LIMUN Masterclass HOW MUN WORKS GEORGE MULLENS ALFIE

LIMUN Masterclass HOW MUN WORKS GEORGE MULLENS & ALFIE JENKINS

MUN Basics • Academic simulation of the United Nations where you represent a member state of the United Nations. • Solve real world issues. • Use policies and perspectives of your assigned country. • • Not only does Model UN gives students invaluable experience for your CV but it demonstrates a capability to speak publicly whilst interacting as a diplomat. Looks great on a university application, demonstrates a desire to be knowledgeable about world affairs.

Rules of procedure • The Rules of Procedure (otherwise known as Ro. P) are the laws of debate, they determine how debating works during the conference. • Read them in full before the debates • The Ro. P for LIMUN HS are available on our website. • This year’s Ro. P includes a comprehensive glossary so that your students fully understand the various terms used during the conference. • Remember! Rules differ between the conferences • This is especially the case in the UK as different schools use different rules. For example, GCLMUN uses Ro. P from UNA-USA which is very different to the Ro. P which we will be using at LIMUN HS. • The Ro. P that we will be using at LIMUN HS is near identical to the Ro. P used at university conferences across the world, resulting in a higher standard of debate.

Questions?

What to expect during the conference • Opening Ceremony: • • Beginning of committee and debating sessions: • • The opening ceremony is a brief introduction to the conference itself, usually with a guest speaker. Students are divided into their different committees. For example, all of the students who are given a country in the Security Council will be debating the same issue together. Closing ceremony: • Closure of the ceremony, chairs of each committee will present awards to their delegates.

Structure of debate • Roll Call – Present/Present and Voting • General Speakers’ List – for general debate • Caucuses – Unmoderated & Moderated • Closure of Debate • Voting Procedure

General Speakers list • • Yielding? • To points of information • To another Delegate • Back to the Chair Use to discuss topic generally…this can include country position, issues delegates see as relevant or briefly outlining potential solutions

Points • How to properly raise points? And when? • • Point of Order (If a chair makes a mistake regarding the Ro. P) Point of Personal privilege (If delegates need the toilet, a window open, want to step outside for some air etc) • Point of Parliamentary Inquiry (if delegates are unsure about the ROP at any point) • Point of order: Can interrupt the chair • Point of personal privilege: Can interrupt anyone

Motions • Moderated Caucus – need the following: • Topic, individual time and total time • • Used to discuss a specific aspect of the topic (If delegates were debating the legality of drone strikes for example, a potential MC would be “The buying and selling of drones”) Unmoderated Caucus – need the following: • State a purpose and total time. • Informal debate, delegates get up out of their seats and interact • How to propose a motion: “The delegate of. . . would like to raise a motion for a moderated/unmoderated caucus, time of…. , speakers time of. . . (ONLY for moderated caucuses) to discuss…(insert discussion proposal here)

Questions

Format of a Resolution • Three Parts • Heading • Preambulatory Clauses • Operative Clauses

Draft Resolutions • • • Draft Resolutions are the documents that the UN works on when trying to find solutions to the world’s more pressing issues. The resolutions in MUN are identical to those passed by the United Nations. Draft Resolutions similarly allow for students to enhance their writing skills and to gain an understanding to solutions to many of the world’s problems.

Example of a Draft Resolution

Heading • Located at the top of the resolution • Committee: followed by the place where the topic is introduced • Subject: Topic of resolution • Sponsors followed by the list of all the sponsors (= a delegate who helped to write the resolution) • Signatories followed by the list of country that would like to see the resolution debated

Example of Heading General Assembly Third Committee Sponsors: United States, Austria and Italy Signatories: Greece, Tajikistan, Japan, Canada and Mali Topic: “Strengthening UN Coordination of humanitarian assistance in complex emergencies”

Questions

Preambulatory Clauses • The Preamble of a draft resolution states the reasons for which the committee is addressing the topic and highlights past international action on the issue: • Past UN Resolutions, treaties, conventions • Reference to UN Charter • Statements made by the Secretary General • General background information

How to write a Preambulatory Clause • • Begins with a present participle (choose from list of sample preambulatory phrases) • has to be underlined or in italics • Write your statement End with a comma

Pre-Ambulatory Clauses

Example • Reaffirming [underlined word] its Resolution 33/1996 of 25 July 1996, which encourages Governments to work with UN bodies aimed at improving the coordination and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance, [end with comma]

Questions

Operative Clauses

Operative Clauses • This is the meat of the resolution! They are the one to develop the solution to the problem recognized in the Preamble clauses • Describe the actions that will need to be taken 1 clause = 1 specific action • Words including CONDEMN and DEMAND may be used ONLY in the S. C. • The operative words used need to be appropriate for the committee that your delegates will be in.

How to write an Operative Clause • Being with a number. • Begin with list of beginning operative words. • Has to be underlined. • Write your statement. • End with a semi-colon EXCEPT last line of the resolution ends with a period.

Example 1. Urges [underlined] all member states to comply with the goals of the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs to streamline efforts of humanitarian aid; 2. Calls for the development of a United Nations Trust Fund that encourages voluntary donations from the private sector to aid in funding the implementation of forces. [end the draft resolution with a full stop]

Questions

Conclusion • • In short, MUN allows for students to express themselves in a diplomatic manner in a formal setting. While the Ro. P can seem complicated, through practice in weekly meetings can allow your students to get used to the formal structure of debate. Ultimately the Ro. P is there to make debating more structured and easier to understand on the whole.