NIMUN I Delegate Guidebook

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Dear Delegate,

November 15, 1920: The League of Nations holds its first assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

November 22, 1943: Lebanon gains independence from France.

November 19, 1977: Egyptian President Anwar Sadat becomes the first Arab leader to officially

visit Israel.

November 14, 1993: Puerto Rico votes against becoming the 51st member of the United States.

November 2, 2000: The first crew arrives at the International Space Station.

November 10, 2011: It’s your turn to change the world.

Welcome to NIMUN!

Elena Lindstrom

Secretary-General

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Schedule -- 8:45-9:30 Check-in

-- 9:30-10:15 Opening Ceremonies

-- 10:20-11:35 Session I

-- 11:40-12:55 Session II

-- 1:05-1:40 Lunch

-- 1:40-3:00 Session III

-- 3:05-4:20 Session IV

-- 4:25-5:00 Closing Ceremonies, End of Conference

Directions NIMUN will take place at the Chicago History Museum. Its address is 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614.

For your convenience, here is a map of the local surroundings:

NIMUN will move about through the museum during the day. Our staff will greet your delegation (school) upon your arrival, provide you with nametags, sign you in, and, if necessary, give you a place to store your lunches. Likewise, our volunteers will help direct students to the committee rooms, restrooms, and the lunch room when needed.

Safety at NIMUN

NIMUN will take place during the day in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. We will have staff constantly watching all the committee rooms, and the Chicago History Museum’s staff will help ensure the museum remains a safe place. For your safety as a delegate, we ask that you please listen to and comply with all instructions from NIMUN or Chicago History Museum staff. Delegates are not allowed to leave the Chicago History Museum during the simulation for any reason (barring emergency), unless accompanied by an advisor, and only after notifying NIMUN staff. We also ask that all schools have at least one advisor in the building at all times during the conference, and that all schools maintain a student/advisor ration of 10:1.

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Conduct Delegates at NIMUN are expected to comply with NIMUN’s code of conduct. The specific policies are outlined below, but as a general guideline, please behave respectfully and courteously at all times, follow all instructions from NIMUN staff, Chicago History Museum Staff, and your advisors, attempt to follow the highest reasonable standard of professionalism, and act your best.

Specific rules are as follows:

No smoking, alcohol consumption or drug use of any sort will be permitted.

Diplomatic courtesy between delegates will be maintained throughout. No harassment, physical or verbal bullying, foul language, or any form of disrespect whatsoever to delegates, advisors, or

staff will be tolerated in committee session.

Students will stay on site at all times, unless they receive permission from the Secretary General and are accompanied by one of their advisers.

Formal attire will be required. Guys: suit or shirt and tie, slacks, dress shoes. Girls: Suit, slack, skirt or blouse. Please, no jeans or sneakers.

All the regulations and policies of the Chicago History Museum are to be followed.

Delegates must comply with all instructions from NIMUN and Chicago History Museum Staff.

Delegates must wear their credentials at all times. Delegates who lose their credentials should immediately notify a NIMUN staff member, and proceed to our Delegate Services desk.

Delegates who violate these rules may receive a verbal or written warning, a temporary suspension of conference participation privileges, or referral to their advisor. In extreme cases, NIMUN reserves the right to eject students from the conference and discharge them into the care of their advisor(s).

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Conference Staff

Elena Lindstrom

Secretary General

secretarygeneral@nimunweb.com

Elena Lindstrom is thrilled to be Secretary-General of the inaugural NIMUN conference! She won Outstanding Delegate (top honors) at Model UN of the University of Chicago 2011 as Minister of Veteran’s Affairs on the Historical Canadian Cabinet. She was awarded Honorable Mentions at Chicago International Model UN in 2009 and 2010. Elena currently serves as the Vice President of Chicagoland Model UN Club, and she has been a member of the group since its inception. Outside of Model UN, Elena participates in cross country, show choir, theater, and dance. She works frequently with kids through camp counseling, 4-H, and library volunteering. She also loves the Chicago Blackhawks, watermelon, cats, and movies.

Xavier Gurrola Chair, DISEC.

xavier@nimunweb.com

Xavier Gurrola has been competing in Chicagoland MUN conferences since 8th grade. He has represented Cuba, Algeria, Palau, Mexico, as well as historical persons. Xavier is currently serving as President for the Chicagoland MUN Club. In addition, he has a continuing passion for history, political science, and international affairs. He is a junior in high school and pursues music in every form. He enjoys fruit, Family Guy, guitar, history, and the occasional movie. He is excited to be chairing NIMUN's first ever DISEC committee.

Riley Price Chair,UNDP. Webmaster. Treasurer. admin@nimunweb.com

Riley Price has been a Model UN delegate at the high school level for two and a half years. Currently a sophomore in high school, he has had the privilege of attending numerous MUN conferences. Riley is delighted to be chair of the UNDP for the first NIMUN conference, as well as webmaster, treasurer, and author of the majority of this delegate guidebook. He serves as treasurer on the board of the Chicagoland MUN Club. Besides Model UN, Riley enjoys reading, playing the accordion, fiddling with computers, and Tae Kwon Do.

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Elizabeth Haas Chair, Security Council.

elizabeth@nimunweb.com

Elizabeth Haas has been participating in Model UN since spring of 2010 and has

attended three Model UN conferences: MUNI 2010, as the delegate for Iran on

OPEC (where she earned an Honorable Mention); CIMUN 2010, where she

represented Mexico on the General Assembly; and NUMUN 2011, where she

represented Nigeria on the Security Council. She will be Chair of the Security

Council at NIMUN, and she's eagerly looking forward to it! She is a junior in high

school, and her other hobbies include theater, creative writing, taekwondo, and music.

This conference has been made possible by contributions from many more individuals. To see the biographies of some of NIMUN’s other core staff, visit our website at http://nimunweb.com/

Keynote Speaker

Victor Lang

Victor Lang is Managing Director of the Model United Nations Development Organization (MUNDO) and the Secretary-General of the Chicago International Political Simulation (CIPS). In 2004, Lang and the rest of the MUNDO team started the Chicago International Model United Nations (CIMUN), a high-school level Model UN that will welcome 950 students this December at the Fairmont Hotel. Lang attended DePaul University, and was the founder and Director of the DePaul Society for International Affairs - Model United Nations. Lang sits on the Board of Directors of Citizens for Global Solutions (CGS), a Washington-DC based organization that lobbies US Congress for multilateral approaches to international relations. Originally from Hong Kong, Lang was recognized in 2006 by Business Week as one of Asia's top entrepreneurs under 25 years old. Outside of Model UN activities, Lang is Principal at Cloudview Real Estate, a real estate investment business founded in 2008 with offices in Hong Kong, Chicago, New York and Atlanta.

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The History of the United Nations

The UN was founded in 1945, at the end of World War II, with the goals of promoting global peace and providing a platform for dialogue between countries. In that year, representatives from 50 different countries convened in San Francisco to create the United Nations charter. The UN came into official existence on October 24, 1945, once it had been ratified by the delegates from a majority of the UN charter signatories, and all of the 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council: The United States, The United Kingdom, The Soviet Union (which is now the Russian Federation), China, and France.

Since its inception, the United Nations had become critical to international politics. Its multilateral approach to diplomacy makes it a powerful tool for promoting the common interests of the world’s countries. Its peacekeeping deployments were found to frequently be effective in a study by the RAND Corporation1. The UN played a key role in maintaining diplomatic relations between the United States and the Soviet Union open during the Cold War. More recently, it has been at the forefront of efforts to eradicate world hunger, address climate change, end illiteracy, aid developing nations, promote peace and security in volatile regions of the world, end the AIDS epidemic, and many more humanitarian goals. Today, there are 193 UN member nations (the most recent of which was recognized mere months ago).

Numerous though its achievements are, the UN is not a perfect organization. Some of its worst mistakes include its peacekeeping missions in Rwanda (in 1994) and in Bosnia (during the Srebrenica massacre in 1995). Both have been sharply criticized for tragic ineffectiveness.

The UN is made up of several subcommittees that serve one or more specific functions. The United Nations General Assembly is the main deliberative body of the UN. It is comprised of six main subcommittees (as well as several smaller bodies). Every UN member state has a seat on the GA. Among those subcommittees is DISEC – the Disarmament and International Security committee – one of the committees that will be featured at NIMUN.

Another one of the principal bodies of the UN is the UN Security Council (UNSC). Unlike the General Assembly (which is open to all UN member nations), the UN Security Council has a limited membership. There are 15 members in the UN Security Council; five permanent members that have powerful veto ability, and 10 members that are elected by the GA, with two-year terms. The UN Security Council is the only UN body able to enforce its decisions with military actions (through the UN peacekeepers) when necessary.

Still one more major organ is ECOSOC: the ECOnomic and SOCial council. Their purpose is to promote economic development and social cooperation between nations. They also provide the organizational mechanisms necessary for several smaller bodies to function. Some (not all) of the more notable among

1 More in the original report: http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2005/RAND_MG304.sum.pdf

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those bodies include: The World Health Organization, the United Nations Development Programme, the International Labor Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

Of these bodies, the following will be simulated at NIMUN2 and thus merit a more detailed explanation: DISEC, the UN Security Council (UNSC), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The First Subcommittee of the United Nations General Assembly is the Disarmament and International Security committee (DISEC) is concerned with maintaining world peace. Because it is part of the General Assembly, all UN member states are a part of DISEC (although not all member states will be present at NIMUN). Its inclusive nature makes it a powerful tool for promoting global security; it allows all nations to contribute their opinions as to how the universally promoted (but poorly defined) goals of “peace” and “security” are best implemented.

The United Nations Security Council is the most directly powerful UN body. It differs from DISEC in that it is more often used to handle crises, and able to enforce its will with UN peacekeepers. Membership is a sign of prestige in the UN, and permanent members are given numerous heavy advantages in the structure of the Security Council.

The United Nations Development Programme is the UN agency that helps promote infrastructure, stability, and development throughout the world. Although it occasionally dabbles in issues of international security (small arms reduction programs, for example), its primary mandate is to improve the global standard of living.

Model United Nations

Model United Nations, abbreviated MUN, is a program that simulates the UN. MUN programs exist for all academic levels: there are MUN conferences for middle school, high school, and collegiate students. At a MUN conference, students assume the role of “delegates”, representing various interest groups (usually countries) in a mock UN session. Delegates seek to advance their country’s goals, whether through rousing speeches, sly diplomacy, or careful negotiation. In the process, students learn about other countries, pressing global issues, and the structure of international politics. Students practice important life skills during MUN conferences, such as diplomatic courtesy, public speaking, negotiation, and compromise. MUN is almost as old as the UN itself, with some of the oldest conferences, such as Harvard Model UN, and The Hague International Model UN, dating back to the 1950s and earlier. There were even simulations of the League of Nations (the organization the preceded the UN)!

2 Other conferences can feature a very different selection of committees. Some conferences feature non-UN organizations, such as regional bodies (the EU, for example) or cabinets (in which delegates manage a single country).

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Different conferences can have dramatically different approaches to and styles of MUN. Some conferences chose to focus on having a high quality of debate, some chose to encourage an idealistic and cooperative approach to MUN, some focus on innovative solutions, and some focus on developing a political climate similar to that of the UN. Some conferences are far more dynamic and interactive than others. At NIMUN, we have attempted to balance a dynamic, interactive, and intense simulation with a fun and instructional environment to create a conference that both experienced and inexperienced delegates can enjoy.

So what happens at a MUN conference? MUN conferences have a structure. There are things that must be accomplished by delegates before a conference, and things must proceed in order during a conference. This section will describe an example one-day MUN conference, based on the structure of NIMUN, to give new delegates an idea of what to expect.

Before an MUN conference, your committee chair will select topics to debate. These are important global issues that the chair feels his or her body has the authority and ability to address. For example, at the ENIMUN (Example Northern Illinois Model United Nations)3 conference, the chair of the UNDP might decide that lack of basic hygiene in developing countries is an important topic that the UNDP should address and resolve. The chair would announce his selection of a topic, and write a “topic paper” explaining the topic to the delegates who will be attending his UNDP committee at ENIMUN. Before ENIMUN, the delegates would read the topic paper and perform some of their own research. They would write a page giving their county’s opinion, called a “position paper”, and send it in to the chair. The chair may chose to send some brief feedback to the delegate if he or she feels that the delegate’s position paper does not accurately represent the delegate’s country’s position. Topics not selected by the chair will not be discussed by the body.

On the day of the ENIMUN conference, a delegate can expect a schedule that has multiple committee sessions of a few hours each, with breaks in between (including a lunch break), and opening and closing ceremonies at the beginning and end of the conference. When the delegate arrives at the conference, he/she will be greeted, given a nametag, and directed to the auditorium by conference staff. Opening ceremonies, featuring a keynote speaker chosen by conference staff, will take the first 45 minutes or so of the conference. The delegate will then proceed to his or her committee (in this example case, the UNDP); he/she can expect to see the dais staff (the chair, the vice chair, and chair’s assistants) seated at one end of the room, and seats for him/herself and other delegates arranged facing the dais staff. At the start of the session, the chair will say a few words and take roll call, in which he/she will call on all delegates, who should respond “present”, or “present and voting”. Delegates may also be provided

3 This will accurately describe the way in which the NIMUN conference works. It will not describe your topics.

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with home government4 letters, notifying them of possible challenges their country may face throughout the simulation and providing them with some background information about their country. During committee, delegates will take turns speaking and debating. The chair will call on delegates (as per the delegate’s request), and grant them the right to speak on a certain topic for a certain length of time. Delegates will normally indicate a wish to speak by raising their hand, or placard (placards will be provided upon reaching the committee room). Voting will on motions will also require delegates to raise their hands or placards. There might also be unmoderated caucuses, in which the formal rules are suspended, and delegates may talk amongst themselves all they want. After some time, resolutions, written by delegates (usually written in unmoderated caucuses), will start appearing. These are statements of policy or recommendations to action. The committee can negotiate, amend, and vote on these resolutions. Ultimately, the committee will pass a resolution, and repeat this process on the next topic (assuming they have time). Often, committees at MUN conferences will not have time to address all of their topics. Sometimes, committees will not be able to pass a resolution on even a single topic. This happens more often on controversial or complicated topics. At NIMUN, we encourage you to try to get your body to pass at least one resolution. Delegates will be able to communicate with other delegates during moderated sessions by giving notes to a “runner” – an ENIMUN staff member who will be working for that purpose. Please keep in mind that these notes are read by conference staff: inappropriate or off-topic notes are not allowed, and will be intercepted. At the end of the day, the chair will thank all the delegates, and closing ceremonies will begin. Delegates will then leave with their schools.

Awards Awards will be given to delegates who have shown remarkable skill, persuasiveness, and knowledge during the session. Don’t worry if you do not win an award; there are only so many a chair can give out. The chair’s decision is final. We encourage you to focus on learning and improving your MUN skills rather than simply trying for an award. Awards will also be given to schools.

Awards decisions will be made based on the chair’s observations of the following criteria (in no particular order):

Public Speaking – how well the delegate addressed the body during the simulation.

Negotiation – the delegate’s observed skills in negotiating with other delegates.

Debate – the delegate’s demonstrated ability to debate the assigned topics in a logical and persuasive way.

Position papers – the quality and accuracy of the delegate’s position papers.

4 “Home Government” refers to anything coming from the government of a delegate’s specific country. Our

simulations department will fill in the role of Home Government, and may send you materials or answer your

questions. It is wise to heed all Home Government advice.

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Accurate emulation of national policy – the delegate’s familiarity with and closeness to the foreign policy of his/her assigned country.

Special circumstances (these are up to the chair’s discretion) – the chair has final authority over awards.

Documents

In both the real UN and Model UNs, documents are critical organizational tools. They allow committees to run smoothly and efficiently, they clarify national policies and positions, they enable a body to present a consistent and uniform statement, and they provide a structure upon which the organization can function. A well-written document is clear, authoritative, comprehensive but not redundant or dull, and can provide a lasting framework that fulfills its intended purpose and fully addresses and resolves its assigned subject. A poorly written document may be hastily thrown together, internally inconsistent, ambiguous, weak, excessive, or garbled. The most important types of documents used at Model UNs will be explained below.

Unfortunately, good document frameworks can be slightly confusing at first. Before a MUN conference, you will have to write a short paper called a “position paper”. During conferences, you will write documents called “resolutions”, in which you will suggest actions to be taken to address the given topic. You will also read “topic papers”, which will be written by your chairs, and given to you before the conference. There will be note-passing systems in place. Familiarity with the different types of documents is extremely useful to any MUN delegate.

Topic Papers: A “topic paper” is perhaps the simplest type of paper (for a delegate, at least). It will be posted on the website before the conference (it may also be available from your teacher). A topic paper is a paper, written by conference staff, that explains an assigned topic. Topic papers are specific to committee. NIMUN topic papers will usually be 4-7 pages in length. They will include a list of resources for further reading and research. There will be two topics for each committee at NIMUN. Please read the topic papers carefully. Printing them off and bringing them to NIMUN is recommended. Your topic papers are a key research tool, and will help you understand the topic.

Position Papers: A “position paper” is a short paper detailing your country’s position on a given topic. It should follow a given position paper template, and be factually accurate. For NIMUN position papers, you need not include citations. A position paper should be based on your own research, as well as readings from the topic paper. A position paper that follows the template will include a short background (to demonstrate that you have performed the necessary background research), a section explaining your country’s position , and a section giving examples of solutions that would be acceptable to you country (as well as justification of the suggested solutions). Your position papers will be read by your chair, so be sure that you’re writing about a position that you plan on representing at NIMUN. The quality of your position papers may be taken into account when making decisions about awards. Accurate, well-written position papers are appreciated. We advise you to check your work for errors before submitting it. Your position papers should be about a page in length.

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Here’s a sample position paper:

(Name) Riley Price,

(School) 3L Academy,

(Assigned country) The Republic of Finland,

(Assigned Committee) The Economic and Social Council,

(Topic) Vaccination programs in developing countries,

9/17/2011

Background:

Every year, millions of people die from preventable diseases. These people, most of whom are children or very elderly, could be saved by simple, easy to implement vaccination programs. This problem plagues the developing world, where hundreds of thousands of people die each year from diseases as easily preventable as, for example, measles. Cholera, a disease that can be prevented by vaccination and basic hygiene, is estimated to be responsible for more than 100,000 thousand deaths each year; mostly in Africa and South Asia. Although many organizations exist to promote vaccination, the problem still plagues the developing parts of the world. The commendable efforts of organizations such as the World Health Organization and the Red Cross to end unnecessary suffering at the hands of preventable disease have done much to help in the regions of the world where such aid is needed, but the numbers of deaths and infections are still unacceptably high.

Country Specific Information:

The Republic of Finland is fortunate enough to have very high rates of critical vaccinations, thanks to its developed and modern health care programs. Many nations are not so fortunate, and the Republic of Finland remains committed to alleviating human suffering throughout the world, and affirms the importance of ensuring that adequate health care is provided for everyone on the planet. The Republic of Finland firmly believes in the power of multilateral organizations to address this issue, as it does with most other pressing global problems.

Solutions and Justification:

The Republic of Finland currently contributes many millions of dollars to foreign aid every year, as per its responsibilities as a member of the global community. To better address this problem, Finland believes that existing strategies and programs must be augmented and expanded. Additionally, Finland believes that countries with currently inadequate medical systems should be provided with opportunities, guidelines, and frameworks for the development of a modern capable health care infrastructure, with the ultimate goal of eliminating the conditions that require current programs of medical aid.

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Immunization is tied to the larger issues facing health care services in developing nations, and is an issue that cannot be fully resolved without acknowledging the more general problems that create circumstances of insufficient vaccination. Finland applauds the efforts of the WHO's Global Immunization Vision and Strategy (GIVS) program, which has provided resources to developing countries for improved access to vaccinations. The Republic of Finland is confident that, with international effort and support, every person in every nation can enjoy access to the basic human right of protection against preventable diseases.

This sample serves to illustrate the purpose and structure of a position paper. The author gives his name, school, committee, assigned country, topic, and the date of writing at the beginning of the paper in italicized text. He references his assigned country instead of himself, speaking in a semi-third person style throughout the document (using, for example, “The Republic of Finland feels”, rather than “I feel”), and he gives an accurate account of Finland’s position on the assigned topic. He keeps the document relevant to the assigned topic, references existing organizations and programs (The World Health Organization, and GIVS), and proposes some justifiable, implementable solutions. He also provides the background necessary to briefly explain the topic to a reader without adding unnecessary length, and demonstrate to the chair that he has researched and is familiar with the assigned topic. A template providing more specific instructions on position-paper writing will be made available.

Resolutions: A resolution is a document that a committee passes in order to make a declaration, policy, rule, regulation, decision, or action. It is the main tool through which a committee acts. Resolutions specify certain actions that the body deems important. If a resolution is passed, actions that it specifies are fulfilled (in theory). Delegates should carefully consider whether their country would support a resolution before voting on it. Delegates are encouraged to collaboratively write resolutions during unmoderated caucuses. Delegates should feel free to approach their chairs or vice chairs with inquiries about their topic and possible solutions. Pre-written resolutions (any resolution or part of resolution written before the conference) are prohibited, though it is a good idea to know what you want a resolution to do before you come to the conference.

A resolution consists of a series of clauses strung together to create a cohesive document. The clauses come in two types. The first type is a preambulatory clause; a clause that specifies the purpose of the resolution, and the spirit in which it is written. The second type is an operative clause, which specifies what the resolution enacts. It may institute a new policy, affirm support of something, create a new body or committee, make a request of member states, or perform many other functions (you’ll get a better idea of what these operative clauses do after more exposure).

A preambulatory clause starts with a present participle, followed by a statement of one of the reasons that the body is addressing the issue, or one of the factors the body is trying to think about when creating this solution. It ends with a comma.

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Operative clauses identify or specify actions or recommendations. Operative clauses begin with a verb and end with a semicolon. They should be organized in a logical procession, each containing a single idea or proposal. They should also be numbered.

After writing a resolution, delegates often must lobby support for it. In order to introduce a resolution to the chair, a delegate will need a certain number of other delegates to sign the resolution as either signatories (indicating casual or partial support) or sponsors (indicating total support and involvement in the writing of the resolution). Sponsors will be expected to speak to the body about their resolution, and to make decisions about amendments. No more than three sponsors will be allowed to sign any resolution (the maximum is two for the Security Council). The required number will be announced at the beginning of the committee session (for signatories, we require approximately one-third of the delegates on a body). Generally, chairs will not accept more than three resolutions. Delegates are encouraged to approach their chairs and vice chairs with questions, or ask for suggestions for a resolution.

Here’s a sample resolution:

Committee: the Disarmament and International security committee

Topic: Failed states

Resolution number: 2

Sponsors: USA, Belgium, France, Finland, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Canada

Signatories: Brazil, South Africa, Italy, Germany, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Chile, Palau

Noting with concern the threat that failed stated pose to their people, their neighbors, and their planet,

Further noting with concern that failed states have a destabilizing impact beyond their own borders,

Abhorring the humanitarian conditions that have almost always arisen in failed states,

Resolving to respect national sovereignty as this issue is addressed,

Recognizing that there is no universal solution due to the complicated origins of failed states,

The Disarmament and International Security Committee:

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1. Defines a failed state as a state that has lost its internal legitimacy and its ability to control the territory within its own borders;

2. Further defines a weak state as a state on the verge of failure due to internal or external factors;

3. Denounces all those individuals who contribute to destabilizing states by violent means;

4. Establishes the UN commission on failed states as a body with the ability to identify weak or failed states and propose solutions for such states, and to present a report to the Disarmament and International Security committee upon its next meeting;

5. Further establishes the UN failed states advisory board, with the mandate of approaching failed or weak governments with solutions and instruction, to enable basic development and security;

6. Commends the United Nations' peacekeeping forces for their successful role in stabilizing and securing some failed states;

7. Cautions weak states to carefully review their structure, and consider serious reform while properly implementing international aid.

This is an example of a properly formatted resolution. A resolution should contain 3 to 5 preambulatory clauses, and 4-10 operative clauses. Please keep resolutions shorter than two pages in length. At the top of the resolution is a brief header that provides some basic information about the document. Most of the information should be self-explanatory. “Resolution Number” serves as a convenient way to identify a resolution when more than one resolution is on the floor.

Delegates who support only part of a resolution, or feel that something should be added to it after it has been introduced, can add an amendment. An amendment may revoke a clause, add a clause, or edit a clause. Amendments to preambulatory clauses are not allowed at NIMUN: only operative clauses can be edited. There are two ways to pass an amendment. A friendly amendment is one that has the support of all of the original sponsors of the resolution. A friendly amendment does not need to be voted on. All of the original sponsors and the delegate proposing the amendment should notify the chair, who will announce the change to the body. An unfriendly amendment is an amendment that has not been approved by every original sponsor. It must be written, submitted to the chair, and introduced

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(using a “Motion to introduce an amendment”). Should it pass the vote, it can be added to the resolution. If not, it is rejected. Non-substantive changes (grammar, improper word selections, and references to false facts) do not require any more than the approval of the chair.

Procedure

During committee session, people cannot simply speak up whenever and however they choose; there must be structure if it is to run smoothly. Procedure helps ensure everyone can speak on the topic at hand, that there is fairness in the flow of debate.

Procedure consists of a standard form of debate, and an array of points and motions. In the standard debate form on large committees (at NIMUN: The UNDP and DISEC), all delegates wishing to speak submit their names to the “speaker’s list”, a list of names with newer speakers being added to the bottom of the list. The chair will “give the floor” to the delegate at the top of the speaker’s list for a period of one minute and thirty seconds (one minute only on DISEC). Giving the floor means granting the right to speak. Once the delegate is finished speaking, he or she will “yield the floor to the chair”, thus surrendering the right to speak and returning to his or her seat. By “yielding”, the delegate leaves the floor. Yields can only be made to the chair at NIMUN. The delegate’s name is removed from the list, and the next delegate on the list is granted the floor. At other conferences, yielding can be a more complicated process. A yield is defined as an action in which the delegate surrenders the floor to another party (sometimes, of his or her choice). A delegate may make a voluntary yield, or may yield by default when any of a certain group of requirements has been fulfilled. The most common circumstance that causes a default yield is a delegate reaching the end of his or her assigned speaking time.

This style of debate can become very tedious very quickly. It is slow to the point of being an obstacle much of the time. To resolve that issue,”points” and “motions” exist to switch the style of debate. A “Point” is a direct request of the chair or another delegate, a “Motion” is a substantive request of the chair and the body as a whole. Motions must be voted on, points need not be. Between different speakers, the chair will ask of the body “are there any points or motions currently on the floor?” Upon hearing this, a delegate wishing to make a motion should raise his or her placard and, if called upon by the chair, state the motion he or she wishes to make. A delegate wishing to make a point need not wait to be called upon, but should attempt to ensure that his or her point does not take too much of the committee’s time, and can normally make a point only when the floor is open. The only point that can interrupt a speaker is a point of order; no other point or motion made while a speaker has the floor will be recognized. In the event of an emergency, a delegate should, of course, disregard procedure and immediately alert his or her chair.

Voting: For procedural votes (votes that do not pass a resolution), the chair will first ask for a second to a given motion. If a second is provided, the chair will ask all delegates in favor of the given motion to raise their

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hands or placards. If a simple majority (half of the delegates in the room, plus one extra vote) supports the motion, it will pass. If not, it fails, and debate proceeds as usual.

There are many different types of points and motions. At NIMUN, the following points and motions will be recognized:

1- Point of Order. A delegate who believes that the rules of procedure have been violated by another delegate can call “point of order” at any time. Points of order are ruled valid or invalid by the sole discretion of the chair.

2- Point of Inquiry. A delegate who wishes to ask a question of the chair may make a point of inquiry whenever the floor is open.

3- Point of Information. A delegate may use a Point of Information to ask a question of another delegate, directly after that delegate has spoken, and only if the delegate has neglected to yield.

4- Motion for a Moderated Caucus. A moderated caucus is a different style of debate, in which delegates wishing to speak for a short time on a specific topic can take turns, and indicate their desire to speak to the chair by raising their placards. A motion for a moderated caucus should specify a topic and duration (for example, “motion for a ten-minute moderated caucus to discuss the importance of vaccines in reducing infant mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa”). If the chair believes that a moderated caucus is appropriate, the body will vote on the motion and, if a simple majority (more than one-half) of the body approves, then the committee will enter a moderated caucus. The speaking time for moderated caucuses at NIMUN is 30 seconds.

5- Motion for an Unmoderated Caucus. In an unmoderated caucus, the chair will suspend the rules of procedure for a set period of time. Delegates can move about freely and talk amongst themselves informally. The primary purpose of an unmoderated caucus is resolution writing. Unmoderated caucuses can be motioned for whenever the floor is open to points or motions, and require a majority vote as well as the chair’s approval.

6- Motion to Amend a Resolution. Whenever the floor is open for points or motions, a delegate may

motion to add an amendment to a resolution. If the amendment has the consent of the resolution’s

original sponsors, then it requires no vote (this is a “friendly amendment”). If the original sponsors do

not give their consent, then a simple majority is required to add the amendment to the resolution (an

“unfriendly amendment”). If you want to pass a friendly amendment, talk to the sponsors of the

resolution (and the chair) first. You must have the consent of all the original sponsors for a friendly

amendment.

7- Motion to Enter Voting Procedure. This motion will stop debate and move the body into voting

procedure. This motion requires a majority vote and the consent of the chair to pass.

8- Motion to Adjourn. This motion, if passed, closes committee session. Requires a majority vote, and can only be passed when the chair states that he or she will be accepting such a motion. This resolution is intended for use at the very end of the conference, and marks the end of all the proceedings of the committee for the day.

9- Point of Personal Privilege. Used to alert the chair of a circumstance that is causing a delegate physical discomfort (inadequate air conditioning, need of restroom, thirst, etc.).

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10- Motion to Change the Voting Order. Used only during voting procedure, for the purpose of changing the default voting order (which is the order in which resolutions were introduced to the committee) to a voting order that the committee feels would speed up the process of voting (I.E. when one resolution is clearly the most popular, but not the first that will be voted on). This motion requires a majority vote.

Voting Procedure: After the body moves into voting procedure by closing debate, the rules change. All resolutions on the floor t the close of debate will be voted on in the order in which they were introduced, unless a motion to change the voting order passes. The chair will call on each delegate’s country name. When their country is called, a delegate may vote “yes”, “no”, or “abstain”. Delegates who support the resolution should call “yes”, delegates opposed should vote “no”, and those delegates who do not feel that their country has a strong opinion for or against a particular resolution should “abstain”. Votes will be counted and, at the end of the vote, the results will be announced. If the total number of votes in favor amount to one more than one half of the total votes (disregarding abstentions), then the resolution passes. If not, then the resolution fails, and voting procedure moves on to the next resolution. Only one resolution may be passed. If no resolutions are passed, then debate will reopen or move to the next topic, at the discretion of the chair.

Resolution writing and submission: Delegates will have several opportunities to write resolutions, both collaboratively and independently. In order to introduce a resolution, a certain number of signatories and sponsors are needed. Sponsors are delegates who have assisted in the writing of the resolution, and completely support it. Signatories are delegates who wholly or partially support the resolution and want to see it reach the attention of the full body by being introduced. A resolution must have one-third of the body as either a sponsor or a signatory before it can be submitted to the dais. Additionally, the dais will not be accepting more than three draft resolutions. Once a resolution is given to the dais, it will be typed, projected onto the main screen, and sent off for printing. Printed copies will be distributed such that all delegates wishing to see one can easily do so (delegates may or may not receive their own personal copies). If the resolution is introduced, the sponsors will be invited to speak about the resolution for up to five minutes, and answer questions during a two-minute period moderated by the chair. Debate will then return to normal, formal style.

Order of business on SC: UNSC operates under slightly different rules of procedure from the other two committees. The main difference is that there is no speaker's list. Instead, delegates may simply raise their placards when the chair is looking for speakers. The chair will call on a delegate and the delegate will have the floor for the allotted speaking time (default will be one minute). As this is similar in operation to a moderated caucus, that motion will not be recognized in this committee. All other motions will be recognized the same way as in the other committees.

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Research

Coming to your committee prepared is important. If you are reading this, you’ve already taken an important first step towards being prepared: reading the delegate guidebook. Another important step is to read the topic papers that your chair sent out for your committee. They explain the topic, and set the stage for the debate at NIMUN. Of course, independent research is useful too. Your chairs should have provided you with some citations and resources for further reading. Please do be sure to review these materials, because they will help you as you prepare for your committee sessions.

Besides knowing your topic, you should also try very hard to research your country’s position on the topic. In a few cases, it will be well known, but often, this information can be hard to find. There are several resources, including UNBISnet, the CIA World Factbook, libraries, and Google that can be leveraged to find this information. You can also email your chair. He or she should be able to point you in the right direction, if you feel that you have exhausted all other resources available to you. Another strategy is to find countries that are similar to yours, and find out what their position on the topic is. Similar countries can usually be found by searching bloc s positions.

You should print off your topic papers, a country profile, and any other information you may think you

need and bring it to the conference. Using a three-ring binder can be the easiest way to keep track of all

the papers. Feel free to refer to it during the conference. Having a list of facts may prove convenient in

a tougher argument. Make sure they’re from a reliable source, and use them to back up your case.

NIMUN also provides a student supply list. You can find it on our website. Please be certain to bring

everything on the list. We recommend printing it off and checking off items as you gather them. We

will not be able to replace or provide alternatives, so double check to make sure you have everything.

Resources: There are many places where you can go to find out more about your countries, your topics, MUN, the UN, and global politics in general. One of the best resources is a newspaper or news website. Being knowledgeable about current affairs is helpful for MUN delegates. It provides them with a general framework of knowledge that they can use as a base for researching and debating for MUN conferences. A local library can also provide a helpful resource, at least for more common topics. The Internet is also a critical resource. Use a school computer if you don’t have one at home. When researching at libraries or on the Internet, be careful of bias in your sources. Try to read more than one thing about the topic you’re researching, in order to expose yourself to different perspectives. The only bias in your position papers should be the bias that you decide to include in order to align yourself with your country’s policy.

Many of these resources are online. Although the Internet is a wonderful tool, it can also be an obstacle to productivity. It is easy to get distracted by drifting on to Facebook, twitter, or whatever other websites on which you like to spend time. Do not do that. Do not multitask while working on MUN research. You will not accomplish as much work nor do it as well. If you can make yourself focus while researching, you will enjoy it more and produce better work. Additionally, always keep in mind that the Internet, while a wonderfully useful tool, can be dangerous. None of the websites listed below are in

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the slightest way objectionable or unsafe, but following general rules of common sense cyber-safety (such as never giving out personal information, leaving any website that makes you uncomfortable, etc.) whenever using the Internet is always a good idea.

Some of the most helpful websites include:

http://unbisnet.un.org/ -- The UN bibliographic information system is one of the most useful resources for finding UN records, including speeches, voting records, and resolutions.

http://bestdelegate.com/ -- This is a blog with a lot of general information and tips on Model UN. Although it’s focused mostly on high school and collegiate MUN conferences, its tips are helpful to Model UN delegates of any level. Not a resource for research per se, but a great website for preparing for a conference.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/ -- The CIA’s World Factbook is an indispensable resource for country research. Published by the Central Intelligence Agency, it contains accurate statistics about essentially every country in the world, including population, average income, major trading partners, and more. Reliable and thorough, this is a great place to start getting facts and statistics about your assigned country.

http://un.org – The main website of the United Nations. This is a good place to start exploring the UN’s sprawling Internet infrastructure. There are many resources available on the UN’s website and the websites of committees operating under the UN, but they don’t always organize them very well.

http://www.google.com/ -- Arguably the best search engine on the Internet, and certainly the most widely used search engine in the world.

http://www.wikipedia.org/ -- A widely used Internet resource. Their articles are user generated and vary in quality. The best way to use Wikipedia is as a platform for finding other sources via their citations section at the bottom of every (good) page.

http://nimunweb.com/ -- The website for the NIMUN conference. It will be updated as the conference approaches with news, resources, and more.

http://www.unausa.org/munpreparation -- The conference preparation page for UNA-USA. Many of their procedures differ from NIMUN’s procedures, but it could still be helpful to read their documents.

http://www.factmonster.com/ -- A reference site with information about countries, events, and

more from around the world.

Additionally, here are some other documents that are effective resources:

Everything you ever wanted to know about the UN. This document, published by the UN, is a good introduction to the UN for a curious student. It can be downloaded here: http://www.un.org/wcm/webdav/site/visitors/shared/documents/pdfs/Pub_United%20Nations_Everything%20U%20Always%20wanted%20to%20know.pdf.

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The UN Charter. This is the document upon which the UN was founded. Reading it provides an excellent understanding of the structure, function, and purpose of the UN.

http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/

Glossary Here’s a list of terms from around the guidebook that you may be curious about. The list is originally from UNA-USA, but has been edited to better fit NIMUN’s style of debate.

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.

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.

Amendment - A change to a draft resolution on the floor. Can be of two types: a "friendly amendment" is supported by all of 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.

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 discuss a topic less formally and more easily than is possible during formal session. There are two types: moderated caucuses and unmoderated caucuses.

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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, the chair has final say on the proceedings of his/her committee, and acts as a “benevolent dictator” when necessary.

Dais - The group of people, usually high school or college students, who govern a Model UN committee. It generally consists of a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Sergeant-at-Arms. A political officer or other chair’s aids may also be part of the dais.

Dilatory- The chair may rule any motion he or she feels would be unproductive to the proceedings of the body to be “dilatory”; such a ruling constitutes a rejection of the motion. No similar motions should be submitted to the chair at the time.

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 student acting as a representative of a member state or observer in a Model UN committee for a weekend.

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

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) Advisor - The faculty member in charge of a Model UN team, class or club. Often your teacher.

Flow of debate - The order in which events proceed during a Model UN conference.

Gavel - The tool, shaped like a small wooden hammer, which the Chair uses to keep order within a Model UN committee. The chair will hit it on his/her desk to indicate that the body should be quiet, or that a delegate has run out of speaking time.

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.

UN 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 See.

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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.

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. An example is the Holy See.

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 that describes how the UN will address a problem. It begins with an action verb (decides, establishes, recommends, etc.).

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.

Political Officer – A chair’s assistant whose jobs include maintaining the speaker’s list, tallying votes, and monitoring roll call.

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.

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.

Roll Call - The first order of business in a Model UN committee, during which the Chair 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."

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Rules of Procedure - The rules by which a Model UN committee is run.

Runner - 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.

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.

Sergeant-at-Arms – The staff member responsible for keeping the committee ordered. Monitors procedural matters and can intervene in the session when he/she deems it appropriate.

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.

Simulations – the department that is responsible for the interactive portions of a committee session.

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.

Sovereignty – The doctrine that a state retains final say over anything that happens within its borders. A generally accepted international doctrine, it is sometimes invoked in order to avoid addressing or resolving international disputes, or in order to ignore a UN resolutions.

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.

Topic Paper - 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.

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.

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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.

Vice Chair - 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. Also responsible for communicating with simulations.

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. All delegates must vote on procedural matters, but can abstain from a substantive vote.

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.

Words to use on resolutions:

Here is a list of words and phrases that can be used to start a clause when writing a resolution.

For preambulatory clauses, the following words and phrases are examples of good openings:

Acknowledging, Affirming, Alarmed by, Approving,

Aware of, Believing, Bearing in mind, Confident,

Congratulating, Contemplating, Convinced, Declaring,

Deeply concerned, Deeply conscious, Deeply convinced, Deeply disturbed,

Deeply regretting, Deploring , Desiring, Emphasizing,

Expecting, Fulfilling, Fully alarmed, Fully aware,

Fully believing, Further recalling, Guided by, Further developing,

Having adopted, Having considered, Having examined, Having studied, Noting,

Noting further, Noting with approval, Noting with deep concern,

Noting with appreciation,

Noting with regret, Noting with satisfaction, Observing, Pointing out,

Reaffirming, Realizing, Recalling, Recognizing,

Referring, Reminding, Seeking, Taking into account,

Taking into consideration,

Taking note, Viewing with appreciation,

Welcoming,

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For operative clauses, the following verbs are often useful:

Accepts Affirms Approves Asks

Authorizes Calls for Calls upon Condemns

Congratulates Confirms Declares accordingly

Denies

Deplores

Designates Encourages Endorses Expresses its appreciation

Expresses its hope Further invites Further proclaims Further recommends

Further requests Further resolves

Hopes Invites

Proclaims Proposes Recommends Regrets

Requests Resolves Seeks Strongly affirms

Strongly condemns Strongly urges Suggests Supports

Trusts Transmits Urges