integrated strategies in order to lay the foundation for sustainable development;

to provide recommendations and information to improve the coordination of all relevant actors within and outside the United Nations, to develop best practices, to help to ensure predictable financing for early recovery activities and to extend the period of attention given by the international community to postconflict recovery

Turkish UN vision:

 

is to be recognized as valued and trusted partner known for our commitment to make a difference in the lives of the people of Turkey through:

 

•Being responsive to the national needs

•Setting exemplary standarts in perfor-mance and quality 

•Building empowered and coherent teams

 

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Learning MUN Vocabulary

MUN Vocabulary

Abstain. During a vote on a substantive matter, delegates may abstain rather than vote yes or no. This generally signals that a state does not support the resolution being voted on, but does not oppose it enough to vote no. Frequently abstaining is banned in Model UN sessions for minor substantive matters, such as amendments or amendments to the 2nd degree, in order to force progress in a resolution.

Adjourn. All UN or Model UN sessions end with a vote to adjourn. This means that the debate is suspended until the next meeting. This can be a short time (e.g., overnight) or a long time (until next year's conference).

Agenda. The order in which the issues before a committee will be discussed. The first duty of a committee following the roll call is usually to set the agenda.

Amendment. A change to a draft resolution on the floor. Can be of two types: a "friendly amendment" is supported by the original draft resolution's sponsors, and is passed automatically, while an "unfriendly amendment" is not supported by the original sponsors and must be voted on by the committee as a whole.

Amendment to the 2nd Degree. A change to the draft amendment on the floor. Can also be either a "friendly" or an "unfriendly" amendment. In some formats of debate, passing the amendment to the 2nd degree is equivalent to passing the original amendment; in others it merely means debate continues on the now altered amendment. In the Security Council amendments can be permitted to multiple degrees in order to allow an amendment to be designed to be acceptable to all countries.

Background guide. A guide to a topic being discussed in a Model UN committee usually written by conference organizers and distributed to delegates before the conference. The starting point for any research before a Model UN conference.

Binding. Having legal force in UN member states. Security Council resolutions are binding, as are decisions of the International Court of Justice; resolutions of the General Assembly and Economic and Social Council are not.

Bloc. A group of countries in a similar geographical region or with a similar opinion on a particular topic.

Caucus. A break in formal debate in which countries can more easily and informally discuss a topic. There are two types: moderated caucus and unmoderated caucus.

Chair. A member of the dais that moderates debate, keeps time, rules on points and motions, and enforces the rules of procedure. Also known as a Moderator.

Committee. Participants choose to be in different committees, and discuss with others on topics related to the committee. For example, 'Economics and Social' committee will debate the question of 'Refugee Crisis'.

Co-Submitter: This is delegation in favor of a resoliton before it has been debated. A resolution needs a certain amount of co-submitters before it has been submitted.

Decorum. The order and respect for others that all delegates at a Model UN conference must exhibit. The Chair will call for decorum when he or she feels that the committee is not being respectful of a speaker, of the dais, or of their roles as ambassadors.

Delegate. A participant acting as a representative of a member state or observer during a Model UN conference.

Delegation. The entire group of people representing a member state or observer in all committees at a particular Model UN conference.

Director. A member of the dais that oversees the creation of working papers and draft resolutions, acts as an expert on the topic, makes sure delegates accurately reflect the policy of their countries, and ensures that decorum is maintained during caucuses.

Division of the question. During voting bloc, delegates may motion to vote on certain clauses of a resolution separately, so that only the clauses that are passed become part of the final resolution. This is known as division of the question.

Draft resolution. A document that seeks to fix the problems addressed by a Model UN committee. If passed by the committee, the draft resolution will become a resolution.

Faculty adviser. The faculty member in charge of a Model UN team, class or club.

Flow of debate. The order in which events proceed during a Model UN conference. See Flow of Debate chart.

Gavel. The tool, shaped like a small wooden hammer, that the Chair uses to keep order within a Model UN committee. Many conferences give the gavel used in a committee to the delegate recognized by the dais as the best in that committee; therefore, the term is frequently used to refer to the award given to the best delegate, even in cases where no actual gavel is given.

Formal debate. The "standard" type of debate at a Model UN conference, in which delegates speak for a certain time in an order based on a speakers' list.

Head delegate/ambassador. The student leader of a Model UN club or team. Responsible for ceremonial actions required of the delegation at a conference or answering specific questioning, such as in the Security Council.

Member state. A country that has ratified the Charter of the United Nations and whose application to join has been accepted by the General Assembly and Security Council.

Currently, there are 193 member states. The only internationally recognized state that is not a member state is the Holy geSee.

Merging: This is what delegates do while lobbying. Everyone has made a resoliton and they will then form merging group to combine the clauses and write one final resolution.

Moderated caucus. A type of caucus in which delegates remain seated and the Chair calls on them one at a time to speak for a short period of time, enabling a freer exchange of opinions than would be possible in formal debate.

Moderator. See Chair.

Motion. A request made by a delegate that the committee as a whole do something. Some motions might be to go into a caucus, to adjourn, to introduce a draft resolution, or to move into voting bloc. See our Charts of Rules and Motions.

NGO: This is a Non-Governmental Organization. These are not allowed to vote during a debate. Observer. A state, national organization, regional organization, or non-governmental organization that is not a member of the UN but participates in its debates. Observers can vote on procedural matters but not substantive matters. Examples are the Holy See and the State of Palestine.

On the floor. At a Model UN conference, when a working paper or draft resolution is first written, it may not be discussed in debate. After it is approved by the Director and introduced by the committee, it is put "on the floor" and may be discussed.

Operative clause. The part of a resolution which describes how the UN will address a problem. It begins with an action verb (decides, establishes, recommends, etc.).

Page. A delegate in a Model UN committee that has volunteered to pass notes from one delegate to another, or from a delegate to the dais, for a short period of time.

Placard. A piece of cardstock with a country's name on it that a delegate raises in the air to signal to the Chair that he or she wishes to speak.

Point. A request raised by a delegate for information or for an action relating to that delegate. Examples include a point of order, a point of inquiry, and a point of personal privilege. See our Charts of Rules and Motions.

Position paper. A summary of a country's position on a topic, written by a delegate before a Model UN conference.

Preambulatory clause. The part of a resolution that describes previous actions taken on the topic and reasons why the resolution is necessary. It begins with a participle or adjective (noting, concerned, regretting, aware of, recalling, etc.).

Procedural. Having to do with the way a committee is run, as opposed to the topic being discussed. All delegates present must vote on procedural matters and may not abstain.

Quorum. The minimum number of delegates needed to be present for a committee to meet. In the General Assembly, a quorum consists of one third of the members to begin debate, and a majority of members to pass a resolution. In the Security Council, no quorum exists for the body to debate, but nine members must be present to pass a resolution.

Rapporteur. A member of the dais whose duties include keeping the speakers' list and taking the roll call.

Resolution. A document that has been passed by an organ of the UN that aims to address a particular problem or issue. The UN equivalent of a law.

Right of reply. A right to speak in reply to a previous speaker's comment, invoked when a delegate feels personally insulted by another delegate's speech. Generally requires a written note to the Chair to be invoked.

Roll call. The first order of business in a Model UN committee, during which the Rapporteur reads aloud the names of each member state in the committee. When a delegate's country's name is called, he or she may respond "present" or "present and voting." A delegate responding "present and voting" may not abstain on a substantive vote.

Rules of procedure. The rules by which a Model UN committee is run. See our Charts of Rules and Motions.

Second. To agree with a motion being proposed. Many motions must be seconded before they can be brought to a vote.

Secretariat. The most senior staff of a Model UN conference.

Secretary-General. The leader of a Model UN conference.

Signatory. A country that wishes a draft resolution to be put on the floor and signs the draft resolution to accomplish this. A signatory need not support a resolution; it only wants it to be discussed. Usually, Model UN conferences require some minimum number of sponsors and signatories for a draft resolution to be approved.

Simple majority. 50% plus one of the number of delegates in a committee. The amount needed to pass most votes.

Speakers' list. A list that determines the order in which delegates will speak. Whenever a new topic is opened for discussion, the Chair will create a speakers' list by asking all delegates wishing to speak to raise their placards and calling on them one at a time. During debate, a delegate may indicate that he or she wishes to be added to the speakers' list by sending a note to the dais.

Sponsor. One of the writers of a draft resolution. A friendly amendment can only be created if all sponsors agree.

Substantive. Having to do with the topic being discussed. A substantive vote is a vote on a draft resolution or amendment already on the floor during voting bloc. Only member states (not observer states or non-governmental organizations) may vote on substantive issues.

Unmoderated caucus. A type of caucus in which delegates leave their seats to mingle and speak freely. Enables the free sharing of ideas to an extent not possible in formal debate or even a moderated caucus. Frequently used to sort countries into blocs and to write working papers and draft resolutions.

Veto. The ability, held by China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States to prevent any draft resolution in the Security Council from passing by voting no.

Vote. A time at which delegates indicate whether they do or do not support a proposed action for the committee. There are two types: procedural and substantive.

Voting bloc. The period at the end of a committee session during which delegates vote on proposed amendments and draft resolutions. Nobody may enter or leave the room during voting bloc.

Working paper. A document in which the ideas of some delegates on how to resolve an issue are proposed. Frequently the precursor to a draft resolution.

Yielding. The movement that delegate A, who is standing at the front, make to pass the right of front speaking to delegate B who agrees with the idea offered previously by delegate A and will keep extend the idea to gain more votes from the floor. It is moderated by chairs.

MOCK SESSION:

A Mock Session is an optional preliminary session held by the student officers to familiarize the students for the conference. It is not obligatory to address real current issues or cover the territory

The benefits of the mock session:

The delegates take the opportunity to become acclimatized to the environment.

The delegates practice the parliament procedures throughout the session.

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Phrases for Resolution WritingPre-ambulatory phrases

Acknowledging Expecting Noting with AppreciationAffirming Expressing in appreciation Noting with ApprovalAlarmed by Expressing its satisfaction Noting with deep concernApproving Fulfilling Noting with regretAware of Fully alarmed Noting with satisfactionBelieving Fully aware ObservingBearing in mind Fully believing Pointing outConfident Further deploring ReaffirmingCongratulating Further recalling RealizingContemplating Guided by RecallingConvinced Having adopted RecognisingDeclaring Having considered ReferringDeeply concerned Having considered further RemindingDeeply conscious Having devoted further Reminding

Deeply convinced Having examined Taking into accountDeeply disturbed Having heard Taking into considerationDeeply regretting Having received Taking noteDeploring Having studied Viewing with appreciationDesiring Keeping in mind WelcomingEmphasising Noting further

Operative phrases

Accepts Encourages RecommendsAffirms Endorses RegretsApproves Expresses its appreciation RequestsAsks Expresses its hope ResolvesAuthorises Further invites SeeksCalls for Further proclaims Strongly affirmsCalls upon Further recommends Strongly condemnsCondemns Further requests Strongly urgesCongratulates Further resolves SuggestsConfirms Hopes SupportsDeclares accordingly Invites TrustsDeplores Proclaims TransmitsDesignates Proposes Urges

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UN puts the related selected agencies or IGOs(Inter-governmental organizations or NGOs (Non-governmental organizations) on the agenda when it is necessary to consult those mentioned below.

World Health Organization

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that is concerned with international public health. It was established on 7 April 1948, with its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. WHO is a member of the United Nations Development Group. Its predecessor, the Health Organization,

was an agency of the League of Nations.

World Trade Organization

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on 1 January 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which commenced in 1948

World Food Programme

The World Food Programme (WFP), (French: Programme Alimentaire Mondial, Italian: Programma Alimentare Mondiale), Spanish:Programa Mundial de Alimentos) is the food assistance branch of the United Nations, and it is the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger.[1] WFP provides food, on average, to 90 million people per year,

58 million of whom are children.

African Union

The African Union (AU, or, in its other official languages, UA) is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU isMorocco. The AU was established on 26 May 2001 in Addis Ababa and launched on 9 July 2002 in South Africa to replace the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The most important decisions of the AU are made by the Assembly of the African Union, a semi-annual meeting of the heads of state and government of its member states. The AU's secretariat, the African Union Commission, is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Arab League

The League of Arab States (Arabic:  العربية الدول Jāmiʻat جامعةad-Duwal al-ʻArabiyya), commonly called the Arab League (Arabic:  العربي�����ة al-Jāmiʻa الجامع�����ة al-ʻArabiyya), is a regional organization of Arab countries in and around North

Africa, the Horn of Africa, and Southwest Asia. It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan (renamed Jordan in 1949), Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Syria. Yemen joined as a member on 5 May 1945. 

Association of Southeast Asian Nations

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN / ̍ ɑː s i . ɑː n /  AH -see-ahn, / ̍ ɑː z i . ɑː n /  AH -zee-ahn) is a geo-political and economic organisation of ten countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore andThailand. Since then, membership has expanded to include Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. 

European Union

The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe. The EU operates through a system of supranational independent institutions and intergovernmental negotiated decisions by the

member states. Institutions of the EU include the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Council, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Central Bank, the Court of Auditors, and the European Parliament. The European Parliament is elected every five years byEU citizens. The EU's de facto capital is Brussels.[

International Atomic Energy Agency

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957. Though established independently of the United Nations through its own international treaty, the IAEA Statute,[1] the IAEA reports to both the UNGeneral Assembly and Security Council.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO; / ̍ n eɪ t oʊ /  NAY -toh; French: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique Nord (OTAN)), also called the (North) Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949. The organization constitutes a system of collective

defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party.

Organization of American States

The Organization of American States (Spanish: Organización de los Estados Americanos, Portuguese: Organização dos Estados Americanos,French: Organisation des États américains), or the OAS, is a continental organization founded on 30 April 1948, for the purposes of regional solidarity and cooperation among its member states. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., United

States, the OAS's members are the 35 independent states of the Americas.

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC; Arabic:  التعاون منظمةا French: Organisation de la Coopération Islamique, OCI)[a 1] is ;إلس�المي

an international organisation consisting of 57 member states. The organisation states that it is "the collective voice of the Muslim world"

and works to "safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony".[1]

The OIC has a permanent delegation to the United Nations, and is the largest international organisation outside the United Nations. The official languages of the OIC are Arabic, English and French.

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an organisation of South Asian nations, which was established on 8 December 1985 when the government of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka formally adopted its charter providing for the promotion of economic and social progress, cultural development within the South Asia region and also for friendship and co-operation with other developing countries. It is dedicated to economic, technological, social, and cultural development emphasising collective self-reliance.

Persuasive Speech

Following the writing of a resolution, students should prepare speeches. Speeches must be planned in order to be effective. Speaking “off the cuff” is necessary, especially during points of information, but the ultimate aim is for all participants in the debate to speak freely using only their notes to guide them.

It is recommended to write out a speech in full ahead of time and put it to memory but not recommended to read a speech word for word.

The object of a speech is to persuade and even convince others and not merely to state an opinion. In some cases, a nation’s policy may place a student in a position where he must defend the indefensible and cannot be expected to persuade a majority to support him. In preparing speeches, students must be aware not only of their strengths and weaknesses, but also be aware of the points to be made by others. It is advisable to list arguments and counter-arguments so students will be in a position to defend their views as well as make proposals.

Remember: a speech is heard only once and, therefore, needs to leave a strong impression. The audience will remember the important parts of a speech that is short, clear and well structured than if they have to listen to a long, confusing, and rambling one. The key elements to an effective speech include the following:

The most important points are arranged in ascending order with the final point a climax.

Numbering the points is helpful to the speaker in delivering the speech and to the audience in remembering it.

Use a key word or phrase for each argument and repeat the main points before yielding the floor.

 

The advanced speaker has taken the next steps in preparing his techniques in delivery. Besides building repetitions, using catch phrases and rhetorical pauses, he has worked out his stance (firm, dogmatic, ironic, conciliatory, etc.), the image he wants to project (idealistic, revolutionary, moderate, etc.), and the appropriate level of language needed for the role he is assuming. The MUN Director can help in the selection of appropriate terminology, phraseology and vocabulary in this aspect of speech making in the classroom.

Speakers should deliver their speeches in a clear, loud voice. Every speech should have an obvious beginning, e.g. “Madame Chairwoman, ladies and gentlemen, the delegate is in favor of this resolution because...,” followed by arguments that are to the point, and an obvious ending, e.g. “Therefore, I urge the House to vote in favor of this resolution. I will now yield to points of information.” Points of information must be phrased in the form of a question, but that does not imply that they are used to elicit information from the speaker. In many cases, they are used rhetorically in order to express an opinion when one does not have the floor or to support or disconcert the speaker who does have the floor, e.g. “Does the speaker not agree that the recent strike against unarmed civilians in Iraq can only be regarded as murder?”

The speaker who has the floor should not allow himself to be put off by points of information. He can, however, take the opportunity to reply to the question in any way he chooses, either re-emphasizing his points earlier or using the question as a springboard to launch into another argument. Points of information should never be answered by a simple “yes” or “no” which would be a wasted opportunity. It is during this stage of answering points of information that the debate is the liveliest, so students should be encouraged to answer points which arise and not simply yield the floor after delivering their prepared speech.

Opening SpeechOpening speeches take about one minute to present. Its purpose is to introduce the country and to give a very brief introduction to the issue discussed in their resolution as well as the country’s perspective regarding other issues that will be debated within the caucus.

Sample Persuasive Speech

Good morning delegates of the house and chairperson. My name is -------- and along with ------, I represent -----------. Today our delegation is here to discuss one of the most aggravating issues in the world. It is a great concern to our people, and we are sure that it is a great concern to the entire world as well – we are here to discuss the HIV virus, most commonly known as AIDS. As all of you are aware, ----------- suffers from a tremendous lack of health care, which accelerates the population’s death rate. The HIV/AIDS is affecting 1.1 million people in the country. This disease is most commonly transmitted by women that are raped by members of armed groups in eastern -------.  Survivors of rape are frequently abandoned by their families and communities; therefore they are forced to leave their homes and are left in poverty. Women are three times as likely to be living with HIV/AIDS as young man, and within the next ten years, more than half of the population will be threatened by it. It will also have a catastrophic future affect on the health of the country.            Due to its history of so many civil wars, diseases and death rates are always increasing in -----------. The widespread destruction of homes and hospitals has left children without families and many people with sicknesses and injuries. Because of the country’s poverty, state health facilities offer no treatment for HIV/AIDS other than voluntary tests and council.             The HIV/AIDS virus acts as a significant brake on the economic growth and development of the country, since the people affected are forced to leave their jobs.            The -------- is so devastated and it needs so much more than it already has to become a society where health and well being is a priority.            For this reason we urge all delegates of the house to vote in favor of our resolution.            Thank you for your attention.

 

Sample Opening Speech

            Good Morning Chair People, delegates of the house. My name is ------ and along with ----------, I represent----------. We are here today, in another United Nations conference, such as the one that created our country.            We hope that the present delegations will engage only to fruitful debates, in order to make this conference productive and relevant. Let’s all take wise decisions after considering every resolution. Bear in mind that the U.N. was created to make a better world and not to satisfy an individual will.             We’d like to share with you, our preoccupation regarding ------- resolution. It is a fact that nuclear weapons are not yet proved to exist, however suspicions are strong. It is not acceptable that a country that can threaten the existence of another one to even have the slightest possibility of producing nuclear weapons. This is an outrage!              Nonetheless the -------- resolution wants nothing more than to protect all of us, so, -------- is in favor and supports this resolution that will, finally, request respect and consideration to all the people from the ----------.            Let’s all have a wise purpose here!                        Thank You for your attention!

Here are six important areas for you to research as part of your preparation for a conference:

Know the UN system!

Become familiar with the your country's history, culture, political structure, and current political affairs. In addition to resources you may find at your school, university, or public library and on the internet, it may be useful to read fiction and non-fiction books (e.g., biographies) written by authors who live in your country. They may offer insights into the culture you are learning about.

Learn about your country's viewpoints on as many of the issues that will be discussed at the conference you will be attending as you can.

Know your allies and your opposition. In order to adequately represent your country during the conference, you will need to interact with delegates from other countries. Knowing their positions on your topic will help you predict their arguments during debate. This will be very useful in helping you decide in advance where it might be useful to seek cooperation or compromise.

Be familiar with current statistical data on your topic and country.

Review the rules and procedures for your conference. These rules are intended to create a level playing field allowing each country to accomplish its individual goals in speaking about their policies while maximizing opportunities for the group to reach agreement or even consensus on the issue. Each conference publishes a set of rules and procedures that are derived from those used by the UN. There are many resources on protocol and parliamentary procedure available through MUN sites and books.

Developing MUN SkillsDevelop MUN skills by asking more experienced participants of MUN conferences and/or your advisor about exercises that will improve your abilities to: debate, speak publicly, negotiate, resolve conflicts, compromise, cooperate, write resolutions, and build consensus. 

Most importantly, participate in as many conferences as you can. This is the best way for you to sharpen your skills. 

Tips from MUNers

Remember it is not your opinion you are expounding but the country you are representing.

Be willing to continuously improve and refine you capabilities.

Do mock trials with team members and neighboring teams.

Technique matters - so practice it.

Be aware of different political perspectives - East vs. West and North vs. South.

Compromise is an art, treat it that way.

Get hooked on MUN, this will change your life.

Learn from your experience.

Hold a debriefing session after each conference to discuss things that worked and things that did not work.

Keep a record of your feedback and plans for improvement.

Congratulate your team members (and other players!) on their contributions to the team and the conference.

References:

The UN Charter

https://sites.google.com/site/hismun/how-to-write-an-opening-speech

http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/modelun/prep.html

http://www.un.org.tr/v3/vp/home.php?lang=EN