Delegate's Guide
Research | Position Paper | Speeches | Resolutions | Amendments
RESEARCH: The first thing you should do when you receive your topic, country, and committee.
1. Topic Synopsis: This was prepared for you by the chair to give an
overview of the topic(s). The chair may even choose to include
controversial issues about the topics and what bloc positions are.
2. The Committee: Especially in specialized committees, learn how the
committee is supposed to be run. The best way to do this is to visit the
committee's website or by asking a fellow delegate who has been in the
committee before.
3. Your country: Learn a bit about your country, specifically, the type
of government and it's policy on your debate topic. A good resource for
this is the CIA World Factbook.
4. The topics: The most important part of your research. Study the
topic's history and current issues. Read articles from newspapers and
magazines. When researching on the internet, be sure it is from a
reputable source, usually groups with .org or .edu in their URLs.
5. Policy and Solutions. Develop the policy you want to argue and
possible solutions. Be sure to consider whether or not the plan is
feasible and past UN actions when formulating solutions.
Note: A good thing you can do is organize your research in a binder. Sample sections could be: General info on the topic, Country position and actions, and Past UN actions.
POSITION PAPER: Most conferences will
require a position paper. The following is a generic outline to a
position paper, however, specific conferences or committees may have
different requirements, so be sure to check the conference's website for
details.
Format: 12 pt font, double spaced, typed, stapled (no covers),
correct spelling and grammar.
Sample:
|
Country: _______ Committee: ______ Topic: _________ I. Description of the Topic II. Past UN Actions III. Country policy and solutions |
SPEECHES: Perhaps the most important
part of the conference is speeches. Often it yields the most points.
When writing a speech, use a technique that is most comfortable for
you. Remember to practice the speech and use good vocal projection
and eye contact.
Key parts of a speech:
1. The hook: Grabs the listener's attention and holds on to
it. Try to get this out as soon as possible.
2. The facts: Try to find a unique point of view. Do not just
state statistics or dry facts. Make sure to point out why the facts
are important.
3. The conclusion: Repeat the thesis, and end with a strong
statement of your country's position.
RESOLUTIONS:
ALL resolutions are expected to comply with the following
format:
|
Sponsors: List the
countries that were directly involved with the resolution
writing process. For our conference, LAIMUN, there should be
only one sponsor per resolution:
your country. Committee: Insert the name or acronym for your committee. Topic: Insert the title of the topic as it is printed on your Topic Synopsis. Insert the title of your resolution Address your resolution to the forum that corresponds to your committee (either General Assembly or ECOSOC), Now, insert the preambulatory clauses, the statements that open the resolution and set up the operative statements. They begin with italicized verbs in the gerund form, like "recognizing" or "recalling". They are ended with commas. They do not take action to solve the problem; the solutions are left to the operatives. The purpose of perambulatory clauses is to acknowledge the facts of the problem at hand and previous measures that have been taken to solve the problem. Next come the operative clauses. These numbered statements are the measures to achieve the goals that your resolution is trying to accomplish. They can contain lettered sub-operatives to add more detail. For even more specific clauses, you may include lower case roman numerals for sub-clauses to the sub-operatives. Operative statements begin with an underlined verb conjugated in the third person, singular form, like "suggests" or "calls upon". Operatives are ended with semi-colons, except for the final operative clause, which is ended with a period. Sub-operatives and sub-clauses are ended with commas. Chairs will be looking for clauses that will take effective and feasible action. |
Sample Resolution:
|
Sponsor: United
Kingdom Committee: General Assembly Topic: Peacekeeping Reform Solutions to the Question Regarding UN Peacekeeping Reform General Assembly, Recognizing the forty-nine missions that the UN has embarked upon and learning from the successes and failures of each one, Recalling the conferences of the past, such as the Declaration on the Prevention and Removal of Disputes… (1988), that provided a framework as to how the UN has come to be able to command its Peacekeeping forces, Agreeing for all nations to abide by the doctrines decided upon in this resolution, Wishing to see more member states willingly donate troops to the UN Peacekeeping effort; 1. Provides funding for the needed training improvements through:
2. Recommends further development of the UN standby force, a.k.a. the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF), focusing specifically on the areas of: a. getting all nations to sign on to its benevolent ideals, 3. Desires to see the UN intervene with the use of force only in matters of the utmost priority. |
AMENDMENTS:
Key Points:
- Pre-ambulatories cannot be amended.
- If you want to add, edit, or delete sub-operatives you must
re-write the entire operative with the new changes included.
- The necessary number of sponsors and signatories per amendment is
at the discretion of the chairs of each committee.
***Note: A signatory does not necessarily
agree with the amendment – his or her signature merely allows the
amendment to be submitted for consideration. The amendments you sign
as a signatory do not reflect your policy, but rather a resolution
you would like to see debated. The amendments that you sponsor must
follow your country’s policy.
- The purpose of pre-written resolutions is to give an idea of
delegate's research and some of their solution ideas. Your
amendments should show the chairs all of your solution ideas, those
of your caucus group, your ability to work constructively with other
delegates, and your grasp of the topics. Hopefully, you will conduct
further research after the resolutions are turned in, and will bring
fresh, innovative ideas to committee, as well as those ideas
presented in your resolutions. Be realistic, be specific, and
most importantly,
be on policy.
Sample Amendment:
|
Amendment to resolution C/3
Sponsors: Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Chad Topic: Tuberculosis Committee: FAO 1. Deletes operative 2; 2. Changes operative 4 to read:
4. Recognizes the importance of
research and development, especially: 12. Supports the use of testing
facilities in tuberculosis hotspots which would provide:
|