What is a MUN?

“MUN” stands for Model United Nations.
Students from all over the world play the role of delegates of many different countries at the United Nations.

What is a committee?

Committees at a MUN are based on real committees at the United Nations.
Each committee deals with issues of a certain type, for example human rights or environmental issues.

What is a delegate’s duty?

A delegate has to represent his/her country.
Delegates do not need to prepare resolutions or speak during conferences but it is recommended that they do.

Who are chairs?

Chairs guide the conference and moderate the debate.
They rule the conference and whatever they say has to be followed.
Delegates cannot make decisions concerning debating procedures on their own: for example, if a delegate wants to speak for more than the set amount of time, he/she has to ask the chair.

Who is the Secretary General?

The SG is the head of Secretariat, the chief administrative officer.
He/she has an administrative function, meaning that he has to oversee the UN Secretariat, which is a peacekeeping function and a function of mediator between opposing countries.

Who are MUN directors?

MUN directors direct each school’s MUN club and help the students with registration, preparation and procedures concerning the MUNs they are attending.

Staff

The Staff organizes the conference from a practical point of view.
They provide delegates with everything they need throughout the whole conference such as computers and paper.
They are responsible for the logistic in general.

GeMUNITY

GeMUNITY is GeMUN’s magazine.
You can find the latest news and best moments of the conference.

What is a resolution? What is a clause? What’s the difference between preambulatory and operative clauses?

It is a document made up of clauses whose aim is to resolve the issues of the committee.
You can write a resolution on any of the proposed topics of a committee.
It is divided in perambulatory and operative clauses structuring the resolution: the perambulatory clauses introduce the topic, the problems, causes and consequences of a certain issue of the committee and also discuss previous UN resolutions on the same topic.
The operative clauses contain information on what the country that is preparing the resolution is suggesting to do about the issue.
The resolution is written in the form of ONE long sentence.

How am I supposed to write a resolution?

You should research the issue on which you want to write a resolution on and you should find out your country’s views.
Then you need some ideas on what to do about that particular issue.

What is an amendment?

An amendment is used to change a resolution which is being discussed.
By sending an amendment sheet to the chairs you can strike, add or modify clauses.
Once you send the amendment you will be asked to explain it if there’s time.
After that, delegates will vote for or against it.

When should I write an amendment?

You should write an amendment whenever a resolution or clause is being discussed and you feel it should be changed.

What is a point of information?

A point of information is a question about the content of another delegate’s speech or resolution.
A point of information must not interrupt the speaker.
To ask a point of information you should raise your placard high and say: “Point of information!” You should stand up to make your point and remain standing while it is answered.
You can also make points of information to the chair regarding the debate in general or the schedule.

What is a point of order?

A point of order is used to correct a delegate or chair in the formal aspects of the debate such as the structure of the language.
A point of order may not interrupt the speaker.

What is a point of personal privilege?

A point of personal privilege is about the delegate’s well being and may be used when a delegate is speaking too softly or too quickly.
It is the only point which can interrupt the speaker.

What is a role call?

A role call is performed at the beginning of each of the three days.
The chairs call out the countries in the conference.
When you hear your country you should stand up and say “present”.

What is lobbying time?

Lobbying is the first part of MUN conferences in which delegates try to obtain the consensus of other delegates to sign their resolution or clause.
You can only sign one resolution or clause per topic (for a total of 3 signatures per delegate).
Delegates may merge their resolutions or ask for changes before signing it.
In order to pass lobbying, a resolution or clause has to be signed by a set amount of delegations.

When are computers in order?

They can be used during lobbying time to make changes or to merge resolutions.
Computers will be provided during the conference in limited amounts.

What is the approval panel?

After your resolution has received enough signatures and has been submitted to the chairs you have to go to the approval panel.
The approval panel checks for grammatical errors, while the Anti Plagiarism Board makes sure that you did not copy your work from any website.

What is the difference between open and closed debate?

In open debate delegates are free to speak in favor or against the proposed resolution.
In closed debate a set amount of speakers for and against the proposed resolution are allowed.

What kind of language should I use?

The language should be parliamentary.
You cannot refer to yourself in the first person singular and you cannot refer to other delegates in the third person.
You should use “the delegate of…” or “the chair…”.

What is note passing? When is it in order?

Note passing is a way of sending messages to other delegates or to the chair.
Delegates should bring their own note paper.
Note passing is in order throughout the whole conference except voting procedures and when ruled out of order by the chairs.

What is Veto Power and when does it apply?

Veto is the power of a delegate of one of the 5 permanent countries in the Security Council to an official action.
Veto Power applies only in the SC and can be claimed only by the 5 permanent members which are the UK, the USA, China, Russia and France.
In the Security Council voting against a clause of resolution is considered as a veto to that same resolution.

What are voting procedures and how do they work?

After debating time elapsed, the chair will announce the house into voting procedures.
You cannot abstain when voting for amendments.
Each delegate can vote only once while non member states cannot vote.
Only member nations (with the exception of Taiwan and Palestine) can vote on resolutions, clauses and amendments.
All participants can vote on motions.

What should I wear?

Everyone must wear appropriate clothes which for boys consists of a suit with a tie and for girls a formal skirt (knee length) or trousers.

What is the General Assembly?

The GA takes place on the last day of the MUN.
All delegates of Humanitarian and Social committee, Disarmament and International Security committee, the UNI level committees and the SC reunite and discuss the best resolutions of each committee.

What is ICJ?

The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, whose goal is to hear and solve international cases between two governments in conflict.
And it is the model ICJ that students, who are particularly interested in law and demonstrate to have on aptitude for it, can join together, discussing 2 real pending cases of the International Court of Justice and, through proofs’ examinations and opinion’s exchange, return a valuable verdict.

It is made up of 15 judges and 4 advocates.
In this committee legal disputes between states are set in accordance with international law.

Submitters and Co-submitters

The main submitter is the delegate presenting the resolution.
Co-Submitters are delegates signing the resolution.

Motions

A motion is a formal proposal.When a delegate makes a demand he/she makes a motion.
To be approved there mustn’t be any objection by other delegates and it must be seconded.
A motion can be overruled by the presiding officer if being made at inappropriate times.
The chair can decide to set a motion to voting procedures, and in this case requires ⅔ majority.