MAHATMA GANDHI INSTITUTE MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE

Transcription

1 MAHATMA GANDHI INSTITUTE MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE INFORMATION BOOKLET BY: KHADAROO M. AKHTAR SECRETARY GENERAL & RAMSAHA R. RAHUL DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL MGI MUN 2016

2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Secretariat is immensely grateful to the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research for the invaluable guidance provided through the Ministry s Official Model United Nations Information Booklet. The Secretariat also proudly recognizes the efforts of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute Secondary School Administrative Body for their assistance, and wise advice throughout the seven editions of the MGI MUN so far. Thanks go to Mrs. Manjula Bhujohory, the Chief Coordinator of MGI MUN, without whom this annual conference would not have been a reality. Finally, we would like to congratulate the Secretary Generals, Deputy Secretary Generals, along with the MUN Officials, for their hard work, diligence, and perseverance in the organization of the MGI MUN since Special thanks go to Ms. Sristi Torul and Ms. Simran Jahajeeah, along with other members of the MGI MUN 2016 Secretariat, for their patience and willingness in proof-reading thoroughly this information booklet. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THIS INFORMATION BOOKLET This information booklet has been created to bring uniformity to the proceedings of the MGI MUN Conference. It has been completely revised to provide the most accurate and thorough information that any participant of the MGI MUN may require to go ahead with the Conference. Explicit explanations and details have been mentioned to promote full transparency, and as from now, this booklet shall be the official guide for all MGI MUN Conferences to come. We do hope that all the data provided is succinct and rich enough to answer all the questions that you might have.

3 MESSAGE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL As the Secretary General of the 7 th Edition of the MGI Model United Nations, it is an absolute privilege to introduce the first fully revised information booklet of the MGI MUN. Everyone has to concede that 2016 is the year of innovation when it comes to MGI MUN. As a matter of fact, we have initiated our own MGI MUN Website and founded the MGI MUN Initiative Group, where the former HSC Students, along with the students, are perfectly assuming their duty as volunteers in venerable activities. As from now, I am confident that the MGI MUN shall be as stable as ever, with a highly professional touch added to it. This information booklet shall serve as a viable ground for the empowerment of the participants, whom I esteem to be few of the luckiest students of the island. Mr. Khadaroo M. Akhtar Secretary General MGI MUN 2016

4 MESSAGE OF THE DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL My appointment as the Deputy Secretary General shall be a landmark in my MUN career. This information booklet, on the occasion of the 7th edition of the MGI MUN, was a heavy piece of work created with sole aim of guiding all the participants of a MUN conference. The 2016 MGI MUN Secretariat is a group of highly dedicated and energetic former HSC students who strived from the very first day to make this conference the most successful one yet. Each year the organization team sets as objective to surpass all former conferences and this year, I hope, our goal will be met. The MGI MUN is, in my stance, only the first step for a delegate or a public speaker. We would thus strongly urge all MGI MUN participants to renew this experience at every opportunity that they encounter. The MUN is truly an event that forges delegates into better thinkers and speakers. This booklet is a guide to become a complete participant and, if read meticulously, will certainly contribute significantly to a participant s expertise. Mr. Ramsaha R. Rahul Deputy Secretary General MGI MUN 2016

5 MESSAGE OF THE CHIEF COORDINATOR, MGI MUN This year marks the 7th edition of MGI MUN. The Conference has come a long way since it was first organised in Every year we have witnessed the commitment and dedication of our students in organising the Conference and this year we can only congratulate the Secretary General, the Deputy Secretary General and the Organising Team for their professionalism. This MGI MUN booklet is a clear indication of the hard work of the Organising Team and it will be an invaluable document for our delegates who are Form 1 - Form 4 students. I wish a fruitful session to our delegates and long live MGIMUN! Mrs. Manjula Bhujohory Chief Coordinator MGI MUN

6 MESSAGE OF THE RECTOR, MGISS MOKA It is an honour for me to be part of the 7th edition of the MGI MUN. This conference, organised by the MGISS, involves all secondary schools of the MGI/RTI system. It follows the same pattern as the MUN organised by the Ministry of Education, but with the participation of students of form 1 to 4. Since the first edition of the MGI MUN in the year 2010, we have made considerable progress. Each year the new organising team brings some innovation, continuously improving the conference. What makes this conference even more special is that it is planned and organized by students, under the guidance of some English educators. The work started early this year with the nomination of the Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General and the other members of the Secretariat. Since then, the team has been working relentlessly every single day, with a lot of dedication. The team started with the planning, selection, briefing and training of delegates. On top of that they set up the MGI MUN initiative group under the name of which they organized ice cream and pancake selling activities each week to raise funds. Despite all the work they had to do, they managed to devote themselves to service activities. It is a great pleasure to see the students working as professionals and organizing a conference of this magnitude. I have no doubt that, with such commitment and vitality, the conference will be a great success. The MGI MUN 2016 will constitute 44 delegations, 26 of which from the MGISS and 18 from our sister schools together with press members, secretaries and security officers from the MGISS. I wish all the participants an enriching MUN experience. All of you are winners as you will acquire certain skills and aptitudes through the training and participation. This is a life changing experience which you will not forget. Mrs. S. Ramful Rector, MGISS Moka

7 CONTENTS Introduction to MGI MUN...1 DEFINITION OF TERMS...2 Delegates...7 Preparation for the Conference... 7 The Role and Function of the Delegates... 9 Seating Arrangements and Placards Insider s Tips Delegate s Comprehensive Check-List Proposed Committee Session Role Play Country Statement Reply to country statement..15 Sample of country statement..17 Rules of Parliamentary Procedures Point of Privilege Point of Parliamentary Inquiry Point of Order Point of Information General Rules of Debate Special Rights of a Chairperson Resolution, Debate, and Voting Definition and Purpose of a Resolution Structure of a Resolution Sample Resolution.23 Sample Explanation of Resolution Initiating Phrases for Preambulatory and Operative Clauses Debate Sample Debate For and Debate Against (ROUGH GUIDE ONLY-BE ORIGINAL) Voting Process Sample of explanation of votes. 36 Order of Events Security Officers and Secretaries Definition Gender Bias Abolished Dress Code Types and Purpose/Role Press Corps Press Corps Definition Roles of the Press Corps Newsletter List of UN members. 44 Afterword... 45

8 Introduction to MGI MUN Founded in 2010, the MGI Model United Nations is a prestigious annual event bringing together students of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute System for a simulation of a United Nations Conference. A Model United Nations Conference is basically one where delegates (Students) representing specific countries obtain a platform to discuss world issues, just like in a United Nations Conference held in New York. At first, in 2010, MGI MUN was known as the Mini Model United Nations (Mini MUN), and was intended to mimic the MUN organized by the Ministry of Education, but however, for younger students (Form 1-4). At MGI, we dwell in the ideology that students exposed to international affairs at a tender age will become better critical thinkers at a later stage. Indeed this very event has allowed the lower six MGI students of the past 5 years to earn an outstanding record of excellence in the MUN Industry. The aptitudes of our students has made MUN one of the areas of expertise of MGI, and we can proudly assert that the Mahatma Gandhi Institute is the reference when it comes to Model United Nations. Besides delegates, the MUN secretariat lays the foundation of each of our MGI MUNs. The former HSC students struggle on a daily basis to bring an unprecedented touch to the MUN Conferences, with their exceptional sense of organization and dexterity in their endeavors. Moreover, Chairpersons, Jury Members, Secretaries, Security Officers, the Press Department as well as the coordinators work in perfect synergy to entertain the best atmosphere that a MUN Conference may confer. Undoubtedly, this conference demands a lot of diligence, involvement, and savoir-faire. It remains however one of the pillars of the MGI Tradition, which shall be perpetuated from generation to generation. 1

9 DEFINITION OF TERMS United Nations (UN) - International Organization, headquartered in New York City, founded in 1945 to promote peace, security and cooperation among Member States. The nations that signed a joint declaration in 1942 pledged to employ full resources against the Axis power during the World War II. Model United Nations (MUN) - A simulation of the actual United Nations Conference. General Assembly (GA)- It is the largest organ of the United Nations, where all Member States are represented (For MGI MUN: in the auditorium). House-All the delegates present, but excludes the Secretariat. Maintaining Decorum- Participants of the conference are expected to demonstrate diplomatic behaviour at all times and will be asked to maintain decorum in the eventuality where they fail to behave as expected. DAIS- A group of individuals monitoring the Commission session.(they include the Chairpersons, Committee Secretary and the Committee Security Officer) MGI MUN Secretariat- Predominantly a team of former MGISS HSC Students organizing the MGI MUN Conference. They include the SG and DSG, and may also be referred to as the MGI MUN Officials. Major members of the Secretariat are called the Under-Secretary General (USG). MGI MUN Coordinators/Faculty Advisors- English Educators acting as the primary mediators between MGISS and the other sister schools. The Chief Coordinator is the supervisor of the MGI MUN Secretariat, and all the faculty advisors are expected to provide due training and guidance to all participants. Secretary General (SG) - The Chief Administrator of the Secretariat, and the Conference, who is responsible for the overall management of the MGI MUN. The SG has the duty of assuring the proper functioning of the Conference and managing the members of the secretariat, along with the participants. Deputy Secretary General (DSG) - The right arm of the SG, to whom he/she confers/relays important tasks and duties so as to ensure the proper functioning of the conference. The DSG shall be acting as the SG, in the absence of the latter. 2

10 Chairpersons/Directors- The moderators of the Commission/Committee Sessions, and whose responsibilities include floor allocation, and proper time management, amongst others. Jury Member- Absolutely neutral/impartial individuals who sit in the Commission/Committee session. Their main role is to assess and score the performance of the delegates, and the Chairpersons/Directors. They ought to be highly experienced and well-versed in the jargon of MUN. Security Officers- Individuals bearing the responsibility of maintaining the security of the highly delicate MUN Conference. A Committee Security Officer shall remain in each Commission/Committee Room so as to act as the DAIS. Additionally, the SG and DSG should be escorted by a Security Officer at all times. They should be reliable and trustworthy. Secretaries- Highly dynamic and responsible individuals who endorse a whole array of responsibilities that may be given to him/her by the secretariat. Some may include the passing of chits between delegates and other officials, and the monitoring of time allocation during Committee/Commission sessions. They are expected to be dressed elegantly. A Committee Secretary (also known as the Rapporteur) shall remain in each Commission/Committee Room so as to act as the DAIS. Additionally, the SG and DSG should be accompanied by a Secretary at all times. Messages/Chits- Those are notes/messages that a delegate may want to send to another delegate, or any member of the DAIS. Chits may not be sent to the Jury members, and all chits will have to be vetted by the Committee Secretary or the Chairperson. Furthermore, the chits will be passed on by the secretaries present in the GA or the Commission Rooms. (Note: Chits written in other languages except English are usually not allowed and shall not bear abusive or undiplomatic words. In such cases, severe sanctions may be taken.) Proposed format: To: Delegate of China (Form 2) From: Delegate of Madagascar (Form 3) Message: Dear Delegate, could you please provide us with some information on your major exports? Thanks. 3

11 Press Corps- A team of Press Officers who would be responsible to cover the whole proceedings of the Conference (Before and after). The Editor in Chief shall ensure the publication of an official MGI MUN Newsletter. It also comprises photographers, Cartoonists, Reporters, IT Experts, etc. to ensure the proper functioning of the MGI MUN. Delegates- They are the main participants of the conference. These individuals represent specific UN Member States (Countries) and act as their ambassadors. Refer to the Delegates Section for further information. Delegations- It comprises 4 delegates and represents one specific country at the Conference. Head Delegate- The one who is the Head of a delegation. She/he has the responsibility of handling the delegation as he/she is the leader of the group. Refer to the Delegates Section for further information. Country Statement/Policy Statement- A statement which is usually provided/read by the Head of delegation during the opening ceremony to present the views of his/her country. Refer to the Country Statement Section for further information. Reply to Country Statement (formerly known as right of reply) - After the reading of a country Statement, another member state in the GA may ask for the floor to reply/comment on the speech delivered. Yield the Floor - Whoever has the floor, has the right to speak. Therefore, if a delegate has been given the floor, he/she may speak, following which he/she should yield (give) the floor to the Chairperson/Director/SG/DSG/Secretariat/Other country/point of information, accordingly. Note that the opportunity of obtaining any single floor is equivalent and uniform, irrespective of the number of marks they carry. Parliamentary Procedures- Those are special procedures which must be applied while the Committee/Commission session or the General Assembly is in session. Refer to the Parliamentary Procedures Section for further information. Right of Reply- A delegate asks for a right of reply (via chits sent to the Chairperson/DAIS) if he/she feels that his/her country has been insulted by another delegate s speech. The DAIS may then ask the concerned party to apologize. 4

12 Commission/Committee- An organ of the UN, where issues pertaining to a single topic are presented and discussed. Refer to the Resolution, Debate and Voting Section for further information. There are usually four commissions in the MGI MUN, each represented by Form 1, 2, 3, and 4 students respectively. Security Council- A special Committee which addresses Security and World Peace Issues. Usually, the MGI MUN Conference does not comprise a Security Council, due to its complexity, but there may be exceptions. Crisis Situation- Occasionally, there may be unforeseen issues which may crop up in the General Assembly or during the Commission Session, where the delegates are expected to react promptly and provide viable solutions within a time limit. Note that the occurrence of a crisis situation varies from Conference to Conference and is disclosed to delegates to decide upon appropriate measures to be taken. Resolution- The main focus of a commission/committee session and includes the problems and solutions of the issue that is presented. The resolution has to be read, seconded, explained, debated and voted upon before being implemented. Refer to the Resolution Section for more information. Sponsors- Those Member States who have written a resolution. They should only debate for the resolution naturally, as they favour the clauses mentioned. Co-Sponsors- If a delegate, who is not a sponsor of a resolution, wishes to debate for that particular resolution, he/she is referred to as a co-sponsor. Debate- A resolution needs to be debated in order to provide an indication to the Member States whether they need to vote for or against the particular resolution. Refer to the Resolution, Debate and Voting Section for further information. Open Debate- If time allows, after a particular resolution has been debated for and against, the Chairperson may entertain an Open Debate session, whereby any delegate may debate for and against the resolution. (Sponsors are not expected to debate against their own resolution naturally) Voting Procedure- After its debate, a resolution needs to be voted upon by all the Member States in the Commission room, in order to know whether the resolution has passed (whose measures shall then be adopted in a real UN Conference) or has failed. Refer to the Resolution, Debate and Voting Section for further information. 5

13 Badges- Every single Participants of the MGI MUN must imperatively wear a Badge. It acts as an identification card, and will be verified regularly by the Security Officers for the proper running of the conference. Access to the Conference is denied in the absence of a valid badge. Badges will be provided to all participants by the MGI MUN Secretariat upon their arrival and need to be returned at the end of the conference. Placards- Cardstock bearing the country the delegate is representing, and it used to vote, or to signal that the delegate wants to speak. Certificate- All participants (including the faculty advisors) shall receive a certificate of participation, unless they have violated the rules of the conference to the point of expulsion. Certificates of awards shall be provided accordingly. Awards- There are 24 Awards to be given to the best performing delegates and delegations of the Conference. Note that the Award Process undergoes a series of rigorous and meticulous procedures before a verdict is pronounced. - Per Commission: 1 Best Delegate and 2 Runner Ups awards (Total : 12 Awards ) - In the General Assembly: 12 Best Delegations Awards ( Total: 12 Awards) 6

14 Delegates 1. Preparing for the Conference 2. Role and Function 3. Seating Arrangements and Placards 4. Insider s Tips 5. Delegate s Comprehensive Check-List 6. Proposed Committee Session : Role Play 1. Preparation for the Conference You are hereby provided with a list of instructions on how you may get prepared for the conference. Do take them into consideration. - Research on the United Nations: Gather as much relevant information as you can on the UN, its bodies (e.g. The WHO, the UNESCO), its affiliated organizations (e.g. The World Bank, IMF, UNDP) and the purpose of the UN. - Read on the UN Charter: The charter provides a lot of useful information if you want to know the modalities of a UN Conference. - Research on your country: Location Head of State/Government Type of Government Allies/Enemies, Intergovernmental Organizations Current Situation/Issues (Political Issues etc.) Culture and Religion Area of Expertise, Budget, etc. Country s relationship with other countries and the UN NGOs + Any UN Organ Relevant Policies - Research on your Topic(Question Of and Committee/Commission) Read the Information Booklet to have a glimpse of everything that you need to know in order to ace the MUN. Familiarize yourself with your concerned resolutions, as well as the Question Of on which you would be debating. Use every possible tool to reinforce your background knowledge on the issue (e.g. Google, UN agencies, International Newspapers etc.). Get to know the stance of your country as well as the other countries on the issue. 7

15 Now that you have all resources in hand, you should be knowing how to make a substantive speech, and how to deliver it properly. We also included a few insider s tips for your own convenience. - The Key to a good speech: Speeches are the most important way of convincing members of your Committee/Commission to support your ideas and proposed measures. Those who speak fluently, with proper articulation, along with a good sense of elegance, poise and posture, are those who are the most successful. You are expected to make different types of speeches during the course of the conference. Therefore, you must pursue and grasp opportunities for speaking. Keep a good eye-contact with the Member States and the DAIS to reflect your self-confidence. Self-confidence is the key to broadcast your public speaking skills and dexterity. Keep in mind that you are expected to speak loud enough, with a succinct, and clear delivery. Be prepared to deliver your speech; Practise with your friends/family/in front of the mirror Know what key points you want to make. Avoid disruptive/foul language in your speech and be courteous/respectful. Use hand gestures to aid the delivery of your speech (Also a tactic to mask your nervousness, if any). Avoid bookish language, overly technical jargon and flowery words. Speak in the third person; do not use the pronouns I, You, She, He, except in special circumstances, such as apologizing to the house for an offence committed or asking to use the restroom. 8

16 The speaker, My government, My country, We are preferred in the proper context, but the speech must ALWAYS be directed/addressed to the Chairperson foremost. 2. The Role and Function of the Delegates A delegate is the ambassador of a specific country. She/he has the duty of representing the voice of his/her country in the Model United Nations Conference. In the MGI MUN, the delegates are split into several commissions, with different issues/topics on which they will then have to debate. Besides debating, they have to read, explain and vote for resolutions, the latter being the focus of the MUN Conference. The delegates are expected to observe a proper dress code, be courteous and act as absolute diplomats. Basic Duties: Adequate knowledge of country being represented Propose and present ideas for a conducive debating session Write and Read the Country Statement (Head Delegate) Vote on Motions ( For example on the resolutions) Debate during Crisis situation Have all documents prepared for the Committee/Commission Session (Minimal sense of responsibility expected) Should be confident and provide high quality deliveries DRESS CODE BOYS - A formal attire is expected. - Sample dressing includes: Trouser, Shirt, Matching Suit (preferred but optional), and Formal shoes. - No jeans allowed, and informal shoes are prohibited. - Traditional Wear (National Dress) of your country is allowed. GIRLS - A formal attire is expected - Sample Dressing includes: Skirts or Dresses of decent length - High Heels are allowed but discouraged; they are highly uncomfortable in the long-run - No fancy or expensive jewelry is allowed (You shall be responsible of your properties and the secretariat shall not bear any costs in case of losses) 9

17 - Neat and Proper Hairstyle is mandatory. - Traditional Wear (National Dress) of your country is allowed. 3. Seating Arrangements and Placards In the GA, all the delegates will be seated alphabetically according to their respective countries. Each country will have its own name plate and country flag on their table. All delegations would be sitting next to each other. All the delegates will be given a placard in order to ask for the floor and for voting purposes. (Note: the placards, name plates and country flags are the property of the school and the secretariat. They should be returned at the end of the conference.) 4. Insider s Tips Remind yourself of the various time limits in the conference. Each delegates shall have an Individual speaking time, out of the total speaking time imposed by the Chairpersons/Directors. Keep in mind that you are expected to speak loud enough, with a succinct, and clear delivery, as you certainly do not want to be interrupted by a point of privilege. The best debates are often the most original ones. Do not fear to be lightly different from the approach of your fellow delegates. Greet the house properly the first time you have the floor (e.g. Honourable Chairpersons, Fellow Delegates, and Greetings.) However, on your next floor, you may simply begin by Chair, and immediately start your speech. You must imperatively address your speech to the Chairperson, NOT THE DELEGATES directly. Delegates violating this rule will be penalized. Do not apologize to the house every single time you make a small slip in your delivery. Simply, start over where you left off. Apologizing only draws the attention on your mistakes. Be prepared to answer the points of information by potentially anticipating the queries that you might be having, or by having much background knowledge of the issue. 10

18 5. Delegate s Comprehensive Check-List Formal dress or clothes specific to the delegate s country MUN Badge Get the explanation of resolution prepared if you intend to take the floor Prepare Debate for when Sponsor of a resolution Prepare explanation of vote for/abstention when Sponsor of a resolution Prepare debate for/against if not a sponsor of a resolution Prepare explanation of vote for/against/abstention if not a sponsor of a resolution 6. Proposed Committee Session Role Play Please find below the simulation of the proceedings of a Committee session, which you may find useful: Case study Question of: Promoting efficient measures to reduce the pandemic of the Zika virus Sponsors: Afghanistan, Maldives, France, Mauritius, Saudi Arabia and Yemen Other members present in the commission room (they are sponsors of another question of): Belgium, Cameron, Denmark, Seychelles, UK and UAE Roll call Chairperson: Delegates of the WHO Commission, we shall now begin with the roll call. Afghanistan, Belgium, Cameron and Yemen. Introduction of the Chair(s) I will now be introducing myself to the house. Having participated in With your help, I hope this Commission session will be a memorable one. 11

19 Reading of Resolution by a Sponsor I now declare the resolution no 1 with question of Promoting efficient measures to reduce the pandemic of the Zika virus open. Sponsors wishing to read the resolution, please raise your placard. Maldives, you have been recognised, you have the floor. Explanation of Resolution by a Sponsor We shall now be proceeding to the explanation of the resolution by a sponsoring country. Sponsors wishing to explain the resolution please raise your placard. Mauritius you have been recognised, you have the floor. Debate for by Sponsors We shall now proceed to the debating for of this resolution by sponsors for a time period of minutes. Sponsors wishing to debate for this resolution please raise your placard. Yemen you have been recognised, you have the floor. Debate for by Co-Sponsors We shall proceed with the debating for of this resolution by co-sponsors. Delegates wishing to debate for this resolution, please raise your placard. (Any delegate who is not a sponsor of a resolution but debates for that particular resolution becomes a co-sponsor) UK you have been recognised you have the floor. Debate Against We shall proceed with the debating against of this resolution. Delegates wishing to debate against this resolution, please raise your placard. UAE you have been recognised, you have the floor. Voting Procedure We shall now proceed to the voting of this resolution. Delegates wishing to vote for this resolution, please raise your placard. Delegates wishing to vote against this resolution, please raise your placards. Delegates wishing to abstain from voting for this resolution, please raise your placard. 12

20 Explanation of Votes for Delegates wishing to explain their vote for this resolution, please raise your placard. Afghanistan, you have been recognised, you have the floor. Explanation of Votes against Delegates wishing to explain their vote against this resolution, please raise your placard. Denmark you have been recognised, you have the floor. Explanation of abstention from Voting Delegates wishing to explain their abstention from voting for this resolution, please raise your placard. Saudi Arabia you have been recognised, you have the floor. Closing of the Resolution Delegates this resolution has passed with a total 5 votes for, 2 votes against and 2 abstentions from voting passes! I now declare this resolution over and we shall break for lunch. We will then proceed with opening of resolution no 2. Point of Information-simulation Delegate of Maldives has floor for a debate for Maldives: Maldives wishes to debate for this resolution as it believes the solutions proposed. Thank you for your attention, I am now open to 1 point of information. Chairperson: The delegate is now open to one point of information, delegates wishing to issue a point of information, please raise your placard. Bolivia, you have been recognised, you have the floor. Bolivia: Chair, could the delegate of Maldives please elaborate more on.. 13

21 Point of Order-simulation example Delegate of UK has just been recognised for a debate against and has been granted the floor. He/she comes in front of the commission/committee and begins his/her debate. At one point, the delegate states: I also propose Delegate of UAE: I rise to a point of order! Chairperson: Delegate of UAE you have been recognised, please state your point Delegate of UAE: Chair, the delegate has made use of the personal pronoun I which is a form of colloquial language. Chairperson: Delegate of UK, you are reminded not to make use of personal pronouns, please apologise to the house. Delegate of UK: I apologise to the house. (Here the personal pronoun I is allowed as it has been used to refer to him personally) Point of Privilege-simulation Delegate of Mauritius is currently debating for the resolution. Delegate of Bolivia raises his/her placard in the middle of the debate. Chairperson: Delegate of Bolivia, you have been recognised, please state your point. Delegate of Bolivia: Chair, I rise to the point of privilege. Could the delegate of UK please speak louder? Chairperson: Delegate of UK, you have been prompted to please speak louder. Point of Parliamentary Inquiry-simulation Delegate of Yemen raises his/her placard during the Commission session. Chairperson: Delegate of Yemen, you have been recognised, please state your point. Delegate of Yemen: Chair, I rise to the point of parliamentary inquiry. Which debate section is the house currently entertaining? Chairperson: Delegate, the house is currently entertaining the debate for of the resolution no 1. 14

22 Country Statement The purpose of the Country Statement is to introduce the country the speaker is representing in the General Assembly (GA). Each delegation represented in the General Assembly must write a Country Statement which will be read by the Head of the Delegation during the Opening Ceremony. HOWEVER, due to time constraints, the GA may entertain the reading of only few/all country statements, followed by only few/many replies to country statement. A reply to country statement is usually entertained after the reading of 3 to 5 country statements. It consists of a statement made by a country in favour of/to provide assistance/help to another country. It must refer to the previous country statements being read. Normally, 2 to 3 replies are considered at once. A reply to country statement should not exceed 30 seconds. It is neither followed by questions from delegates/chairpersons, nor justifications are required. Sample: Denmark greatly shows its appreciation and admiration to Sweden s effort for assisting Syria to combat civil war. Henceforth, Denmark wishes to join hands with Sweden in providing humanitarian support and encouraging world peace. (Here the Delegate of Denmark is issuing a reply to the Delegate of Sweden who previously mentioned about helping Syria in his/her country statement.) The order of the reading of the Country Statement is usually determined by the drawing of lots. The speaking order may then follow alphabetically from that name. The chairing of the reading of country statement is always done by the Secretary General or by his/her deputy. Therefore, remember that when a speaker has finished his/her speech, he/she should always yield back the floor to the SG/DSG. The country statement may not be longer than one minute (approx. 150 words) when read and is not to be interrupted. If the delegate has exceeded the time limit, he/she will be asked to wrap up in an additional 10 seconds. Otherwise, the delegate may be called out of order and be compelled to yield back the floor to the SG/DSG. 15

23 The country statement should be read in English (No native language). However, the greeting (Good Morning), may be stated in the Native Language, but will then have to be reiterated in English subsequently. Every speech should start with a formal greeting to the assembly. Example: Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General, Honorable Chairpersons, Fellow Delegates and other members of the house, Greetings and should finish with a Thank you, I now yield the floor to the SG/DSG/Chairperson. The speaker should not abuse the privilege to insult other Members of the UN and should not present their own country in an unworthy fashion. Delegates should bring 2 copies of his/her country statement on the day of the conference. One will be for the delegate for his/her use and the other one should be submitted to the secretariat when told to do so. Members of the secretariat will then vet and correct the statements. The statements are usually marked and this shall be an important criterion to decide upon the best delegations. 16

24 Sample Country Statement and Preferred Format Coat of Arms Title (CS + Country in Bold) Greeting in Native Language Greetings: Straight to the point, or you may even address to the different officials Brief Introduction of the Country and current positive situation Further advantage/forte of the country Rebuttal: Any downside of the country Do not emphasize too much on the disadvantages of the country. Insist on your will to participate in this conference, and help the other countries Thank You Note. Flag of the Country 17

25 Rules of Parliamentary Procedures 1. Point of Privilege 2. Point of Parliamentary Inquiry 3. Point of Order 4. Point of Information 5. General Rules of Debate 6. Special Rights of the Chairperson 1. Point of Privilege A delegate may rise to a point of Privilege (POP) for his/her personal convenience/comfort POP does not count as a floor, and can thus be used as frequently as required, but should always be addressed to the chair, and abuse may lead to suspension. Cases where POP may be applied include: - Chair, could the speaker please speak louder? - Chair, could the fan please be switched on/off? - Chair, could the window please be opened? - Chair, could the curtains please be pulled? - Asking to go to the toilet is usually part of the POP, but however, the delegate may pass a chit to the DAIS and ask to go to the restroom at his/her discretion to avoid disturbing the flow of the session. 2. Point of Parliamentary Inquiry A delegate may rise to a point of Parliamentary Inquiry (POPI) if he/she has any questions/queries pertaining to the procedures of the Committee/Commission session, as well as any other doubts that the delegate might have. POPI does not count as a floor, and can thus be used as frequently as required, but should always be addressed to the chair. Any abuse may lead to its suspension, as deemed correct by the Chairperson. Cases where POPI may be applied include: - Chair, is the house going to entertain an open debate? - Chair, are co-sponsors allowed to debate for this current resolution? - Chair, how much time is allocated for the debating for of the current resolution? Both individual and total debating time please. 18

26 3. Point of Order A delegate may rise to a point of order (POO) if there is a misuse of parliamentary procedures. The point has to be raised immediately after the offence has been made, by raising one s placard and saying: I rise to a point of order (After one has been recognized of course). If the point is valid, the Chairperson will then say: Delegate, your point has been taken into consideration and the speaker will then have to apologize as he/she would then be out of order. If the point is invalid, the issuer himself/herself shall be out of order and be asked to apologize. POO count as floors, and therefore must be raised judiciously. Abuse may cause POO to be suspended. Cases where POO may be applied include: - Chair, the delegate has used the personal pronoun, I, in the wrong context - Chair, the delegate has not yielded the floor to the chair - Chair, the delegate has not addressed the chair when debuting his/her speech - Chair, the delegate, being a sponsor of this resolution, should not be debating against it - Chair, the delegate is debating for, while the motion is currently for the debating against of the resolution 4. Point of Information A delegate rises to a point of information when another delegate is open to at least one point of information after he/she has completed his/her debate. A POI serves as a way of asking questions to the delegate concerned on a specific area of the debate/resolution currently in discussion. POI count as floors, and therefore must be raised judiciously. Cases where POI may be applied include: - Honourable Chairperson, is the fellow delegate aware that.? - Chair, could the speaker please shed some light on.? - Chair, could the delegate please elaborate on.? 19

27 5. General Rules of Debate Please find below a list of general rules of debate that you shall find very useful. Delegates should be reminded that: - The decision of the chair cannot be revoked, - Only 1 person may speak at the time (Floor may be taken by only 1 person), - Placards should always be raised to ask the floor and delegates should only speak when recognized by the Chairperson/DAIS/Director, - It is best that the delegates stand when speaking, - The chair must be addressed first in all circumstances, - Each speech should end by mentioning: I now yield the floor to the Chair/the delegate of./points of information. 6. Special Rights of a Chairperson Please find below some particularities about the rights of a Chairperson: The chair may extend or limit the debating time, as well as the number of points of information and explanation of votes, if judged necessary. The chair may suspend the points of orders, information, and privilege if there is an abuse, inappropriateness or time constraint. The debating time is usually determined by the secretariat, but may be adjusted by the Chairperson. Open Debate may be entertained at the discretion of Chairperson upon the availability of time. The Chairperson is the only one who can adjourn a Commission session (for a small break), if judged necessary. 20

28 Resolution, Debate, and Voting 1. Definition and purpose of a Resolution 2. Structure of a Resolution ( How to write a resolution + Terms explained) 3. Sample Explanation of Resolution 4. Initiative Phrases of Preambulatory and Operative Clauses 5. Debate 6. Sample Debate for and Debate Against 7. Voting Process 8. Sample Explanation of Votes 1. Definition and Purpose of a Resolution A resolution is basically a paper document written by sponsoring countries to address the issues pertaining to their commission. They are ground for debates, and are used to emphasize the gravity of an issue, and to propose solutions. In a real UN Conference, a passed resolution will go through the UN, and the solutions shall then be implemented in society. Note that the measures (Operative Clauses) listed should be realistic. Moreover, when the Committee session starts, the first step concerning the resolution would be the reading of resolution. Most of the time, only operative clauses are read to save time. After the resolution has been read, the Commission shall proceed to the explanation of the resolution. The explanation of resolution refers to a small summary of the resolution in form of a speech which is usually read in 1min30sec. For MGI MUN, delegates are not usually expected to write the resolution; the secretariat will take charge of it. 2. Structure of a Resolution FORMAT OF RESOLUTION - The font should be Verdana with Size The Page Number should be labelled. - All clauses should be 1 sentence statements. - The resolution is divided into two sections: The Preamble and the Operative. HEADING OF RESOLUTION 21

29 - Session: The Name and Edition of the Model United Nations Conference. (e.g. 7 th MGI Model United Nations) - Commission/Committee: The Commission/Committee of the Resolution. (e.g. World Health Organization (WHO)) - Sponsors: The authors (supporters) of the Resolution - Question Of: The title of the specific focus of the Resolution. The Commission Name and the Question Of should be selfexplanatory. PREAMBLE OF RESOLUTION - Right after the Question Of is mentioned, The General Assembly is stated. - Preambulatory clauses basically state all the current issues and situations pertaining to the Question Of in the Commission. It may state motives why the Committee is working on this issue and highlight previous international actions on the issue. - Each clauses start with a present participle (initiating phrase/preambulatory phrase), which should be underlined and indented by 5 spaces. - Examples of Preambulatory Clauses include: I. Past UN Resolutions, treaties, or conventions related to the topic. II. Past regional, Non-governmental, or national efforts in resolving this topic, III. References to the UN Charter, or other international frameworks and policies, IV. Statements made by an SG, or UN Body, V. General Background Information or facts about the topic, its significance, and its impact. OPERATIVE OF RESOLUTION - Operative Clauses come just after the Preambulatory clauses. - Operative Clauses specify the solutions/actions/recommendations pertaining to the Question Of in the resolution. - Each operative clause must be numbered and ends with a semicolon. The final clause ends with a full stop (period). - Only 1 idea/solution must be present in an operative clause. - Each clause starts with a verb (initiating clause/operative phrase). - If further explanations are required in a single clause, bulleted lists set off by letters (a, b, c) or roman numbers (I, II, III) may be employed. 22

30 SAMPLE RESOLUTION Heading 5 Spaces Indent Initiating Phrase Underlined Separation with a Comma Operative Initiating Phrase Underlined O. Clauses Numbered Separation with semi-colon 23

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32 3. Sample Explanation of Resolution As mentioned above, after you have read a resolution, you will be given the opportunity to explain the resolution (~ 1.5 sec). Below, you shall find a sample explanation of resolution. Bear in mind that there are no fixed format, and that we count on your originality: Refer to the following resolution first: 25

33 26

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35 SAMPLE EXPLANATION OF RESOLUTION Honourable Chairpersons, fellow delegates, greetings. This resolution has for main focus the presentation of new and innovative ways of using sports as a platform for promoting social integration and the development of social capital. While racism in developed and developing countries still persists, the former solutions proposed proved to be rather inefficient. This resolution, through the Operative clause no 1 and no 2, proposes to raise the participation of individuals, especially women and girls, in sports by implementing major sensitization campaigns. A higher participation rate in sports will undoubtedly create strong bonds between the sports practitioners. Also operative clauses no 7 and no 10 propose to combat racism in modern societies by creating social groups in a first time and then encouraging people to join them. These are measures that could for instance allow children from different cultural and ethical backgrounds to grow up together thereby increasing tolerance in a particular country. This resolution also highlights operative clause no 12 which proposes the unparalleled concept of using nation sport stars and Big Names to conduct sensitization Campaigns in developing countries. This incentive shall motivate the individuals of the developing countries and will also erase all the former prejudices that existed. The practice of the sports sounds more appealing if greater facilities are provided. In this context, operative clause no 8 and 9 propose to improve a country s knowhow in terms of infrastructure in order to build more modern and spacious sport facilities. The operative clauses resolution cover wide array of potential solutions that have yet to be debated upon. Thank you for your attention, I now yield the floor to the chair. 28

36 4. Initiating Phrases for Preambulatory and Operative Clauses INITIATING PHRASES for Preambulatory Clauses Affirming Alarmed Approving Aware of Bearing in mind Believing Cognizant Concerned Confident Conscious Considering Contemplating Convinced Declaring Deeply concerned Deeply conscious Deeply convinced Deeply disturbed Deeply regretting Deploring Desiring Determined Emphasizing Encouraged Endorsing Expecting Expressing deep concern Expressing its appreciation Expressing its satisfaction Fulfilling Fully alarmed Fully aware Fully believing Further deploring Further recalling Grieved Guided by Having adapted Having considered Having decided Having devoted attention Having examined Having heard Having received Having regarded Having reviewed Having studied Keeping in mind Mindful Noting further Noting with approval Noting with deep concern Noting with regret Noting with satisfaction Observing Reaffirming Realizing Recalling Recognizing Referring Reiterating Seeking Stressing Taking into account Taking into consideration Taking role Viewing with appreciation Welcoming Wishing 29

37 INITIATING PHRASES for Operative Clauses Accepts Acknowledge Adopts Affirms Appeals Applauds Appreciates Approves Authorizes Calls Calls upon Concurs Condemns Confirms Congratulates Considers Decides Declares accordingly Demands Deplores Designates Directs Draws the attention Emphasizes Encourages Endorses Expresses its appreciation Expresses its conviction Expresses its hope Expresses its regret Expresses its sympathy Expresses its thanks Further invites Further proclaims Further recommends Further reminds Further requests Further resolves Have resolves Instructs Invites Notes Notes with approval Notes with interest Notes with satisfaction Proclaims Reaffirms Recommends Regrets Reiterates Reminds Renews its appeal Repeals Requests Solemnly affirms Stresses Strongly condemns Suggests Supports Takes role of Transmits Trusts Urges Welcomes 30

38 5. Debate A debate is a document, based on operative clauses or on the question of itself, stating which side a speaker favours for a resolution (i.e. for or against). The speaker would thus have to deliver his/her debate in front of the commission/committee when granted the floor by the Chairperson. As a speaker you would want the rest of the delegates in the Commission to vote for the same as you for a particular resolution. The purpose of a debate is to convince the other Member State/country representatives to vote for/against. The most persuasive speakers with outstanding debating skills manage to attract the most attention and hence often obtain the title of best delegate. Debating for: When the operative Clauses (solutions) of a particular resolution appeal to a speaker, he/she would probably want to debate for this resolution. In this case, the solutions would most likely seem (from that specific speaker s perspective): - Efficient - Easy to put in practice - to take into consideration Minorities, poor people, etc. By debating for, the speaker aims at convincing the Commission/Committee that this particular resolution is good and that it needs to be passed Debating against: When the operative Clauses (solutions) of a particular resolution do not appeal to a speaker, he/she would probably want to debate against this resolution. In this case the solutions would most likely seem (from that specific speaker s perspective): - Too expensive and unusable by developing (poor) countries - Neglects a part of the general population - Will definitely not work when applied to specific countries By debating against, the speaker aims at convincing the Commission/Committee that this particular resolution is unreliable and ineffective and that it needs to fail. 31

39 Structure of a Debate A typical debate, both for and against, should contain the following: - A Greeting- At the start of the debate, when given the floor, the speaker has to properly greet the Commission/Committee at least once as follows: Honourable Chairpersons, fellow delegates, greetings. - An Affirmation Statement- The very first paragraph of a debate should clearly state the position of the speaker on the issue (i.e. for or against). - Core Arguments- The main focus of the debate should be the core arguments the speaker brings up. Hence for a debate for, the speaker should include a minimum of 2 operative clauses in his/her debate and then explain why these solutions are adequate for his/her country. - Similarly, a debate against should contain a minimum of 2 operative clauses the speaker does not agree with. The reason of the inefficiency of these solutions should then be explained and a better solution should be proposed to the Commission/Committee. - A Conclusion- The conclusion of a debate should by no means be mere summary of the speech. A conclusion should be a reaffirmation of the conviction of a delegate. - All debates should, as much as possible, end on a positive note. A debate for could end positively by mentioning that the implementation of the solutions (in the Operative clauses) will undoubtedly help to solve the problems a country (e.g. Thailand) faces. - A debate against could end positively by mentioning that the implementation of the new solutions (proposed in the debate against) will undoubtedly help to solve the problems a country faces. - The average individual speaking time for a debate, including points of information, is around 2 minutes, but may vary as per the will of the Chairperson. 32

40 6. Sample Debate For and Debate Against (ROUGH GUIDE ONLY-BE ORIGINAL) Based on the resolution above (sports), we have created samples Debate For and Debate Against which may be helpful to you: Note: The level of all debates presented are above expectation. SAMPLE DEBATE FOR Question Of: Promoting Social Integration and Development of social Capital through sports Honorable Chairpersons, fellow delegates, greetings. Title of the Specific issue being debated Formal greeting to the commission Affirmation statement indicating Slovenia wishes to debate for Slovenia believes in the propitious clauses stated in the resolution and perceives that the pursuit of development by Member States is a source of mutual understanding for the life of humankind. As highlighted by operative clauses 4 and 12, Slovenia firmly believes that the involvement of star players will not only contribute to the mainstream society but also help in the inclusion of the disabled. Hence, this facilitates the bilateral relationship among Member States, also mentioned as per operative clause 13.The different groups and countries concerned are in due course promoted and developed through sports, amongst other activities. Additionally, the introduction of a durable scheme to provide a proper and adequate physical education programs and sensitization campaigns to meet operative clause no 6 and no 7 should be the main pillar in the grand plan to instill in citizens the value and importance of sports. Slovenia would also like to adhere to the operative clause no 11, whereby it proposes to reinforce its measures to combat racism and use sports as the core of the strategy. It is also satisfying to depict that Slovenia has a quite rich Olympic record with a 15 medal achievement at the summer Olympics and a total of six medals at the winter Olympics. Pertaining to this Slovenia wishes to use its national sport heroes as an effective and innovative way to sensitize its population. Thank you for your attention, I am now open to all points of information. Core Arguments: some operative clauses are presented and elaborated Stating two operative clauses simultaneously if they are similar Raising awareness on an important issue in your Country pertaining to the resolution At the end of the debate and after answering POIs, a delegate must yield the floor back to the chair 33

41 SAMPLE DEBATE AGAINST Question of: promoting social integration and development of social capital through sports Honourable Chairpersons, fellow delegates, greetings. Slovenia approves that the elimination of social barriers, mainly racism, and prejudice is of crucial importance in the society of today. However the solution proposed by operative no 11 lacks in description on how racism could be overcome and is also dependent of the help of other sub-parties. Slovenia s solution to combat poverty would be to simply increase the abroad exchange programs whereby children shall surpass this prejudice and in the future create an epitome of a world with no ethnic barriers. The operative no 10 has an ambiguous malevolent nature that the sponsors of this resolution have overlooked. Encouraging people to group up for an activity might lead to more harm than good. It shall divide the country and its people. Statistics have shown that in the short run such measures shall lead to the creation of inter-communal hatred. As per operative clause no 13, Slovenia is firmly convinced that the use of international sport stars to increase practice of sports is not a viable solution. It will be time consuming to appeal to such important figures to go in developing countries and the cost it might incur could be too great. Slovenia would hence like to launch an international incentive to use national sport heroes as an effective means to instil the practice of sports in youngsters. Thank you, I am now open to all points of information I now yield the floor to the chair Name of the Specific issue being debated Formal greeting to the commission Affirmation statement indicating Slovenia wishes to debate Against Core Arguments: some operative clauses are presented and criticized. Better solutions are proposed Raising awareness on other viable solutions that could be implemented At the end of the debate and after answering POIs, a delegate must yield the floor. 34

42 7. Voting Process After a particular resolution has been presented to the commission/committee and thoroughly debated, it consequently needs to be voted. There are 3 types of votes, as follows: Vote For- a delegate may decide to vote for a particular resolution if he/she is convinced that the solutions proposed in the operative clauses are efficient enough. Vote Against- if a delegate is convinced that the solutions proposed in the operative clauses are inefficient and have neglected several factors. Abstention from voting- if a delegate is divided between voting for or against, he/she may prefer to abstain from voting. Each delegate has the right to issue only one vote for a particular resolution, i.e. a delegate cannot vote both for and against A sponsor is expected to vote for his/her resolution but may however choose to abstain from voting if he/she has changed his/her mind after listening to the debating session. If a resolution obtains more than 50% of vote in its favour, it passes. Otherwise, the resolution fails. After the voting procedure, the Chairperson will entertain a few speeches (number is set by the Chair) in order for the recognized delegates to explain why they voted for, against or abstained from voting a particular resolution. 35

43 8. Sample of Explanation of Votes Below, you shall find sample explanation of votes, with reference to the resolution mentioned in the sample debates above (Commission: Sports). THIS IS A ROUGH GUIDE ONLY AND YOU ARE EXPECTED TO BE ORIGINAL. Note: The level shown in the samples are above expectation. You are not required to use such vocabulary. SAMPLE EXPLANATION OF VOTES FOR Slovenia adopts this resolution as the propitious clauses stated have no malevolent ambivalence and are realistic and realizable. For instance, the clause no 11 is especially well premeditated. Racism is not quite an unsettling problem but even Slovenia has bouts of it. Slovenia also, pertaining to clause no 13, expresses its wish to create a bilateral relationship with the Member States present here and together achieve a better future for the children of tomorrow. SAMPLE EXPLANATION OF VOTES AGAINST Slovenia desires to speak against this resolution due to its obvious non-practical solutions; some of which that even lack in relevancy. The resolution, instead of proposing viable solutions, makes appeal to other Member States thereby making the resolution s clauses dependent on the co-sponsors. Clause no 10 also fails to take into account that the activity group that is to be formed might end up dividing the nation even more. It shall ultimately lead to the creation of small sub parties throughout the country and hence inter-communal hatred shall rise. SAMPLE EXPLANATION OF VOTES ABSTENTION Slovenia wishes to abstain from voting for this resolution as it feels ambiguous about the nature of the solutions proposed. For instance, relating to clause no 11, Slovenia cannot deny the fact that using sports to combat racism is a viable and innovative solution. However clause no 10 fails to acknowledge the problem of division that shall ultimately arise. Through the organisation of activity group, a real separation between the citizens and hence inter-communal hatred shall propound. 36

44 Order of Events Please note that this order of event is relatively arbitrary and may not be representative of all editions of MGI MUNs. A typical proceeding of events is summarized below: 1. General Registration 2. Delegates seated in the General Assembly 3. Roll Call in the House 4. Speech by Chief Coordinator, Chief Guest, Secretary General, etc. 5. Launching of the Conference (By Chief Guest) 6. Launching of Newsletter 7. Drawing of Lots for the Reading of Country Statement 8. Reading of Country Statement + Rights of Reply 9. Signing of Pledge 10. Short Break ( Including Refreshments) 11. Commission in Session (Further Details Below) Chairperson calls the House to order, followed by attendance check (roll call). Introduction on Commission and rules by Chairpersons. First resolution in session. Secretaries are asked by Chairpersons to distribute copies of the resolution to the delegates. Reading of resolution by a sponsor chosen by the Chairperson. The sponsor comes forward and reads the operative clauses of the resolution. He yields the floor to the chair upon ending with the reading. Chairperson asks for a second, any delegate can call out Second without being recognized. (An unseconded resolution cannot be debated) Explanation of resolution. The sponsor comes forward and explains the resolution. He yields the floor to the chair upon ending. Chairperson informs the house that they will now proceed to the debating session. Chairperson announces the time allocation for debating for and against of the resolution, along with any other time limits. Note that secretaries shall keep the record of time lapses. 37

45 Debating For in Session for sponsors and co-sponsors. (Sponsors shall have a preference and each speaker shall be open to at least one point of information.) Debating Against in Session. (Other delegates, except the sponsors and co-sponsors, may get the floor and each speaker shall be open to at least one point of information.) Open Debate may follow as per the convenience of the Chairpersons. (Optional) Chairperson closes debate. Voting Process: Chairpersons shall count the number of votes For/Against/Abstentions. Then, delegates will get the floor to explain their votes. Finally, the Chairpersons announce whether the resolution has passed/failed with respect to the votes. The Commission Session is adjourned. 12. Break or Lunch Break ( Dependent on the Conference) 13. Commission in Session (Resumption with SAME proceedings) 14. Delegates back to the General Assembly 15. Closing ceremony I. Vote of Thanks (Usually done by DSG) II. III. IV. Report of Chairpersons MGI MUN Press Video Clip ( Optional) Proclamation of Best Delegates and Best Delegations 38

46 SUMMARY OF ORDER OF EVENTS Closing of Resolution Reading of Resolution by SPONSORS Explanation of Resolution by SPONSOR Voting + Explanation of votes Debate for by SPONSORS Debate against Debate for by CO- SPONSORS 39