Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Handbook HUMUNITED 2023
Handbook HUMUNITED 2023
Index
1. Greeting Word 2
2. HUMUNITED 4
2.1. Previous Editions and History 4
3. HUMUNITED2023 8
3.1. Program and Schedule 8
3.2. Countries 9
3.3. Councils and Topics 12
3.4. Job Descriptions 14
4. Basic Rules 16
4.1. Language 16
4.2. Politeness 16
4.3. Dress Code for Chairs and Delegates 17
4.4. Admonitions 19
6. Awards 45
7. Conference 48
7.1. How does the conference work? 48
7.2. Structure of the Debate 49
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1. Greeting Word
Dear Delegates, Chairs, Advisors and participants of HUMUNITED2023,
It is with great honor that we welcome you to the 9th edition of our HUMUNITED, as this year's
President of the General Assembly and Secretary General. After working on this event last year as
USGs, we have seen the potential MUN has to bring people together and our purpose this year was to
consolidate this goal by pushing this UN simulation to its fullest potential.
The Model United Nations (MUN) is not just an academic simulation of the United Nations in which
students defend the position of a country on current global issues, but it is also a life-changing
experience that helps students develop social abilities of paramount importance such as leadership,
communication, oral kills, critical sense, team work, cooperation, respect and empathy.
Since MUN is exceptionally formal and academic, it is common to be nervous and anxious, especially
if you are taking part as a first timer in HuMUNited. However, we guarantee that by the time you start
to actually feel the atmosphere and how this event works along with a gorgeous sense of community,
you, dear participant, will love it. That’s how it worked for us and for all the delegates, chairs and
organizers that have participated: a lot of effort followed by a boost of self-esteem. Therefore, don’t
worry, because at the end of those 3 days of discussions, socialization and good laughter during the
coffee breaks, you will be looking forward to the next MUN!
Obviously this simulation would not have been possible without the help of our Organizing Team and
advisors, Carol and Aline. Thus, we would like to thank everyone who helped organize this event, as it
wouldn’t be fair to take all the credit for ourselves! Our incredible OT has been working non stop since
day one to make the best out of this event. We have nothing but kind words and gratefulness for our
team of students and advisors.
Achievement. That is the only word we could find to properly describe HUMUNITED. It was a struggle,
a challenge, a demand, but overall it was the greatest opportunity we have ever been given. We were
able to bring together over 12 schools from different states and countries to show those students what
we are passionate about. As we worked on this event, we put our everything into it and as Buddha
once said: “Do not let the day pass in vain - achieve something great or small”. With that, we hope that
at the end of this Humunited you all feel you have new achievements too - even if they are small ones.
We wish nothing but a fruitful debate and an enjoyable experience for each and everyone of you.
Lastly, we hope this Handbook provides the necessary information you need in order to make the best
out of this event!
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2. HUMUNITED
2.1. Previous Editions and History
"We are not makers of history. We are made by history." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
| MUNSIM 2015
| HUMUNITED2016
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| HUMUNITED2017
| HUMUNITED2018
| HUMUNITED2019
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| HUMUNITED2020
| HUMUNITED2021
| HUMUNITED2022
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3. HUMUNITED2023
3.1. Program and Schedule
7.50 - 8.00 | Preparation for Council Session 9.30 - 10.00 | Coffee Break
11.30 - 12.00 | Ice breakers 14.30 - 14.40 | General Photo with Drone
Third Day
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3.2. Countries
Republic of Chile Peoples’ Republic of China Republic of Colombia Democratic Republic of the
Congo
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Democratic People’ s Republic of Islamic Republic of Pakistan Independent State of Papua New Republic of Peru
North Korea Guinea
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Russian Federation Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Federal Republic of Somalia Republic of South Africa
Republic of Korea Republic of South Sudan Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Kingdom of Spain
Republic of the Sudan Kingdom of Sweden Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic
Kingdom of Thailand Republic of Türkiye Republic of Uganda United Kingdomof Great Britain and
Northern Ireland
Ukraine Oriental Republic of Uruguay United States of America Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
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Republic of Zambia
UNITED NATIONS
SECURITY COUNCIL (UNSC)
Chairs: Heloisa Ziolkowski and Letícia Capuano
Topic: Discussing measures to improve the involvement of the Security Council in the enforcement
and maintenance of peace in 21st century armed conflict
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ECONOMIC AND
SOCIAL COUNCIL (ECOSOC)
Chairs: Mariana Ferraz de Souza and Mateo Miranda
Topic: Discussing the global labor market
HISTORICAL COUNCIL
(HC)
Chairs: Maria Luisa Lugthart and Romina Alcivar
Topic: The Cuban revolution
and the missile crisis
INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC
ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA)
Chairs: Stella Laghetto and Arthur Rhein
Topic: Improving the decommissioning
process for nuclear plants
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| Chairs
Chairs are the leading people of a council/committee, which means that they guide the discussions
and debates. The Chairs should be experienced in the field of MUN and should be able to work in
small groups and get into personal contact with the Delegates.
| Delegate
| USG
Being a USG means being part of the Organizing Team, organizing and planning all the details that
make HUMUNITED special. They will work in nine different committees/councils to watch the debate
and make sure that the ones participating are being polite and also to maintain order during the
debate between the observers and the delegates.
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| Usher
The Ushers help makes the conference work. They are responsible for the material on the first day and
for guiding participants through the school buildings, for taking and delivering notes between
Delegates, so that they can communicate, and for the order in the councils and in all the event
premises).
| Crisis Team
In a crisis situation, the delegates will put the debate on hold until the emergency is solved. The crisis
team is responsible for creating those situations. To develop the crisis situations the team will watch
the debate in nine different committees/councils and make notes to write a creative crisis that involves
as many countries as possible.
| Media Team
The Media team is responsible for writing about the discussions and debates in the council they were
given. They represent different points of view, relying on the country their newspaper comes from.
Every day they deliver articles on the HUMUNITED website that should contribute to the debate.
| Press Team
As a member of the Press, the participant is able to work in the following areas: taking photographs,
creating video clips and podcasts, managing social media sites and conducting interviews.
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4. Basic Rules
4.1. Language
The language at HUMUNITED2023 is English. Chairs, Advisors (teachers), and Directors will enforce all
the participants to use the language on all occasions (formal, informal, messages).
4.2. Politeness
To ensure that our event is a success referring to respect and politeness towards others, it is necessary
to follow the rules:
1. Always refer to Chairs and Delegates as ‘Honorable Chair’, ‘Honorable Delegate of X’.
5. While speeches are being delivered, keep quiet and pay attention. Everybody wants to speak and be
listened to.
7. All material (flags, banners, placards, tablets, badges, PCs ...) used during HUMUNITED2023 is
property of Colégio Humboldt. Anyone doing any damage will be asked to replace the damaged
object.
8. All kinds of physical harm are strictly prohibited and the participant will be asked to leave the
conference.
9. Weapons, real or imitations, are strongly prohibited at the premises where the event happens. They
will be confiscated at the entrance by Security, and it will be decided if the participant has to be
banned from the event.
10. Alcohol, drugs and tobacco are strongly prohibited at HUMUNITED2023. These products will be
confiscated by Security at the entrance. Nobody under influence of anything illicit will be allowed to
enter and will have to leave the event.
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HUMUNITED2023 is a formal event, therefore, there is a strict dress code that has to be followed by
every delegate and chairperson. When selecting your outfit, think of a serious job interview. You want
to look your best to impress the person that might be interviewing you. Your outfit and the way you
look will be the first impression people have on you, so to be taken seriously you should dress up in a
formal way and follow the Model United Nations dress code.
| Men
A tie and a formal shirt are expected. Jackets are not required, but recommended. Formal pants
should be worn with the shirt. Jeans and shorts are not appropriate or acceptable. Shoes should be
formal and appropriate for the event, sneakers and sandals are not acceptable. Subdued colours are
not a requirement, however, particularly loud or flashy colours (bright green, orange or any colours
alike) are not in order.
| Women
A nice blouse would be appropriate, cleavage should not be visible. A jacket is a good thing to make
your outfit look better. All girls should wear formal pants. If a girl wishes to wear a dress, it should be
formal. Subdued colours are not a requirement, however, particularly loud or flashy colours are not in
order.
Back: the dress may not be open below the middle of the back.
Length: dress length must be no higher than the top of the knee.
Tightness: keep the ‘pinch an inch’ principle in mind – it should be easy to gather an inch of
fabric on either side of the dress anywhere except at the waist.
The same rule applies for skirts. If ladies wish to wear them they should also be below the knees.
Formal shoes are required too. Tennis and flip-flops are not allowed. Simply put: No knees, No
cleavage, No shoulders.
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4.4. Admonitions
For a rich and fruitful conference, all participants must follow the rules (dress code, being punctual for
council sessions, avoiding “I believe...”, general politeness…), if not they will receive an admonition.
The first admonition that a delegate can get is when not meeting the deadline for the position paper.
Please note that the participants who cannot act under the rules and because of that have received
three or more admonitions are NOT going to receive a certificate.
When missing in two sessions the delegate will not be able to win the best delegate and when
missing in four sessions the delegate will not get a certificate.
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The purpose of the Opening Speech during the Opening Ceremony is to formally introduce the
country you are representing and to give a brief overview of it. Usually only one Delegate per country
(Head Delegate) holds the speech, so make sure to decide with the other Delegates from your country
who will hold it in HUMUNITED2023. Even though it might be fun to add a joke, try to keep it
diplomatic and concentrate on the image you want to present. An opening speech is usually 50
seconds to 1 minute, 30 seconds long. After three speeches the President will ask if there are any
points of information (questions). If the answer is YES, three Delegates from other countries can ask
questions about the ideas presented.
| Sample
Now, you can maybe give a general overview of what your country has already done for the
UN or introduce the topics which you and the other Delegates will be debating over.
“Fast and decisive action is clearly needed to resolve this increasingly problematic matter.
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The first thing a committee does at the start of every session is Roll Call. Each delegation is called out
by the Chairs in alphabetical order and should state their voting preference: present or present and
voting.
| Present
If the delegate declares itself as present, it will be allowed to abstain from voting procedure if the
house is not divided. Countries that are not so involved in the issue, such as secondary and neutral
countries, will typically declare themselves as only present.
Delegations declared as present and voting may not abstain from any voting procedure. This is highly
recommended for influential delegations, who carry out an important role in the debate and/or who
want to show that they hold a very firm position. Remember, they will not be able to abstain!
Opening speeches in the Council are different from the ones during the Opening Ceremony. Instead of
just giving a short overview, you will now also give a very brief introduction to the issue discussed in
your council as well as the country’s perspective regarding it. Speeches in the Committees are known
to last around 2 minutes – be careful not to say too much so you still have something to say in the
debate later on! Also: try to make your country's position as clear as possible. After three speeches the
Chair will ask if there are any points of information (questions). If the answer is YES, three Delegates
from other countries can make questions about the ideas presented or comments to show they are for
or against what they listened to. Points of information will not be allowed during the opening
speeches.
| Recommended structure:
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| Sample
Instead of the Greeting like in the Opening Ceremony, you can choose to start with a current event:
“December 26th, 2004 is a day every expert in this room will never forget. 283,000 people were
killed when a 9.1 magnitude earthquake caused one of the largest tsunamis in human history.
[Country] is affected by this issue as well as many others” [explain why, like “Global warming
made an essential river dry out].
"We are trying our best to prevent/improve the issue by ensuring good life conditions to the
refugees that come to our country”. In this part, make clear why your country may be
important to solve the issue! This may be essential especially for countries that are not
directly involved in the conflict.
“To resolve the problematic, we suggest to [give an idea for a solution, maybe think of a first
step!]”
If you notice that someone has a similar position as you in the speeches before you, you may
comment on that. “The [your country] is experiencing a similar situation to [other country] and looks
forward to collaborating to find a solution.
“The Delegate of [...] has faith that this conference will be fruitful and very productive and calls
upon all other nations to join hands in the coming days and provide practical solutions to be
implemented in the future.
Thank you, the Delegate yields the floor back to the chair.”
5.3. Documents
Documents such as Resolutions and Agendas are expected to be written during the conference.
Delegates may work on these documents outside of the sessions during the days in which the
conference will take place. Plagiarism will also not be tolerated in any MUN conference.
Any material, which is not one’s own, should be presented with proper sources to recognize who
deserves the credit.
If any pre-written or plagiarized work is submitted and there is a suspicion of its illegitimacy, the
answerable delegation may get invited to speak to the Chairs.
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Position papers represent the country's position and are documents written and sent to the chairs
before the conference. If you fail to fulfill this task, you will not be able to participate in the Best
Delegate award. Each delegate needs to write one, and they are up to one page long. Your position
paper should be divided into three main parts, which include: historical background of the situation
being discussed, your country's position on the issue and proposed solutions the country might have.
Take note of that last part because a good resolution will not only give facts, but propose solutions to
the matter at hand. For HUMUNITED2023, Position Papers are due to one week before the
conference. You can email them to your respective chairs (look for their email addresses in the
Background Guides).
| Regarding Format:
The title should be in Cambria 14 with a 1.15 line spacing, centralized and the body should be
in Calibri 12 with a 1.15 line spacing, justified. Do not forget to add your delegation’s coat of
arms.
Your country's policies with respect to the issue and your country's justification for these
policies.
Conventions and resolutions that your country has signed or ratified (but do not just name
resolutions randomly, justify your point).
How the positions of other countries affect your country's position (if that position is
extremely harmful to your country).
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Japan
Globally, the number of children out of school has fallen from 60 million in 2008 to 57 million in 2011.
However, the benefits of this progress have not reached children in conflict-affected countries, whose
amount has increased and now makes up 50% of the children who are denied an education.
UNESCO’s EFA Global Monitoring Report shows that half of the children out of school live in
conflict-affected countries, meaning education has to be brought to the 28.5 million primary school
aged children that are out of school. Japan's education system is ranked with an almost perfect score
of about 8.5, usually being in about fourth position. The share of humanitarian aid for education has
declined from 2% in 2009 to just 1.4% in 2011, receiving the smallest proportion of the amount
requested from humanitarian aid of any sector, which does not help the situation at all.
However, Japan's education is not directly affected by conflict zones, since it is currently not involved
in conflicts with that kind of consequences. In fact, it is often called “A Zone of Peace”. One of the main
policies within Japan is regarding the process of “nation-building,” in which the improvement of
healthcare and education in Post Conflict zones plays a big role. It also fully supports the ODA Policy
on Conflict and Development. Naofumi Hashimoto, Japan’s Ambassador to Iraq, and Rory
Robertshaw, Officer in Charge, have signed an agreement in support of the project “Voices of the
children of Old Mosul: the rehabilitation and management of primary schools in a historic urban
context emerging from conflict”. Japan is the 9th biggest donor within UNESCO'S contributions to
education in post conflict zones and for nearly three decades, the second-largest contributor to the
UN's finances as well as an indispensable partner in the management of the UN. Japan has granted
$12 million to help education and child survival in the Central African Republic, which will provide
access to basic education to at least 200,000 of the country’s most vulnerable children. The donation
covers a three-year period and will be spent on the education of 20,000 conflict-affected children
through the building of 260 classrooms, as well as 300 blocks of latrines in 50 communities, within
other improvements. This particular donation was made because of the diplomatic relations
established in 1960 with the CAR. The Japanese Nippon Foundation has constructed 400 school
buildings worth US$13.17 million in Shan State and Rakhine State, which have had more than 70 years
of armed strike between government forces and armed ethnic groups. Japan’s contributions are
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geared towards reaching and empowering the most vulnerable communities and reducing inequities
as a strategy to achieving the MDGs.
5.3.2. Agenda
The main goal of the first minutes of the committee session after the opening speeches is to set the
agenda. This is when delegates decide which of the topics they will discuss and which order. The
agenda must be debated on, submitted through a motion, approved by the Chairs and then be voted
on. The agenda will propose a structure that is extremely recommended to be followed so that the
debate can be organized.
The Draft Resolution is the document the Delegates in the councils write at a MUN Conference. It
contains the proposed solutions to the topics discussed and needs to be voted on. Any of the
Delegates can write a Draft Resolution, but most of them are written by a group of Delegates who
come up with ideas inside the councils. The Delegate(s) who write(s) it is(are) called Submitter(s). Each
council can have more than one draft resolution, which will be voted on, but only one resolution,
which can be a mix of all the ideas, will pass as the council's official resolution. During the writing of
the text, some amendments are made to improve it or include/remove something relevant/irrelevant.
The decision on its content is shared and decided by the whole group, when ideas and policies have
been discussed and agreed and are known by all the participants.
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1. Heading: the committee name (General Assembly, Security Council, Human Rights Council...), the
submitter(s) (the name of the countries which wrote the resolution), the signatories (the countries
present in the council and that agree with the resolution), the topic (as stated by the conference).
2. Pre-Ambulatory Clauses: state the issues the council wants to solve, why the committee is
working on it and shows previous international actions on the problem. It has the purpose of
informing the real situation to be solved. It can include the following references and always end with a
comma:
e. general background information or facts (e.g. statistics) about the topic, its significance, and
its impact.
| Sample 1
Resolution GA/3/1.1
General Assembly Third Committee
Submitters: United States, Austria and Italy Signatories: Greece, Tajikistan, Japan, Canada, Mali,
the Netherlands and Gabon
Topic: "Strengthening UN coordination of humanitarian assistance in complex emergencies"
The General Assembly,
Reminding all nations of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, which recognizes the inherent dignity, equality and inalienable rights of all
global citizens,
Reaffirming its Resolution 33/1996 of 25 July 1996, which encourages Governments to work
with UN bodies aimed at improving the coordination and effectiveness of humanitarian
assistance,
Noting with satisfaction the past efforts of various relevant UN bodies and nongovernmental
organizations,
Stressing the fact that the United Nations faces significant financial obstacles and is in need of
reform, particularly in the humanitarian realm,
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1. Encourages all relevant agencies of the United Nations to collaborate more closely with
countries at the grassroots level to enhance the carrying out of relief efforts;
2. Urges member states to comply with the goals of the UN Department of Humanitarian
Affairs to streamline efforts of humanitarian aid;
3. Requests that all nations develop rapid deployment forces to better enhance the
coordination of relief efforts of humanitarian assistance in complex emergencies;
4. Calls for the development of a United Nations Trust Fund that encourages voluntary
donations from the private transnational sector to aid in funding the implementation of rapid
deployment forces;
5. Stresses the continuing need for impartial and objective information on the political,
economic and social situations and events of all countries;
6. Calls upon states to respond quickly and generously to consolidated appeals for
humanitarian assistance; and
7. Requests the expansion of preventive actions and assurance of post-conflict assistance
through reconstruction and development.
| Sample 2
FORUM: ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) QUESTION: Promoting Ecotourism for Poverty
Eradication and Environmental Protection SUBMITTED BY: Bolivia
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, Defining ecotourism (according to TIES) as "Responsible
travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the wellbeing of local
people,” Further defining “greenwashing” as the abusive appropriation of descriptors such as
“green” or “eco-friendly” in an attempt to improve marketability, when in fact these descriptors
have not been verified by authorities, Recalling all relevant treaties regarding sustainable
tourism and development, specifically those which detail the outcomes of such endeavors, such
as the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and the outcome document of the
United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, entitled “The Future We Want”
Welcoming the continuous support of the United Nations Economic and Scientific Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), Conservation International
(CI), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in establishing ecotourism as a viable economic alternative to
poverty-stricken communities, Cognizant of the great potential for ecotourism as a means
toward eradicating poverty, improving quality of life, protecting the environment, developing
sustainably in developing countries, especially countries in the Sahel and sub-Saharan Africa
with less developed economies, Noting that that ecotourism promotes cross-cultural
understanding and awareness of environmental challenges today, Concerned with the potential
damage ecotourism can have on a community if implemented hastily, without a coordinated
plan, and unfairly, Deploring the fact that populations indigenous to an area are, in many
circumstances, removed from top-down decision-making processes and the trickle-down
economy of eco-tourism businesses,
1. Urges all States which have assessed its ecotourism potential to regard ecotourism as a
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| Pre-ambulatory Phrases:
3. Operative Clauses: state the solutions proposed by the submitters to solve the issues and should
refer to the problems mentioned in the Pre-Ambulatory Clauses. Nothing new can be stated in this
part, only something considering what has already been mentioned. They are numbered and end with
a semicolon. Give details to strengthen it.
Accepts
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Designates Notes
Resolutions should be written so as to make syntaxial sense as one single sentence with a point only
at the end, so clauses and their subclauses should have continuity.
NOTE: Generally, there are more Operative Clauses than Pre-Ambulatory ones as there might be more
solutions than problems. Both clauses have underlined phrases. The Operative Clauses can be
changed when they pass, but Pre-Ambulatory sentences cannot.
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The Working Paper is a specific part of the Draft Resolution. It is usually written by a group of countries
with the same opinions and has some solutions to a specific topic on the agenda.
The Chairs are recommended to use a Working Paper but are completely free to guide the debate
according to their preference.
Each topic of the agenda should have a different Working Paper for it, which can be voted on or not
(depends on the chair’s decision). The combination of different Working Papers together is the Draft
Resolution.
__________________________________________________________________________
Working Paper #3
Considering the right of national sovereignty assured by the United Nations to each country including
Venezuela;
Concerned with the current political situation of Venezuela and the Venezuelan people;
Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of
Venezuela, and to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,
Noting with regret that nations are aggravating the situation in Venezuela by segregating the
population
1. Urges the dialogue between the opposition and the Venezuelan government, without any external
interference, in order to:
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a. Recognize the Constituent National Assembly instituted by the current government as the
rightful replacement to the National Assembly and official constitutional and parliamentary
organ of the Venezuelan Government
3. Encourages reforms within the Venezuelan government to revise the concepts of Freedom of Press
and diversification within the economy
a. Support changes to allow any opposition parties to occupy at least 20% of the Constituent
National Assembly;
i. Corruption
b. Current prisoners who haven’t been charged under these conditions will be:
2. Indemnified
6. Activists that do not represent any danger to the current government’s democratic government;
7. Emphasizes that the Venezuelan government should start investigations on Nicolás Maduro to verify:
8. Designates the institution of a new Minister of Economy, from the opposition, to:
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5.3.5. Amendments
When a draft resolution passes, we can change it by making some amendments: a written statement
that adds, deletes, or changes an operative clause, so that consensus is strengthened.
| Friendly amendment: There is a friendly amendment when all submitters agree with it, sign it and
it is approved by the committee chair.
| Unfriendly amendment: The situation in which some or all submitters do not support your
amendment. It has to be voted by the committee.
The submitters of the amendments need to have a determined number of signatories to introduce
them. Before voting on the draft resolution, the committees have to vote on the unfriendly
amendments.
Adds an operative clause that reads “12. Emphasizes that all the countries that...” Deletes
operative clause 7. Changes operative clause 2 to read “2. Considers the participants have
to...”
http://www.unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un/how-to-participate/model-un-preparati
on/resolutions/sample-resolution#sthash.5FpIv t3p.dpuf
| Voting Procedures:
Voting procedures are an essential part of diplomacy, as they officially determine what the majority
deems more appropriate.
1. Each delegation will have one vote, which may be a “In Favor”, “Against” or “Abstain”.
2. After the Chair has announced the beginning of the voting procedure, no delegate will be
allowed to interrupt it, except for a point of personal privilege or a point of order connected to
the actual conduct of the voting.
3. A simple majority requires more “In Favor” votes than “Against” votes; abstentions are not
counted toward either total.
4. A two-thirds or a qualified majority vote requires at least twice as many “In Favor” votes as
“Against” votes.
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| Voting on motions
If a delegate objects to a motion from another delegate, Chairs may either initiate voting on the matter
or call for a motion to move into voting procedures. In that case, all Member States present in the
council will vote upon the motion. Each one has equal voting rights, and the decision is taken through
a simple majority. No abstentions or vetoes are allowed.
| Voting on Amendments
After a resolution goes into time against, delegates may start to draft amendments. Each amendment
is voted upon individually and can pass as either friendly or unfriendly. If one of the resolution’s
main-submitters motions to pass it as a friendly amendment and the others agree, it passes as a
friendly amendment without the need for voting procedures. If there is no such motion, the committee
shall vote on the amendment, which is called an unfriendly amendment. It requires a qualified
majority to pass. If it passes, it is added to the resolution; if not, it is disregarded.
Draft resolutions or directives that have been prepared by any Member State and that follow the
correct parameters can be discussed and later voted upon. After a draft resolution or a directive has
been approved by the Chairs, discussed and amended, any delegate can motion to vote on it. The
default order in which resolutions are voted on is the order in which they were introduced, although
that can be altered by a motion. Each State has equal voting rights, and a resolution needs a simple
majority (50%) to pass. By adopting a resolution, the committee has agreed by a majority vote that the
resolution is the best possible solution to the current problem. Discussion of the second topic area
begins once a resolution on the first topic has been passed or the committee has moved to close
debate on the topic after a proposed resolution has failed. Regardless of whether it passed or not,
voted resolutions should be disregarded and not mentioned in further discussions.
| Abstain
When debate time elapses, Delegates are to vote on the resolution or an amendment. Delegates who
wish to abstain are those who do not support the resolution or clause and also do not oppose it.
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| Adjourn
When the debate session adjourns, it means that session time has ended. The chair announces to
Delegates that the committee will be adjourned, either for a break, lunch or for the day.
"Delegates, the committee is adjourned for lunch. Please be back at 1:45 for us to begin debate on
another resolution."
| Amendment
| Amendment
| Bloc
A bloc is a group of member states who share similar views, or are of the same culture / political policy
/ language / trade group / geographical region etc. “The European Union is a trade, economic and
regional bloc for European nations, likewise ASEAN is one for Southeast Asian Nations and the Arab
League is one that was formed for Arab States. Some UN Blocs are the regional Blocs for countries.”
| Crisis
In the case of a major development in relation to the topic of the debate, the priorly discussed subject
by the delegates will be put on hold and they will move on to discuss this development. These are the
so-called crisis situations. This is a very important moment for the council, as it will deeply affect
alliances and future decisions. Moreover, the delegates will be evaluated by the Chairs on their
capability of reacting to unpredictable events.
The delegates should produce a Crisis Resolution in response to a crisis, which contains the
conclusion of the council.
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| Draft Resolution
A Draft Resolution is a document that tries to solve a situation. It is written (drafted) by Delegates
together during the lobbying stage, and is then debated by the committee. If it passes in the
committee, the draft resolution becomes a resolution as it has been amended and approved by the
committee.
"Japan and Germany wrote a draft resolution on the DPR Korea issue."
| Floor
The Floor is a metaphorical area, which Delegates can obtain to be able to speak on a resolution or
clause.
"Delegate, you may have the floor and speak on the resolution."
A note is a piece of official delegation paper that Delegates can send around the committee. Between
Delegates, they pertain to the debate and try to get each others’ opinions or to get to generally talk to
Delegates. However, if the house gets rowdy, they have the right to suspend note passing.
| Placard
A placard is the sign paper the Delegates hold up to be recognized by the chair to speak or to make a
point of information. Every Delegate has their own placard with the delegation written on it.
| Point
A Point is a question raised by the Delegate pertaining to the resolution or to the committee. They can
be raised to the chair or to Delegates who have the floor. To learn of the various points, please refer to
the page.
"The Delegate wanted to make a point of information to the Delegate of Japan, but was unable to due
to time."
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| Position
During debate, Delegates have a position. Their position is their standing on a resolution or a clause,
which reflects their delegation’s views.
| Resolution
Resolutions are documents written by Delegates, which aim at solving a specific situation.
| Right of Reply
The Right of Reply is when Delegates may reply to a speaker’s comment. It is requested by a Delegate
to the chairs when a Delegate has been insulted, or was mentioned on a Delegate’s speech and wishes
to answer the Delegate back on what they said about them.
"The Delegate of DPR Korea stated how Japan was a Terrorist Island wishing to demolish DPR Korea.
The Delegate of Japan requested the Right of Reply to explain to DPR Korea and the house that they
aren’t a Terrorist Island, but want stabilized international peace and cooperation."
| Roll Call
The Roll Call is done at the start of the day and after breaks. It’s like the register at school, where the
chairs check if Delegates are present and if the debate may begin.
| Second
A Second is something called out by a Delegate who agrees with a motion. If a Delegate does not
agree, they call out “Objection!”. If a chair sees that a motion is in order, they will ask if there are any
Delegates who second the motion, and, if there are, the motion would be entertained.
"Motion to Move into voting procedures! Are there any Delegates wishing to second that motion?"
"Objection!"
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| Speaker’s List
The Speaker’s List is held by the chair and determines which Delegates will speak. It also serves as an
account of how many times each Delegate has spoken.
Request for Follow up? (to the chair) = Can I ask another question?
| Caucus
It is the moment given for the delegates to meet their supporters, members of a specific political party,
bloc or movement.
| Moderated Caucus
A debate format that allows delegates to make short comments on a specific sub-issue. Typically,
delegates who are interested in speaking will raise up their placards and the Chairs will call on
delegates to speak one at a time. In order to move into a moderated caucus, the motion must include
the overall speaking time, the time per speaker, and the sub-issue to be discussed.
"Germany moves for a 8 minute moderated caucus with 30 second speaking time per delegate for the
purpose of discussing solutions to women’s rights."
| Unmoderated Caucus
A debate format in which delegates can leave their seats to go and talk to others freely and informally.
In order to move into an unmoderated caucus, the motion must include the overall caucus time and
preferably the purpose.
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"Israel moves for an unmoderated caucus for 8 minutes to complete draft resolutions."
The semi moderated caucus is a mixture of the moderated and unmoderated caucus, where delegates
can speak freely but do not leave their places. The motion must include the caucus time and the
subject to be discussed.
“The delegation of Nigeria moves for a 7 minutes semi moderated caucus to discuss the next topic on
the agenda.”
| Motions
Motions are requests or inquiries presented by the Delegates to the Chairs, which must be voted on
and passed by the entirety of the committee. Motions are employed to suspend the meeting,
proceeding to Working Paper voting, or dynamizing the course of the debate. If the chairs raise a
motion, it passes without voting.
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raised in order to change the speech time. This motion must first be evaluated by the Chairs,
who will decide whether to entertain it or not considering time constraints. It will then need a
simple majority to pass.
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| Point
A Point is a question raised by the Delegate pertaining to the resolution or the committee. They can be
raised to the chair or to Delegates who have the floor. To learn of the various points, please refer to the
page.
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"The Delegate wanted to make a point of information to the Delegate of Japan, but was unable to due
to time."
Point of Inquiry
Used when a delegate has a question about the procedure in committee or council.
"Point of Inquiry! Have we already done the last moderated caucus of the day?”
Point of Clarification:
During the discussion of any matter, a delegate may rise to a point of clarification to clarify
what was stated incorrectly or ambiguously previously. This point must be based upon hard
facts, and not opinions.
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| Right of Reply
The Right of Reply is when Delegates may reply to a speaker’s comment. It is requested by a Delegate
to the chairs when a Delegate has been insulted, or was mentioned on a Delegate’s speech and wishes
to answer the Delegate back on what they said about them.
"The Delegate of DPR Korea stated how Japan was a Terrorist Island wishing to demolish DPR Korea.
The Delegate of Japan requested the Right of Reply to explain to DPR Korea and the house that they
aren’t a Terrorist Island, but want stabilized international peace and cooperation."
Request for Follow up? (to the chair) = Can I ask another question?
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6. Awards
In any committee, there are some delegates who stand out thanks to their debating, leadership and
writing skills. To encourage participants to do their best, the delegates with the best performance will
be given awards, which will be announced at the Closing Ceremony. It is never easy to determine who
deserves them, as there are always many impressive delegates participating. An arranged set of
criteria will be used by the Chairs and Secretariat to choose these awards. But remember, the point of
working hard, researching well and honing your debate skills for the big day is not to receive an award,
but to improve the overall experience and provide everyone with a fun time.
| Best delegate
The best delegate award is given as recognition to the delegate who showed the best performance in
their council during the conference, according to the following criteria:
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5. Quality of speech
The best delegate award is not always given to the delegate who spoke the most if the content
of their speeches has no quality. The accuracy and credibility of the information they present
is also taken into consideration. The Chairs also judge a delegate’s oratory (their public
speaking skills) and rhetoric (their ability to use language in an effective and persuasive way).
6. Quality of writing
If a delegate hasn’t submitted a Position Paper, they will not be considered for the best
delegate award. This document may also be taken into consideration when choosing the
award, as it shows within how much depth the delegate has researched about the topic.
Additionally, the delegate’s contributions in writing resolutions will be evaluated in quantity,
quality and coherence.
| Honorable Mention
Two honorable mention awards are also given as recognition to delegates who presented an
outstanding performance. These are members of the committee who meet many of the same criteria
as the best delegate, but in a general evaluation haven’t reached the same level of quality. An example
of an eligible receiver would be a delegate lacking a position paper, yet showing outstanding
performance in the debates.
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The best position paper award is given as recognition to the delegates who wrote the best position
paper of the whole conference. The Chairs of each council will provide the best position paper from
each committee, and the conference-wide foremost text will be selected by the Secretary-General and
Deputy Secretary-General between those.
The best opening speech award is given to the Head delegate who delivers the most convincing and
appropriate speech at the Opening Ceremony. The Chairs, the Secretary-General and the President of
the General Assembly will select this speech according to content, performance, language and
pronunciation.
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7. Conference
7.1. How does the conference work?
| Devices
During the conference, you may use your laptop, mobile, tablets to research the topic and get in touch
with other delegates. It is helpful to bring them, but remember that they are going to be under the
owner's responsibility.
| Opening Ceremony
This official opening of the conference will be performed by the President of the General Assembly
and the Secretary General to welcome all the delegations and Chairs. The most important part of the
Opening Ceremony is the Opening Speech of each country or organization, which will be delivered by
one representative of each delegation. After three speeches have been delivered, you may make a
Point of Information. Therefore, you have to raise your country's placard and wait for the President of
the General Assembly to recognize you.
Your first task in your committees will be the lobbying. During the lobbying process, it is your aim to
find delegations who agree with your resolution or at least with certain clauses. These delegations are
the so called co-submitters. Therefore, you have to present your resolution to the Delegates and try to
convince them of your ideas. It is also a possibility for you to reject your own resolution and to become
a co-submitter. Still, you can criticize other resolutions and demand for certain points to be changed.
This is the process of merging. When the lobbying and merging process are finished, the final
resolution has to be checked and read over by the Approval Panel.
The Chair will ask the forum to raise their placards in the following four possibilities of vote:
Aye: You approve the document and wish it to pass the forum
Nay: You vote in opposition to the document and wish for it to fail
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Pass (only during roll call): You need more time to decide
The voting procedure will only happen for motions and following the Roll Call order.
| General Conduct
All Delegates can participate in the debate with points and motions. During debate there are rules to
be followed. First of all, always be polite and do not offend other Delegates for not sharing your
opinion. To speak you need the Right to have the Floor, or an appropriate point or motion. Otherwise,
be calm and do not disrupt other Delegates. When you say something, stand up and remain standing
while people respond to you. And most important is that you do not argue with your Chair, President
or Secretary. His or her decision is final and incontestable.
2. Roll Call: the Chair does the roll call to check if all Delegates are present. They must answer
‘Present and Voting’ or ‘Present’, when the delegate says "present and voting", the delegate
cannot abstain from any kind of voting procedure. It happens every time a session begins.
3. Official Introduction: the Chairs explain briefly the rules and the topic of the Debate.
4. Opening speeches
5. Agenda
6. Formal Session I: The Debate officially starts and each Delegation presents its point about
the topic. The discussion begins.
7. Informal Session I (Merging): delegates try to find similar views and interests between other
Delegates and form Blocs.
8. Formal Session II: discussion on the cause and solution of the problem with new allies.
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Being emotionally and psychologically prepared for such an intense MUN experience will make a
difference in the committee, especially for first timers.
Firstly, the delegate must be sure and confident about their arguments, so they can be more relaxed
knowing that what they are saying is accurate. However, as everyone participating is human, delegates
are bound to feel nervous or unsure. This type of situation happens even with experienced delegates
and usually starts diminishing once the delegate starts raising their placards and speaking.
Delegates can search for personal ways to avoid nervousness or anxiety during the committee session.
In any extreme cases, there should be no hesitation in talking to the Chairs about the situation. Chairs
will look to be comprehensible and helpful, and there is no reason for being afraid.
| Recommended Sources:
Official UN sources:
4. UN Global Issues
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What is the topic? How does the problem/ issue affect the
_______________________________________ country?
Which committee/ forum of the UN is especially _______________________________________
concerned with the topic? Has the country dealt with similar problems /
Security Council ( ) issues in the past? When and Why?
Disarmament Committee ( ) _______________________________________
Economic and Social Committee ( ) Does the problem/ issue affect allies or
Environmental Committee ( ) countries that have special relations with the
Human Rights Committee ( ) country?
Political Committee ( ) _______________________________________
Special Conference ( ) Is the country causer or sufferer of the problem/
Other ___________________________ issue?
Since when does the problem/ issue exist? _______________________________________
_______________________________________ Are there other NGOs/ IGOs, except the UN or
Does the problem/ issue affect a certain region one of its subsidiary organizations who deal with
or is it global? the problem/ issue?
_______________________________________ _______________________________________
Is the country a member of these NGOs/ IGOs?
_______________________________________
United Nations Are there any solutions already recommended to
the cause of the problem/ issue?
Since when does the United Nations deal with _______________________________________
the problem / issue? Are there any treaties which fixed these solutions
______________________________________ as a plan of action?
Did the United Nations recognize and/or act _______________________________________
about the problem / issue in an official Did the country ratify or not ratify the treaty?
resolution? _______________________________________
_____________________________________ Does the country act according to the treaty?
Who were major supporters of the Resolution? _______________________________________
______________________________________
Who were major opponents of the Resolution?
______________________________________
So, these are some examples, but feel free to visit the official page http://bestdelegate.com/ and have
a great experience with our Humunited.
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History
So, these are some examples, but feel free to visit the official page http://bestdelegate.com/ and have
a great experience with our Humunited.
@HUMUNITED2023
55
Coordinators
Handbook Editors
Get in touch!
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@HUMUNITED2023