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.

• What is lobbying?

• Lobbying takes place on the first day of a conference following THIMUN procedure, length varying depending on conference. Lobbying shortly commences after the opening speeches. During lobbying, the delegates are split up into groups dictated by the committee topics. The groups are split up on the basis of their country’s/organizations involvement in the issue, as well as the topic the delegate has researched the most. Delegates can switch to other groups during the lobbying session as they see fit. These lobbying events help establish groups which then draft a resolution that will be debated during the conference.

• What is a resolution?

• The resolution is the focal point of the MUN experience. The resolution is essentially a document in which contains all the issues a certain committee would like to introduce and methods to resolve said issues. In THIMUN, the resolution requires a very specific format in which it has to be completed, thus the resolution must have: operative and preambulatory clauses (these being the clauses used to introduce and or propositions to resolve said issues) and a main/co-submitter. After the draft resolution has been completed, the chair board will look over the draft and make any necessary changes to the resolution.

• Preambulatory Clauses:

• These are clauses which cite past resolutions, presidents and statements; they are essentially historic justifications for action. When they are written, they must always be Italic. An example of preambulatory clauses would be:

• Contemplates the complications of...

• Fully aware of the degree of the situation... 

• Keeping in mind the culture of...

• Operative Clauses:

• These are clauses, to the degree of judgment, order, or resolution, which requires anything to be done or not to be done. They must always be underlined and examples of an operative clause would be:

• Noting the past efforts of.... 

• Requests that a…

• Authorizes the implementation of...

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

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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

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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.

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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: "AI for Inclusive Growth: Navigating Opportunities, Equity, and Ethical Challenges in the Digital Era"

  • Ambassador Speeches

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• 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:

• Trouser suits

• Shirts

• Ties

• Skirt suits

• Blouses

• Knee-length dresses

Examples of items that are not permitted:

•  Leather trousers

• Jeans

• Leggings

• Jumpers

• T-shirts

• Tracksuits

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”

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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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 Dictionary 

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1. Delegate is a participant who represents a country in one MUN committee.

2. Ambassador is the head of a delegation.

3. Committees. There will be 5 committees in this conference: UNHRC, UNESCO, UNEP,
   ECOSOC, WHA, ICJ. In each committee delegates will represent their countries' policies
   and negotiate resolutions to benefit their country and the world.

4. Chairs are heads of a committee. They facilitate debates according to the Rules of
   Procedure (RoP).

5. Rules of Procedure (RoP) are the rules which dictate how to run a Model United
   Nations committee.

6. Out of Order is a term that describes actions that are not allowed according to the
   Rules of Procedure.

7. Point of Inquiry is a question from a delegate to the chair about the Rules of Procedure
   (RoP) or anything else they don’t understand in the committee.

8. Point of Information is a question that one delegate asks of another delegate after a
   delegate completes a speech.

9. Follow-Ups is a request to ask a second question after having already asked one as a
   point of information. Follow-Ups are out of order at our conference.

10.  Point of Personal Privilege is a point that can be called for when a delegate feels impeded by something outside of the debate. Examples include going to the bathroom, room temperature or inability to hear another speaker.

11. Point of Order is a point that can be called by a delegate on another delegate, or on the chair, if the Rules of Procedure are not being followed.

12. Right of Reply is a point made when a delegate thinks that their country was insulted during another delegate’s speech. If approved by the chair, the insulted delegate gets a certain amount of time to respond to the insult. There is no Right of Reply to a Right of Reply.

13. Motion is an action made by delegates to direct debate in a certain direction. Motions can ask chairs to change the order of the things discussed, to call speakers for or against the resolution out of turn, or to force delegates not to abstain from voting. Motions may not interrupt the speaker.

14. Second is an action of another delegate agreeing with the motion. Most motions require a second to be voted on by the entire committee.

15. Objection: if a motion gets a second, the chairs ask whether there are any objections. If at least one delegate objects, the motion proceeds to a vote by the entire committee. If there are no objections, the motion passes automatically.

16. Yield is the action of a speaker if they decide to give up the remaining time in their speech.

17. Yield to the Chair - the delegate gives up the rest of their time, meaning they give the floor back to the chair (yield the floor to the chair)

18. Yield to another delegate - the delegate gives up the rest of their time to another delegate

19. Decorum is ordered by committee. The chair may call decorum if delegates are loud or disrespectful.

20. Blocs are groups of delegates who agree on certain principles and will work together to write draft resolutions.

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

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

23. Working Paper is the first set of ideas compiled by the different blocs.

24. Draft Resolution is the final version of a working paper. In draft resolutions the blocs’ combined policy ideas are properly formatted and approved by the chair for both
    content and format.

25. Resolution is a document that contains all the issues that the committee wants to solve and the proposed solutions. After a draft resolution is successfully passed during the voting bloc it can be called a resolution. The goal of a committee is to pass a resolution.

26. Submitters are the delegates who contributed the most to the draft resolution.

27. Co-submitters are the delegates who support a draft resolution or want to see it
    Discussed.

28. Preambulatory clauses are the statements in the first section of the draft resolution
    which describe the issues that the committee wants to solve and previous measures
    taken to combat the problem.

29. Operative clauses are the statements in the second section of the draft resolution which outline the specific solutions the sponsors wish to implement.

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

31. Merging is a process when two or more draft resolutions are combined.

32. Close Debate is a motion for the committee to end debate and move into voting procedure. If this passes, the speaker’s list is closed and the only motions allowed are those that pertain to the voting procedure.

33. Voting Procedure (Voting Bloc) is the period at the end of a committee session when delegates vote on amendments followed by draft resolutions.