ModelUNGuide(ByStepsinCommittee)

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Vocabulary:
Dais:groupofpeoplewhoaretheleadersofthecommittee,usuallytypethingsupand/orlookup
information.
Chair:personwhoactuallypickswhospeaksandwhomanagesthegoingonofcommittee.Part
oftheDais
Workingpaper:aresolutionthathasbeenpresentedbuthasnotbeenamendedyet
Resolution:apaperthatposesasolutiontotheissueathand
PointsorMotions:callsforamoderated/unmoderatedcaucus,etc.
Speakerslist:Thelistofdelegateswantingtospeakthatyoustartoffwithattheverybeginning
ofcommittee.Youusuallystayhereuntilthetopichasbeenchosen,atwhichpointyoucanmove
ontomoderatedorunmoderatedcaucuses
Moderatedcaucus:Aperiodoftime(usuallyaround10minutes)withacertainspeakingtime
dealingwithaspecifictopic.Ex.10minutemoderatedcaucuswith30secondspeakingtimes
regardingthecriteriafordecidingtheappropriatenessofHumanitarianIntervention
Unmoderatedcaucus:Aperiodoftimeinwhichdelegatesmayconversefreelyamongeach
other.Itdealswithacertaintopic.BecarefulaboutsuggestingtheseastheChair/Daismaynot
lookfavorablyuponthem.
Dilatory:Unnecessary,extraneousorexpendable
Decorum:Composure
Placard:Signthathasthenameofthecountryonit.
PointofInquiry:aquestion
RightofReply:usedwhenanotherdelegatehasPERSONALLYoffendedyou.Thisisnotused
whentheyhavesaidsomethingnegativeaboutyourcountry.Youcansendyourmessagetothis
delegatetothechairwhowillreviewitanddeterminewhetherornotitisdilatory.
Pages:Peoplewhodistributenotes
ParliamentaryProcedure:Therulesandguidelineswhichdelegatesmustfollowincommittee

ModesofAddressWhenGivingaSpeech
Firstwellstartwiththeobvious:donotuseslangwhenspeakinginaconference,all
speechesshouldbeginwithMr./Ms.Chair,ladiesandgentlemenofthehouseand
not:Yowutup?!Remember,youaretryingtosolveaworldissue,nothostingaparty
withallyourfriends.
Heresperhapsthemostimportantaspectofparliamentaryetiquette:NEVERREFER
TOYOURSELFINTHEFIRSTPERSON.Thatalsogoesforyourpeers.When
speaking,usethenameofyourdelegation:e.g.ThedelegationofChinadoesnot
understandorwillthe(honourable)delegateofRussiapleaseclarify
Thefollowingaresomephrasesthatcanbeusedbydelegates:
Mr./Ms./Madam/HonorableChair
Thedelegationof________hasapointof________(seebelowundermotionsof
parliamentaryprocedure)
Isthedelegateof__________notaware
Doesthespeakernotrealizethat
Weyieldthefloortothechar/tothedelegateof______
Doesthespeakernotagree.

MotionsinMUN
AmotionisapointorrequestthatadelegatewouldliketobringtotheChairsattention.
Theseshouldneverbeusedtointerruptaspeaker(atleastwaituntils/hehasfinished
his/hersentence).Herearethemostcommonandmostoftenusedmotions:

PointofPersonalPrivilege:ThisisamotionusedtolettheChairandthespeaker
knowthatsomethingisbotheringyou(thespeakeristooloud,tooquiet,toofast,too
sloworunclear).Whenwishingtobringacrossapointofpersonalprivilegesimply
raiseyourcountrysnamecardandsayPointofPersonalPrivilegeandtheChair
willdeterminewhetherornotitisinorderands/hewillaskthedelegatetoriseand
statethereasoningbehindhis/herpoint.
Ex.PointofPersonalPrivilege?CantheDaispleasespeakup?WecantheretheChairintheback.
Maynotinterruptaspeaker

PointofInformation:Thisisaquestionadelegatemighthaveforthespeakerafter
s/hehasfinishedhis/herspeech.APointofInformationcanonlybebroughtforth
whentheChairhasaskedforthem(afteraspeakersspeech,s/hemayormaynot
agreetobeopentopointsofinformation.)WhentheChairhasauthorizedpointsof
information,simplyraiseyourcountrysnamecardandwaittobecalledon.Here
aresometipstoPointofInformation:
Useproperetiquetteandstayrespectful.
OnlyaskONEquestionwhencalledon
Ifthedelegatehasnotansweredthequestiontoyoursatisfactionyoumay
askforafollowupquestionbysayingRequestFollowup.TheChair
rarelyrecognizesthese.
PointsofInformationarenotonlyusedtomakethespeakerlooklikes/he
hassaidsomethingwrongitisveryhelpfultoanargumentifthedelegate
agreeswiththespeakerbutdoitinaformofaquestion.E.g.Doesthe
delegateof_________(speaker)notagree.

PointofOrder:ThisisthemotionusedwhenyouwanttobringtheChairsattention
toaspeakersoranotherdelegatesmistakeinorviolationofparliamentary
procedure.Ifadelegatebreaksanyoftherulesorregulationsstatedaboveorin
followingsections,waitforthespeakertofinishhis/hersentencethenraiseyour
countrysnamecardandsayPointofOrder.TheChairwilldeterminewhetherthisis
appropriateornot.Ifappropriate,s/hewillaskyoutoriseandstateyourpoint,i.e.,
isitinorderfortheDelegateofKuwaittodoacartwheel?
Ex.PointofOrder?Thedelegateisdiscussingresolution3,butonly1and2havebeenpresented.
Mayinterruptaspeaker

PointofParliamentaryInquiry(OrPointofInquiry):ThisisaquestiondirectedtotheChairconcerning
parliamentaryproceduresinregardtotimeandrelatedissues.
Ex.PointofParliamentaryInquiry?ArewevotingonResolution1.2or1.4?
Maynotinterruptaspeaker

MotiontoMoveintotimeFor/Against:ThismotionisdirectedtotheChair.Ifthe
meetingisgoingslowly(e.g.,nooneisspeaking)thenyoumaysayMotionto
movieintotimefor/againstthisresolution.Ifthehouseagrees,somethingwill
secondthismotion.Iftherearenoobjections,theChairwillsuspendthattimeframe
andmoveintothenext.

MotiontoMoveintoVotingProcedure:Again,ifthemeetingseemsnottobe
productive,youmayraiseyourcountrysnamecardandsayMotiontomoveinto
votingprocedureifanotherdelegatesagrees,s/hewillsecondthismotion.Ifthere
arenoobjections,thenvotingprocedurewilltakeplace.

RollCall
Occursatthebeginningofeverycommitteesession
Maysay:
a.Present
b.Presentandvoting(Byvotingpresentandvoting,adelegationmaynotabstaininanysubsequent
votesbutcanonlyvoteyesorno.Itisnotsuggestedtovotepresentandvoting.)
Ifyourelate,sendanotetothedaistoletthemknowofyourpresence,sinceitaffectsvoting
calculations.

SettingtheAgenda
OpeningtheSpeakersList
Requiresamotionandamajorityvote
SAY:MotiontoopentheSpeakersListforthepurposeofsettingtheagenda.
AprimarySpeakersListmaybeopenedattheChairsdiscretion
SettingtheSpeakingTime
SpeakersListtimerunsfromonetotwominutes
Chairsays:Motiontosetthespeakingtimeat90seconds.Requirestwospeakersfor
andtwoagainstwitha30secondspeakingtime
Requiresasimplemajoritytopass
TheSpeakersList
OncetheSpeakersListisopen,debatetosettheagendabegins
Ex.SPEAKERSLIST
TheNetherlands,Jordan,Afghanistan,China,Honduras,Kenya,Germany,
Argentina,Romania,UnitedStates
TheSpeakersListisaperpetuatingdocumentsendanotetotheDaistobeadded!
SettingtheTopic(Notnecessaryasweonlyhaveonetopic)
Motiontosettheagenda
SAY:MotiontosettheagendatoTopicOne,MaritimePiracyintheStraitsofMalacca
Requiresonespeakerforandoneagainst
Simplemajoritytopass
Ifthemotionfails,TopicTwowillbediscussedfirst

YieldsOccuronlywhenontheSpeakersList
Ayieldisawaytohandleremainingspeakingtime(Ex.thespeakingtimeisoneminute,butthedelegate
onlyspeaksforthirtyseconds).
A.IyieldmytimetotheChair.
Remainingtimeisunused
B.Iyieldmytimetoquestions.
Chairwillcallonadelegatetoaskthespeakeraquestion.
Speakercanonlyrespondfortheamountoftimeunused.
Nobackandforthdialoguebetweendelegates!
C.Iyieldmytimeto[insertcountrysnamehere].
Ifadelegate(Oman)yieldstheremainderoftheirtimetoanothercountry(Yemen),that
countrymustaccepttheyield.
Thecountryyieldedto(Yemen)cannotmakeanotheryield(NODOUBLEYIELDS).
Caucusing
ModeratedCaucus
ThemoderatedcaucusallowscountriesthatarelowontheSpeakersListtohavetheopportunityto
speakbytemporarilysuspendingtheSpeaker'sListandallowingthechairtocalloncountriesattheir
discretion.Thedelegatewhoproposedthecaucusshouldspecifythetopicofdiscussion,specifythe
duration(nottoexceed20minutes),andspeakingtimeperdelegate.TheDaiswillaskifthereareany
pointsormotionsonthefloor.Tosignalyourdesiretospeak,simplyraiseyourplacard.Delegatesshould
remainintheirseatsduringamoderatedcaucusandmaintaindecorum,asduringformaldebate.
SAY:Motionforatenminutemoderatedcaucuswith30secondspeakingtimes[forthepurposeof
discussing__________________].

UnmoderatedCaucus
Amotionforanunmoderatedcaucus,whichrequiresamajoritytopass,allowsthesuspensionoftherules
andofformaldebate.Delegatesmayleavetheirseatsanddiscusstopicsfreely.Thedelegatemakingthe
motionmustspecifyatotaltimefortheproposedcaucus,nottoexceed20minutes.TheChairreserves
therighttorulesuchamotionoutoforder.Thisisanidealtimetodraftresolutionsanddevelop
relationshipswithfellowcountries.
SAY:Motionforatenminuteunmoderatedcaucus.

Resolutions
Resolutions
Eachdelegationcansignasmanyresolutionsastheywish
Signatoriesarecountrieswhowouldliketoseethedraftdebatedbutdonotnecessarily
supportalltheelementsoftheresolution.
Asignatoryofaresolutiondoesnothavetovoteinfavoroftheresolution.
Requireamajoritytopass
PresentingaResolution
SuspensionoftherulesatChairsdiscretion
Allthesponsorsreadtheresolutiontothecommittee
FiveminuteQ&A
Nonsubstantivequestionsareusedtoquestionandcorrectgrammar,spelling,
punctuation,ortoclarify(withoutchanging)anypartofadraftresolution.
Substantivequestionswishtoquestionthemeaningandintentionsofthedraftresolution.

Voting
MovingintoVotingProcedure
SAY:Motiontoclosedebate.
Requirestwospeakersforandtwoagainstand2/3infavortopass
Oncethebodyhasvotedaffirmativelytoclosedebate,thecommitteeimmediatelymovesinto
votingprocedure
Noonemayenterorleavetheroom!
VotingProcedure
Eachresolutionisvotedonintheorderthatitwaspresented(Resolution1.1,1.2,etc.)
Eachresolutionispassedbyasimplemajority
Mayvoteyes,no,yeswithrights,nowithrights,abstain,orpass
Votingwithrightsmeansthatadelegationisvotingcontrarytoitsexpectedvote
basedonitsdeclaredforeignpolicy.Delegationsvotingwithrightsmaygivea
speechattheconclusionofvotinggivingtheirreasoningforsuchavote.Itisnot
suggestedthatyouvotewithrightsrather,voteaccordingtopolicy!
Ifadelegationpasses,itwillbecalledonagainwhenallothercountrieshave
voted.
MotionsSpecifictoVoting
Motionforarollcallvote.
Motiontoreordertheresolutions.
Motiontodividethequestion.

Notes:
Inacrisiscommittee,notesareessentialtocommunication.Eachdelegationhastroopsandnotestocrisis
arehowyouwilldirectthesetroops.Movingtroopsisimportanttocreatesomecontroversyinthecrisis
committee.Ifyouwanttodosomethinginsecret,useanotetocrisistotellthemwhatyouaredoing.

Example1:
Committee:DisarmamentandNationalSecurity(DISEC)
Topic:HumanitarianIntervention
Country:RussianFederation
School:AmericanHeritageSchool
Delegates:CatalinaBerenblum
TheRussianFederationbelievesthattheissueofdefiningthehumanitarianintervention,its
permissibilityanditsrelationtonationalsovereigntyisofupmostimportance.Inthepast,theRussian
Federationhasexpresseditsviewsthatnationalsovereigntyisofveryhighimportance,andthatmilitary
interventionashumanitarianinterventionshouldonlybepermissibleifthestateoralliancehasreceived
approvaloftheirinterventionbytheUNSecurityCouncil,inaccordancewithArticle2(4)oftheUN
Charter,oriftheinterventionisclearlyanactofselfdefense(HolzgrefeandKeohane,242).The
Russiangovernmentseesnationalsovereigntyastherightofastatetogovernitspeoplewithinits
borders.Nationalsovereigntyshouldonlybeinfringeduponifthestatehasfailedtoprotectorhas
mistreateditspeople(FoxNews,RussianPresidentMedvedev'sStatementonGeorgiaCrisis).The
degreeofmilitaryforceusedwheninterventionisnecessaryshouldbedirectlyrelatedtothedegreeof
forceneededtocontroltheforcebeingdealtwith(AlArabiya,Russia,ChinaOpposeMilitary
InterventioninSyriaTurkey,JapanExpelSyrianEnvoys).TheRussianFederationalsobelievesthat
WesternstatesshouldnotinterveneinpopularuprisingsagainstdictatorshipsintheMiddleEast.
InterventionshouldonlybeconsideredifIslamicfundamentalismtakescontrol(Barry,RussiansSay
AttackinLibyaVindicatesTheirPosition).
Russia,hasintervenedforhumanitarianpurposesinthepast.Inthe2008SouthOssetiaWar,
theRussianFederationinvadedGeorgiatoprotectminoritygroups,namelycitizensoftheRussian
federationinresidenceinSouthOssetia(FoxNews,RussianPresidentMedvedev'sStatementon
GeorgiaCrisis).IntheRussianview,thisactwouldfallunderastatesrighttoprovideselfdefensetoits
citizens.
TheRussianFederation,however,opposedmilitaryinterventionofSyria.TheRussian
governmentinsteadviewedastatementmadebytheUNSecurityCouncilcallingupontheSyrian
governmentanditsfoestoendtheviolenceinSyriaassufficientconsideringthecurrentstateofthe
conflictandcondonedtheuseofheavyweaponsincivilianareas(AlArabiya,Russia,ChinaOppose
MilitaryInterventioninSyriaTurkey,JapanExpelSyrianEnvoys).TheRussianFederationstatedthat
interventionwouldonlyworsenthesituation,insteadofbetteringit.
Lastly,theRussianFederationbelievesthatWesternstatesshouldnotinterveneinpopular
uprisingsagainstdictatorshipsintheMiddleEast.RussianPrimeMinisterVladimirPutinexpressedthis
beliefafterthedeathoftheUnitedStatesambassadortoLibya(Barry,RussiansSayAttackinLibya
VindicatesTheirPosition).
Inreferencetoresolutionstothecontrolofhumanitarianintervention,theRussianFederation
believesthatstatesshouldhavetorefertotheUNSecurityCouncilbeforeseekingintervention.By
communicatingwiththeUNSecurityCouncil,stateswillbecertainthateveniftheirinvasionsarenot
successful,thattheyweresupportedbytheUNandthereforewillnotbepenalized.Inreferenceto
interventionsthatwerenotsupportedbytheUNbutwerelaterdeemedexcusablebreeches,the
RussianFederationbelievesthatstatesshouldonlyescapepenalizationif,andonlyif,thestatewas
actingtoprotectitscitizens.Ifthisisnotthecase,statesshouldbepenalizedequallywhethertheir
interventionsweresuccessfulornot.

WorksCited
Barry,Ellen."RussiansSayAttackinLibyaVindicatesTheirPositionNYTimes.com."TheNewYork
TimesBreakingNews,WorldNews&Multimedia.N.p.,n.d.Web.18Jan.2013.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/13/world/europe/russianssayantiamericanattackinlibyavindica
testheirposition.html>.
Holzgrefe,J.L.,andRobertO.Keohane.HumanitarianIntervention:Ethical,LegalandPolitical
Dilemmas.N.p.:CambridgeUniversityPress,2003.Print.
RawData:RussianPresidentMedvedevsStatementonGeorgianCrisis.FoxNews,
<http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,400321,00.html>.
"Russia,ChinaOpposeMilitaryInterventioninSyriaTurkey,JapanExpelSyrianEnvoys."Russia,
ChinaOpposeMilitaryInterventioninSyriaTurkey,JapanExpelSyrianEnvoys.AlArabiya,30May
2012.Web.18Jan.2013.<http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/05/30/217446.html>.

Example2:
CommitteeName:UnitedNationsSecurityCouncil
TopicAreaB:TheSituationinYemen
CountryName:RussianFederation
SchoolName:AmericanHeritageSchool
DelegateNames:Mr.JudeAlawaandMr.EthanGoldstein
Throughouthistoryandmoderntimes,theRussianFederationhaskeptclosetieswithYemen.
Infact,therelationshipdatesbacktoabout80yearsagoduringthetimesofafragmentedYemenistate
andtheSovietUnion.Forinstance,in1955,YemenandtheSovietUnionsignedagreementsregarding
economiccooperation.Inthesameway,theysignedfriendshipagreementsinvolvingmilitary
cooperation.Also,despiteYemensfragmentedpoliticalandgeographicalhistory,theRussian
FederationhasalwaysbeenthefirstentitytorecognizetheRepublicofYemenasanindependentstate.
AfterthedissolutionoftheSovietUnion,in1991,theRepublicofYemenalsorecognizedtheRussian
Federationasanindependentgoverningbody.Overall,despitepoliticalstruggleandfragmentation,the
RussianFederationandtheRepublicofYemenhaveremainedcloseandfriendly(AlShergaby6).
DuetothecloserelationshipbetweentheRussianFederationandYemen,Russiaultimately
seekstoaidandhelpstabilizetheYemenigovernmentandstate.Russianofficialsandgovernment
entitieshavebeenparticipatinginrehabilitationprogramsinYemeninordertoincreaseinfrastructure
andlivingconditionseffectively.However,theRussianFederationhasalsoemphasizedtheimportance
ofestablishingastrongcentralizedgovernmentasopposedtothecurrentrathercorruptgovernment.In
orderfulfillthistask,Russiahasalsoemphasizedthemaliciouseffectsofterroristgroupssuchas
AlQaedainYemen.Inturn,YemenisalsoexperiencingaSouthsecessionistmovement,whichhas
pressedthegovernmentandhasalsomadeinhabitantssusceptibletoterroristactivities.Inadditionto
theseissues,theYemenigovernmentmustalsodealwithpowerfultribes,suchastheHouthi,thatexert
considerableinfluenceuponinhabitantsinthenorthernregionsofYemen.Despitethenumerous
governingentitiesinYemen,theRussianFederationseekstoaidtheofficialYemenigovernmentin
formingaunifiedcentralizedgovernmentthataccommodatestheneedsoftheSouthernSeparatistsand
varioustribalgroups.Inaddition,theRussianFederationaccentuatestheimportanceofeliminating
violencefromtheareabecauseviolencehasultimatelydestroyedinfrastructureandprevented
inhabitantsfromsustainingproperlivingconditions.DespitethevastnumberofissuestosolveinYemen,
Russiahasprovidedconsiderableaideconomicallyandmilitarilyinattempttohelpstrengthenthe
Yemenigovernment.Ontheotherhand,theRussianFederationdoesnotfindmilitaryinterventiontobe
themostappropriatesolutiontoaidYemen.TheRussianFederationhasconsultedwithvariousother
countriessuchastheUnitedStatesandChinainordertoformulatesolutiontosupportYemen(Keen
9).Usingavarietyoftrainingprograms,RussiaandassistingnationshaveattemptedtotrainYemeni
governmentofficials.Ultimately,theRussianFederation,inconjunctionwithothernations,seeksto
relievetheYemenofitspoorstatethroughvariousmethodsofgovernmentalaid(XinhuanetNews4).
SolvingtheissuesinYemenhasproventobeaformidabletaskduetotheseverityofthe
destructionandchaosinYemen.InordertosolvetheproblemsinYemen,Russiamustaddressa
varietyofaspectsthatseeminglyrelyuponeachother.Russiamustfocusonimprovingsecurity,social
andeconomicdevelopment,andpoliticalanddiplomaticactions.Inthepast,dronestrikeshavebeen
effectiveasamodeofinterventionthatprotectssoldiers.However,dronestrikeshavenotbeen
effectiveinhelpingthepeopleofYemenbecausetheytoo,arebeingtargeted.Also,theworkingsof
AlQaedamustbeaddressedandstoppedinordertodiminishtheamountofviolenceinthearea.In
addition,anysolutionforYemenmustensurethatinthefuture,Yemenwillbeabletosustainably
developwithoutforeignaid.Consequently,theRussianFederationemphasizesandsupportstheneed
foraidinYemen.TheYemenistateneedsastrongcentralizedgovernmentthataddressestheneedsof
varioustribalgroupsandmostimportantly,thesouth,duetotheireconomicimportance.Furthermore,
AlQaedamustbeeliminatedduetotheirpowerfulandmaliciousinfluenceuponinhabitantsandYemen
asawhole.Afterinstitutingapropergovernment,Yemenmustfocusondevelopingastableeconomy.
Lastly,theRussianFederationemphasizestheimportanceofinhabitantsaccesstoresources(Somalia
Watch6).

WorksCited
AlShergaby,Rowyda."76yearsofYemeniRussianrelationship."SabaNet.N.p.,5Feb.2005.
Web.29Dec.2012.<http://www.sabanews.net/en/news87431.htm>.
Keen,Thalif."Russia,ChinakeeptoholdinYemen."AsiaTimes.N.p.,n.d.Web.27Dec.2012.
<http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/LA07Ak01.html>.
XinhuanetNews."Russiavowsto'unlimitedly'supportYemeninpreservingstability."Xinhuanet
News.N.p.,30June2011.Web.24Dec.2012.
<http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/201106/30/c_13957361.htm>.
SomaliaWatch."AttheTipoftheArabianPeninsula,AContestForInfluence."SomaliaWatch.N.p.,
24May2000.Web.29Dec.2012.<http://www.somaliawatch.org/Archivemay/000524401.htm>.