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Tips for delegates

General Rules

  • Roll Call will be taken everyday, Absent countries will be noted on a list. Delegates who were absent in more than two sessions will not be able to receive their certificates. If you enter a committee late due to issues you would like to address, do so with a private note to your Chairs.

  • Committee Sessions and Debates:

    • Open Debate: main debate mode

    • Closed debate: for the discussion on amendments. 

    • Debate time will be announced by the chairs after reading out the resolution.

    • Eating during the debate is not allowed, however drinking water, coffee and tea is.

    • Participate and don’t get distracted (texting, using social media etc is not allowed)

    • During voting, the delegates can choose to vote as: For, Against or Abstaining.

  • You must yield the floor after each time you deliver your speech.

  • Plenary Session:

    • The committees that will be joining the Plenary Session are Development Committees.

    • One successful resolution chosen by the committee’s chairs will be debated from each committee. All delegates are allowed to join when debating upon a certain committee’s resolution regardless of which committee they are from.

    • Only the ambassadors should be raising their hand to vote during this time. Discord will be used where delegates can reach out to their whole delegation easily and determine how they would like to vote. If the ambassador is missing or in one of the Special Committees, then delegates in the Plenary Session should assign the voting role to one delegate among themselves.

    • During Plenary Sessions, Special Committees will continue normal committee sessions in their breakout rooms.

 

Most Relevant Definitions 

  • Resolution is a document that contains all the issues that the committee wants to solve and the proposed solutions to them. The goal of a committee is to pass a resolution.

  • Clause is a written instruction detailing the practical policy that the delegate wants to be implemented if their resolution passes.

  • Amendment is a written change made to an operative clause of a resolution. Amendments can change existing clauses, add new ones or delete sub clauses and clauses.

  • Lobbying is the time when delegates interact with each other to gather support for their resolution or amendment.

  • Motion is an action made by delegates to direct debate in a certain direction. 

  • Decorum is order in the committee. The chair may call decorum if delegates are loud or disrespectful.


 

Motions Used Most Frequently

  • Motion to Extend Debate Time: At the Chair’s discretion, may be overruled by the Chair

  • Motion to move the previous question (formerly “motion to move directly into voting procedures”)

    • When in time in favour, move to time against

    • When in time against, move to voting procedure

  • Motion to Divide the House

    • The motion may be called if there are enough abstentions during the voting which, if forced to vote in favour could topple the result of the voting

    • Chairs individually ask every delegate for their vote

    • Abstentions are not in order when the House is divided, meaning that if this motion is entertained, all delegates can only vote either for or against

  • Motion to Vote by Roll Call

    • Chairs individually ask every delegate for their vote

    • Abstentions are in order

  • Motion to Follow Up: Will not be granted at our conference due to time constraints.

 

Points in MEFHIGHMUN

Point of Information to the Speaker - A question directed to the speaker -  Raise your placard

Point of Information to the Chair - A question raised referring mostly to facts and the agenda - Cannot interrupt the speaker - A message to the Chair 

Point of Parliamentary Inquiry - A question about the rules of procedure - Cannot interrupt the speaker - A message to the Chair

Point of Order - A question on the ruling of the Chair - Cannot interrupt the speaker - Raise your placard and state

Point of Personal Privilege  - A question regarding a personal matter - Can only interrupt the speaker if it’s due to audibility - Raise your placard and state

Do’s and Don’ts 

Do’s

  • Do stay true to the position of the country you are representing even if you are presenting opinions that you do not personally agree with.

  • Do find ways to work with other delegates during lobbying time in order to reach compromises. 

  • Do actively participate in debates and speak up.

  • Do use points and motions.

  • Do research your country and your issue.

  • Do be courteous to others, and tolerant of different opinions. 

  • Do follow the dress code.

  • Do listen to your chairs.

 

Don’ts

  • Don’t break the rules and regulations of the conference as a whole and of your personal committee in particular. 

  • Don’t leave your microphone on after you have finished talking.

  • Don’t do something else while the conference is in progress (e.g. don’t text)

 

Opening and Closing Ceremonies

  • Opening Ceremony:

    • Opening Speech of the Secretary-General

    • A Word from the UN on Our Theme: Alliances and rivalries in varying centers of a post-colonial world.

    • Ambassador Speeches

  • Closing Ceremony:

    • Closing Speech of the Secretary-General

    • Closing Video

    • Student Officer’s Speech and Information on Awards

 

Ambassador Speeches During Opening Ceremony

  • Should be a short summary of the country’s stance on the theme in general

  • May include specific examples from some agenda items that will be entertained in our conference.

  • Duration: 30 seconds to 1 minute long 

 

Lobbying 

  • Lobbying is where delegates will get together and write their resolutions. 

  • Every Student Officer is expected to guide delegates while lobbying (especially on their agenda item). 

  • Lobbying should take approximately 3-4 sessions (3-4 hours) on Saturday.

 

Dress code 

It is important for the delegates to look professional and serious as they are representing a country and discussing important issues. Therefore the dress code for this MUN conference is strictly formal.

Acceptable items include:

  • Shirts

  • Ties

  • Blouses

  • Suits

Examples of items that are not permitted:

  • T-shirts

  • Hoodies

  • Crop-tops

  • Sweaters

Proper Language 

  • English should be the official and working language of all committees during formal and informal debate

  • Use parliamentary and formal language, abstaining from the use of slang words and swear words 

  • When speaking address the committee as “The House”

  • When speaking on behalf of your delegations, refrain from using singular pronouns (I, mine, etc.), instead refer to yourself as “the delegate of [name of country]”.

  • Similarly, when speaking about other delegates, do not use personal pronouns (he, she, etc.), referring to them as “the delegate of [name of country]”

  • Address the executive board members as “Mr/Madam [title of role]”. For example, address the chair as “Mr Chairman”

Resolutions 

  • Research Reports of the Student Officers are there to guide you and should be a key element to your research upon whichever agenda item you choose to write your resolution on. 

  • Co-submitter number: minimum 5

  • All delegations are allowed to be a main-submitter or co-submitter

  • The Chairs are allowed to change the main submitter

  • Funding: May be discussed and included, however, please refrain from specifying amounts or the financial sources.

  • Main submitters should send the final resolution to one of the chairs, and chairs should create a copy of the resolution, check it for formatting and share it to mefhighmun@mefhighmun.com for the approval panel to check.

  • Minimum of 4 Pre-Ambulatory and 6 Operative Clauses are required, more is advised.

 

Encouragement for Debate and Resolution Writing

Dear delegates, 

Thank you for taking part in this MUN conference. We are happy that you are here and we hope that apart from simply attending the committee sessions, you will be an active participant in them. Whether it is writing resolutions, lobbying or debating, we hope that you will bring your best to the table. Don’t be afraid to speak up and don’t be scared to make mistakes. Even if this is your first MUN conference, be active. Debate freely and be passionate. Don’t look at this as a nerve-wracking experience, look at it as an opportunity to debate interesting and important issues, to learn, and to have fun.

 

We hope that you will work hard, be present and that you will enjoy this conference!

Sincerely, 

Your Executive Board

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