Chairperson script

Introductions

As Session Begins 

Chairs introduce themselves - put the delegates at ease all the while staying serious. 

‘Good morning delegates. Welcome to the first session of the Bridge of Don inter-school MUN. We will
begin this session with the roll call. Delegates are to raise their placards up high when their country’s name
is called and respond with “present and voting.'

Call out every countries name (delegates of...) in alphabetical order. If there is no answer, call the country
once more, then look at the seat and see if the delegate is there or not - roll call must be taken after every
break. 

'Any delegates which did not hear their name called please raise your placards now.'

The first task is to research your country and its position on climate change. You should return back to the
assembly room by 11.30 for the second session roll call.

Second Session (at 11.30, after research time)

Welcome to the second session of the Bridge of Don inter-school MUN. We will begin this session with the
roll call. Delegates are to raise their placards up high when their country’s name is called and respond with
“present and voting.'

Call out every countries name (delegates of...) in alphabetical order. If there is no answer, call the country
once more, then look at the seat and see if the delegate is there or not - roll call must be taken after every
break. 

Opening Speeches (for second session only) = Opportunity to introduce your country and the political
policies of your country. Also start to determine countries you want to work with during the lobbying and
merging session. You should make notes as each country speaks.

'We will now proceed with opening speeches. Delegates will be called up in groups of 2 and will have a
speaking time of 1 minute each. The Chair reminds the delegates to refrain from using personal pronouns,
use the third person instead.'

Break for lunch

We will now break for lunch. You may use this time to lobby and negotiate with each other over lunch. You
should aim to identify countries that might have a similar view on climate change as your country. The third
session roll call will be at 13.00.

Third Session (at 13.00, after lunch)

Welcome to the third session of the Bridge of Don inter-school MUN. We will begin this session with the
roll call. Delegates are to raise their placards up high when their country’s name is called and respond with
“present and voting.'

Call out every countries name (delegates of...) in alphabetical order. If there is no answer, call the country
once more, then look at the seat and see if the delegate is there or not - roll call must be taken after every
break. 
 Chairperson script

Climate Change Speeches (for third session only) = Outline your country’s view on climate change. Make
a note of any countries that have similar views to yours. You should make notes as each country speaks.

'We will now proceed with climate change speeches. Delegates will be called up in groups of 1 or 2 and will
have a speaking time of 2 minutes each. The Chair reminds the delegates to refrain from using personal
pronouns, use the third person instead.'

Delegate of Tuvalu, you now have the floor for a duration of 2 minutes.’

Each country is to give their speech about climate change. Start with Tuvalu as they set the agenda. Once
they have spoken you open the floor to questions. If a country wants to ask a question they need to hold up
their placard. You decide who gets to ask questions and the order they ask them in.

After Delegate Has Finished Speaking 

'Thank you delegate of Tuvalu. Is the delegate open to any points of information?'  (questions) 

Yes: 
'The delegate of Tuvalu has opened himself/herself to answering points of information. Due to time
constraints the delegate will only entertain 3 points of information. Are there any points of information on
the floor at this time?'

Calls upon delegates, if there are none, ask delegate of Tuvalu to yield back to the chair – their turn is over)

Repeat this for all countries.

Resolution writing

You will now be split into two groups and will go to separate rooms. There you must agree on a resolution
your country wishes to propose. This should be two or three bullet points you all agree on. Debating and
voting on the resolutions will begin with a roll call at 14.30.

Voting: Speaking in Open Debate 

Welcome to the voting on the resolutions of the Climate Change inter-school MUN. We will begin this
session with the roll call. Delegates are to raise their placards up high when their country’s name is called
and respond with “present and voting.'

Call out every countries name (delegates of...) in alphabetical order. If there is no answer, call the country
once more, then look at the seat and see if the delegate is there or not - roll call must be taken after every
break. 

Read out the first resolution suggested.

'The floor is now open. Are there any delegates wishing to speak for this resolution?

Delegates raise their placards + Chairs call one delegate at a time, note - (if possible create a  speaker’s
list). Stop at 14.40.

'Delegate of ...  you have been recognized. You now have the floor.' 

The delegates speak in the order decided by the Chair.

 Chairperson script
'Time for resolution one has elapsed, we will be moving onto resolution two.

Read out the second resolution suggested.

Are there any delegates wishing to speak for this resolution?

Delegates raise their placards + Chairs call one delegate at a time, note - (if possible create a  speaker’s
list). Stop at 14.45.

Vote 

'Time allocated for debate on the resolution as a whole has elapsed. We will now be moving directly into
voting procedures. Note passing is suspended. Securitaries/ admin staff please secure the doors, suspend
note passing, and assist in the counting of votes. All delegates voting for resolution one please raise your
placards high. Resolution two.
(The Chair may call for a roll call vote or a re-vote if the numbers do not add up) 

Announcing Results 

'The results of the vote are as follows: ... votes for resolution one ... votes for resolution two. With a vote
of ... for resolution one, and ... for resolution two, resolution one/two has been passed. Clapping is in order.'

Glossary
Chair – Also known as a moderator, this is a member of the dais that moderates debate, keeps time, rules on points
and motions and enforces the rules of procedure.

Dais - The group of people in charge of a Model UN committee, which generally consists of a Chair, a Director and a
Rapporteur.

Decorum - The order and respect for others that all delegates at a Model UN conference must exhibit. The Chair will
call for decorum when he or she feels that the committee is not being respectful of a speaker, of the dais, or of their
roles as ambassadors.

Delegate - A participant acting as a representative of a member state or observer in a Model UN committee.

Delegation - The entire group of people representing a member state or observer in all committees at a particular
Model UN conference.

Director - A member of the dais that oversees the creation of working papers and draft resolutions, acts as an expert
on the topic, makes sure delegates accurately reflect the policy of their countries and ensures that decorum is
maintained during caucuses.

Flow of debate - The order in which events proceed during a Model UN conference.

Formal debate - The "standard" type of debate at a Model UN conference, in which delegates speak for a certain
time in an order based on a speakers' list. They must also formally yield the floor to questions, the chair, or another
delegate.

Lobbying - Informal caucusing between a small group of delegates, usually outside the committee room while
debate is still in progress. One may wish to lobby another delegate for support on a resolution or policy option, but
must be used with caution.
 Chairperson script
Page - A delegate in a Model UN committee that has volunteered to pass notes from one delegate to another, or
from a delegate to the dais, for a short period of time.

Placard - A piece of card with a country's name on it that a delegate raises in the air to signal to the Chair that he or
she wishes to speak.

Point - A request raised by a delegate for information or for an action relating to that delegate. Examples include a
point of order, a point of inquiry, and a point of personal privilege.

Rapporteur - A member of the dais whose duties include keeping the speakers' list and taking the roll call.

Resolution - A document that has been passed by a UN body aiming to address a particular problem or issue. The UN
equivalent of a law.

Right of Reply - A right to speak in reply to a previous speaker's comment, invoked when a delegate feels that their
personal or national integrity has been insulted or slandered by another's speech. It is easily the most over-
attempted and misused motion in Model UN debating – delegates often fail to understand that asking for a ‘Right of
Reply’ is making a very serious accusation and must not be abused. The Director decides whether to grant the Right
of Reply and their decision is not open to appeal. If granted the Chair will normally ask the offending party if they
wish to apologise.

Roll call - The first order of business in a Model UN committee, during which the Rapporteur reads aloud the names
of each member state in the committee. When a delegate's country's name is called, he or she may respond
"present" or "present and voting." A delegate responding "present and voting" may not abstain on a substantive
vote.

Secretariat - The most senior staff of a Model UN conference.

Secretary General - The leader of a Model UN conference.

Simple majority – 50 per cent plus one of the number of delegates in a committee. The amount needed to pass most
votes.

Speakers' list - A list that determines the order in which delegates will speak. Whenever a new topic is opened for
discussion, the Chair will create a speakers' list by asking all delegates wishing to speak to raise their placards and
calling on them one at a time. During debate, a delegate may indicate that he or she wishes to be added to the
speakers' list by sending a note to the dais. Your country's name cannot be on the speakers’ list more than once at a
time.

UN (United Nations) - The international organisation created in 1945 from the legacy of World War II to promote
and protect international peace and security, co-operation, and human rights worldwide. Its legitimacy comes from
the UN Charter, with its major bodies including the Security Council, the General Assembly, and the various
committees that comprise the Economic and Social Council.

Vote - A time at which delegates indicate whether they do or do not support a proposed action for the committee.
There are two types: procedural and substantive.

Yield - In formal debate the delegate must yield his/her time at the beginning of their speech in one of three ways:

1. to the chair: once the speech is over the chair takes the floor and moves on with the speaker's list
2. to questions: delegates can ask questions to the speaker for his/her remaining time
3. to another delegate: another speaker uses up the remaining time to give a speech, but cannot yield
themselves.