Model UN can help to develop a lot of skills useful for furthering academic and professional careers. Through doing model UN, delegates and students can learn and improve public speaking skills, analytic skills, writing skills, and interpersonal skills highly useful beyond high school. Model UN is way more than role playing countries, providing a community of likeminded individuals interested in public speaking and international affairs, allowing delegates to connect with people of similar interest and have fun! 

Members for a fledgling MUN program are likely to be found in GOV and history classes; typically, these classes would hold the highest likelihood of interest in MUN. But MUN should be accessible to people of all interests. WMHSMUN staffers, directors, and secretaries have IR marjoram as well as various STEM majors who use MUN as a method of improving public speaking and engaging in international affairs. 

Holding mock simulations is a great way to engage potential new members and increase recruitment. WMHSMUN also offers novice-style committees with the goal to teach new delegates the functioning of MUN, helping to establish a foundational knowledge to take into other conferences. 

Many conferences including WMHSMUN, offer financial aid, additionally fundraising and grants existing for public speaking and debate style clubs. Internal fundraising can also help to supplement budgets, particularly profit splits, and hosting your own one day conference. Hosting a conference is a great way to fundraise and increase funds for a team. 

Research is key for Model UN, especially General and Specialized Assemblies. Check out our Research Page for more information.

General Assembly 

General assemblies are the most realistic simulation of UN procedure, mimicking a general assembly session. GAs are the largest committees, typically representing countries and debating topics related to the UN sustainable development goal. GA committees can also simulate  UN agencies  such as WHO, DISEC, or WTO. The end goal of the committee is to produce a draft resolution, addressing the issue of the committee. Typically committees have two topics, one of which is chosen at the beginning of committee. 

Once you finish writing your draft resolution, you will submit it to the dais. For some committees (especially larger ones), there will be a limit on the number of different resolutions that can be submitted to the dias, so it is generally a good idea to work efficiently and try to get your drafts submitted as soon as possible while still making sure that they contain a sufficient amount of detail. After all the resolutions being worked on have been submitted, you will move into presenting. Delegates will motion to present working papers, followed by a means of asking questions about or speaking for and against each paper. Presenting your working paper, speaking for your paper, or answering questions from other delegates about your paper are all means of indicating to the dais that you played a major role in creating your working paper and are a leader in your bloc. After each paper is presented and discussed, delegates will motion to vote on each draft resolution. In order for a resolution to pass, a two-thirds majority of delegates will need to vote for it. 

• Largest committee type 

  • 50+ dels 

• Representing countries

• Most formal debate style 

• Produces resolutions papers over the course of the entire conference. 

Specialized/ Regional Assembly 

Specialized and Regional Assemblies (often called “specs”) serve as a middle ground between General Assemblies and Crisis Committees, combining elements of both. These committees simulate smaller, more focused international or domestic bodies such as the European Union, the African Union, or the United States Senate. Instead of representing countries, delegates represent individuals, political figures, or agencies, allowing for a more specific approach to debate.

Specs are faster-paced than GAs and frequently include crisis-style updates that change the direction of the committee. Debate is typically conducted through directives rather than resolutions, meaning that delegates must think on their feet and respond quickly to evolving developments. However, unlike full crisis committees, directives in spec committees often require broader consensus and more formal structure. As in other committees, delegates work together to form blocs, draft directives, and respond to crisis updates

• Uses directives, faster paced 

• ~30 dels 

• Representing individuals or more specialized positions 

• Has crisis updates 

Crisis committees 

Crisis Committees are much faster paced than General Assemblies, and consist of smaller bodies in which delegates are representing individuals. These committees can include national cabinets, corporate boards, ad-hoc councils, and et cetera. Delegates are tasked with solving an ongoing crisis that threatens the committee’s interests in some way, and will pass shorter papers known as public directives to rapidly create solutions to the issue. The directive cycle is far shorter than the resolution cycle: while GA committees may write only one series of resolutions during the conference, crisis committees may write nearly ten series of directives. 

During a crisis committee, delegates will also write documents known as private directives or informally crisis notes, which are secret instructions to a delegate’s associates to carry out a plan of their choosing, using the resources available to their position. These will usually not serve the interests of committee, and can focus on strengthening a delegate’s private resources, destabilizing the situation in committee, or sabotaging a directive in accordance with that delegate’s aims. During the directive cycle, the backroom (the conference staff managing the crisis committee) will collect delegates’ private directives alongside the passed public directives, and turn these instructions into a crisis update, summarizing the current situation, and presenting new or evolved issues for the committee to resolve in a new series of directives

• ~25 dels 

• Utilizes crisis updates and crisis notes 

• Traditionally more experienced delegates 

• Uses directives, very fast paced.

Points:

Points are requests for the dais or other delegates. You do not need to be called upon by the dais to ask a point, and can shout these out at most times in committee. These can include:

• Point of Inquiry 

  • A request for information or to repeat a statement. 

Point of Parliamentary Procedure / Point of Order

• A notification that the dais may have made a mistake in their parliamentary 

• Point of Personal Privilege

  • A request to the dias for an accommodation that would ease the comfort of the delegate. 

Motions:

Motions to debate

These motions allow delegates to speak with each other in free-flowing debate. Use these to collaborate with other delegates in forming blocs and writing papers, as well as negotiating compromises or mergers between blocs. 

• Moderated caucus

  • Most formal style of debate, propose speaking time, total time, and topic

  • Ex; I make a motion for a 9:45 on food access 

• Unmoderated Conference 

  • Less formal, delegates get up discussing and forming blocs, 

  • Ex: I make a motion of a 10 min Unmod, only need to propose time 

At its core, Model UN is an activity premised a great deal on speaking (this is not to discourage delegates as many who start the activity without strong communication abilities or with apprehension to public speaking often find that MUN improves those skills tremendously).

The basic Model UN speech is typically a short 30 second to 1-minute time in which delegates deliver main points and big ideas. Delegates should be comfortable standing in front of fellow students and staffers and be able to confidently articulate the crucial points of their advocacy. To this end, much of the sponsorship of a MUN club entails public speaking coaching to build students’ confidence and give them practice with the style of remarks they will be giving.

Below is a list of potential speaking drills and activities which may aid students in preparing for the speeches of Model UN.

• Minute to Win It: The sponsor calls upon a student one at a time and assigns them a topic. To start off, make the topics simple such as a movie, TV show, musical artist, etc. and then move to more “MUN” topics. The student must extemporaneously speak about the topic without using any filler words (such as um, er, uh). The goal of this activity is to promote word variety and the drill may be undertaken in a fairly conversational tone without strict adherence to rigid speech structure. Even if students do not reach a minute, sponsors can make a game out of seeing who can last the longest before using a filler word.

• Confidence Drills: As a warmup activity to boost confidence before practicing other speaking activities, one strategy involves having students stand up and make loud, declarative statements. An example would be having students stand up and project: “My Name is _______ and I can speak in public!” The point of this activity is a few fold. Firstly, it gets students comfortable with speaking up by having a simple statement to declare and doing it with others. Second, the statement should be some kind of positive reinforcement or self-esteem booster which, particularly with students at the middle school level, can cut through nervousness associated with standing and speaking – an activity many may have never had to do. Finally, the activity practices posture. Students stand up straight, practice placing their feet and assuming a standing position which would be comfortable to give a speech from and project their voices. Importantly, they should not be yelling but practice speaking loudly and projecting their voices. Sponsors should not be afraid to nit-pick posture and volume during this activity as students will likely not feel as self-conscious as compared to substantive speaking where criticism may be taken poorly, given the relative simplicity of the statements they’re saying.

• Divide the Room: Pick a topic and assign half the room to one side of it and half the room to another. The topics can range from silly (“Spring is better than Summer”), to serious (“The United States should accept Syrian refugees”) to a blend of the two (“Superheroes should be allowed to act outside of government authority”). Pick one side and have one member of that side deliver a short (30 second max) speech advocating their side. Pick one member from the other side to respond/rebut and defend the other side of the topic. Continue alternating until every member of both sides of the room have spoken. Depending on what stage of preparation students are at, additional complications may be thrown into this drill such as:

  • Forcing delegates to speak in the third person while also defending their side (i.e. “The delegate believes”)

  • Assigning positions to the students immediately prior to the drill (ex. Make every student representative of a different country so they must reflect how such a country would react to a topic)

  • Making students’ speeches have to be directly responsive to the argument in the speech preceding theirs before they can make a new argument (i.e. must rebut something said by the prior speaker or else cannot move to talk about a different aspect of the topic)

• Small Groups: In groups of 2-3, have students brainstorm a potential solution to some topic of the day. After some amount of preparation, have the group come to the front of the room and discuss their solution and its implementation. This activity is designed to practice quick problem-solving ideas as well as promote presentation of ideas in a speaking setting. More advanced versions of this drill can include a question-and-answer period following presentation as well as specific requirements on the proposed ideas.

• Write a Speech: The sponsor announces a topic some amount of time before hand, either a day or so before if they wish to incorporate research into this activity, or 10 minutes beforehand to practice a simpler form of the activity. Students write a speech targeted for a minute length and then move to the front of the room to give it. Sponsors should try to simulate a realistic conference speech by requiring delegates to assume some position for the purpose of delivering said speech as well as staying in third person.

• Bump: One person begins making a speech on a chosen topic. At any point in the speech, they can bump, or pass, to another person. This forces the students to pay attention, be able to come up with something to say at any time, and understand how to make opening, middle, and end parts of a speech. This is very similar to a classroom game called “popcorn.”

• Randomized Topic: Each person writes a topic down on a slip of paper and drops it in a bowl. Topics could include affirmative action, vegetarianism, the best member of One Direction, mandatory vaccinations, nuclear energy, etc.—really anything that can get the delegates to start thinking on their feet. Next, one person steps up to the front of the room and pulls out a selected topic. They have 30 seconds to prepare points, and then they deliver a 45-second to 1-minute speech. When they are done, the person comes up and selects a slip of paper.

• "Mary Quite Contrary”: The sponsor/leader sets a topic. This could start out with something fun and easy, like pirates vs. ninjas, and then later move to something related to current events, like “Should the U.S. lift the trade embargo against Cuba?” or something historical, like “Should the United States abolish slavery?” The first person makes a speech in favor of the topic, the next person makes a speech in opposition. This pattern continues until the last person has made their speech, creating an alternating for and against sequence. This exercise forces some students to defend something they disagree with--but they're still representing a perspective that somebody holds/held (e.g. for the last topic, a speech may begin "As a plantation owner, I think freeing the slaves would be disproportionately harmful to the Southern economy...")

A position paper is a short report style paper that delegates write to prepare themselves for a Model UN committee. These papers will provide a condensed overview of delegates’ research and position, ensuring engagement with the topic and guiding committee discourse. A position paper is not simply a summary and restatement of the committee’s background guide. Find more information on our Position Paper page.

Resolutions are the primary product produces through out a GA style committee, typically 

Sample Resolution 

The #COLLAB Bloc-Title, typically an acronym 

Sponsors: Bahamas, Belize, Belarus, United States of America, Bhutan, Portugal, Argentina, Algeria, Egypt, United Kingdom.Sponsors are delegations that wrote the paper; typically, committees set a limit to the number of sponsors.

Signatories: Estonia, Canada, Greece, CAR, Albania, Belgium, DPRK, Norway, Mauritania, Papua New Guinea, Mexico, India, Qatar, Australia, Kenya, Netherlands, Ecuador, Botswana, Palestine, Republic of Estonia 

Signatories are countries that agree to see the paper debated; typically, a committee requires a certain number of signatories to present the paper
Preambulatory Clauses:Preambulatory clauses are used to define the issues, stating the reasons and purpose of the resolution 

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,
Aware of its mandate of protecting and promoting displaced persons and how fulfilling this mandate must include promoting self-sufficiency for such persons,
Committed to comprehensively implementing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth,
Recognizing the invaluable contributions of refugees to their host economies,
Building off the success of the 2016 Jordan Compact
Reaffirming the importance of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in aiding refugees and asylum seekers integrate into the countries in which they land.
Understanding the indispensable role that the private and nonprofit sectors have in promoting programs for economic self-sufficiency and the past failures bureaucratic and political actors have had in promoting such programs, 

Operative Clauses: 

Operative clauses are the main part of the paper, outlining solutions to the issue at hand 

All operative clauses must begin with operative verbs or phrases

1.  Suggesting with zest the implementation of the EARTH plan for sustainable integration of refugees, the plans should include the following:

   1. Efficiency 

      1. Through the implementation of the Managing Active Resources for Community  Services (MARCS)  plan

         1. This plan calls on international Unions for specific professions to help create a level of standardization for certification 

         2. The unions will be assisted by UNHCR employees to help reach and train refugee

      2. Local Unions will be advised to work with the UN to help create standards and create tests to create ease of transition. 

   2. Accountability 

      1. Countries will be requested to join a voluntary council on refugee accountability 

         1. This council will consist of all willing member states and be overseen by UNHCR employees 

         2. The council will work to address issues involving refugees and hold member state accountable to refugee issues 

         3. The council will issue an annual report recommending a set level of funds as well as key aspects of the issue for the members to focus on the following year

      2. This council can issue reports describing and condemning malpractice concerning refugees 

   3. Resettlement 

      1. Advising that measures to increase” Smart city” development be taken. These measures can include

         1. Reduction of urban sprawl through Urban renewal 

         2. Adoption of Urban farming 

         3. Increased Public transit reach and access, including lessened fares for both refugees and citizens 

         4. Energy efficient and water efficient 

   4. Technology 

      1. Increase adoption of technologies such as municipal Broadband internet and 5 G infrastructure 

      2. Coverage for all residents and 100 megabytes or more for refugee/stateless households. 

   5. Hospitality 

      1. Social media campaign in partnership with the State and public media promoting successful refugee stories

      2. Set up volunteering programs in communities so that locals and refugees can work together towards a common goal and so that refugees can better integrate and contribute in their new communities

      3. Promote training in (immigration) refugee law and access to legal aid for refugees 

      4. Set up a global legal fund for refugees along with a UN led legal database for different countries

Directives 

Directives are shorter and more flexible than working papers, and typically used in Specialized and Crisis committees. The formatting is roughly the same, but slightly less formal and a bit more fluid then a resolution.

Sample Public Directive 

Directive: Thank U, Next (Stream Positions)

Sponsors: Earl Long, Francis Williams, Lee Emmett Thomas, Seymour Weiss, T.H. Harris, James Bailey

Signatories: Percy Saint, Harry D. Wilson, Paul Cyr,Robert Maestri, Richard W. Leche

With the recent death of Huey Long, it is imperative that the Louisiana Government work quickly and effectively to elect a new governor. We propose the following policies:

1. Have Acting Governor Paul Cyr, with his permission, release a statement mourning the sudden death of Huey Long, and reminding the public that we need to move forward following funeral services. Cyr will continue with the current administration while we determine the next steps for the state of Louisiana. 

   1. If Cyr does not choose to release a statement, the committee can craft a statement to issue that we will be working effectively to have an election within the next few weeks in order to determine who will be the next Governor. 

2. Establishes a referendum on the governorship which will be be held 3 weeks from now on the last Friday of this month with the following rules:

   1. Candidates will be able to formally announce their campaign following the passage of this directive;

   2. Run by an independent body meant to count the votes without influence from the government, 

      1. The Gubernatorial election will conducted as accordance to Louisiana Law and will be overseen by the Secretary of State’s Office

   3. A runoff will be planned for the following Tuesday if so needed.

3. Voting locations will be set up at all public service locations throughout the state, including municipal government buildings, parish government buildings, the State Capitol building, and central locations for rural communities

   1. All locations will be strategically placed within 5 miles of every voting age citizens,

   2. The State Department will oversee election security and provide volunteer poll workers for the operation of polling centers, and

   3. Firearms or other weapons are outlawed at polling places for safety purposes.

Crisis Arcs

A crisis arc utilized crisis notes to create covert actions, these actions are used to gather power and perform actions in the "backroom". Crisis committed are half “Front room” debates and half “Backroom” notes. The Diagram shows the general structure of a crisis arc. WMHSMUN operates on a 2 pad system, meaning 2 concurrent crisis arcs can be run at the same time. 

Steps:

1. Build Resources

2. Make something happen

3. Use the results to build more resources

4. Make something big happen!

Crisis updates:

Crisis updates push the flow of the committee toward addressing new and changing issues. Crisis updates will incorporate backroom actions and creative input from the crisis director.