Islamic Educational College

(American Program)

IEC-AP MUN 6th Conference

2021-2022

MUN Glossary & MUN Position Paper

When we start doing Model United Nations we learn many terms that might seem confusing. Many of
the words and phrases we use in MUN are definitely not something you will hear in use in day-to-day
conversation. The MUN terms are far from impossible to learn and with time can flow quite naturally
once you know what the MUN terms mean and where each term is used.

The following Model United Nations glossary & MUN position paper will give you the basic Model United
Nations vocabulary to learn the terms that you need to know going into an MUN committee and how to
write an MUN position paper .

Table of Contents

1. Basic MUN Terms

2. Conference Terms

3. Points & Inquiries

4. Start of Session

5. Debate

6. Resolution Writing

7. Voting

8. Security Council Terms

9. Crisis Terms

10. MUN Abbreviations

11. MUN Acronyms

12. MUN Terms Not To Use

13. How to Write an MUN Position Paper

14. Preparing to be a delegate

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1. Basic MUN Terms

Delegate: A delegate is an individual representative of a country in a MUN committee. The number of

delegates in each committee can vary from under 10 to over 400. The delegate’s objective is to
introduce policy suggestions in a written document, called a draft resolution, and try to get it passed
with a majority of votes of their fellow delegates in the committee. A delegate moves their policy ideas
forward through speeches, lobbying, negotiation, and writing with the intention of influencing the
outcome of the committee session in their favor.

Double delegate: When two delegates represent the same country together.

Delegation: A group of delegates who travel to a MUN conference together. They are usually from the
same Model UN club/institution.

Head Delegate: The student head of a delegation. This is sometimes also the head of the Model UN club
but not strictly limited to.

Delegate Pack: A bundle of items provided by the conference. These usually include a handbook, maps
of the venue, paper, pens, and other goodies.

Delegate Handbook: A booklet which usually includes welcome letter from the Secretary-General, a list
of topics and chairs, a list of the committee rooms, the schedule, a map of the venue, city information
and emergency help numbers.

Placard: The cardboard or paper sign with the country name written on it. Placards are used to identify
presence, vote, and signal to the chair.

Chair: Facilitate debate according to the Rules of Procedure. They are seated in the front of the
committee room and can call on delegates to speak, time speeches, open the floor to motions and
facilitate votes on motions offered by the delegates. At the end of the conference, they choose the
delegates to receive diplomacy awards. They also often give feedback to the delegates.

Director: Another name for the chair.

Dias: The collective name of the chairs or the group of people leading the committee

Out of Order: Actions that are not allowed according to the Rules of Procedure.

Gavel: A small wooden hammer which the chair uses to keep order.

Position Paper: A summary of how a country sees the issue being discussed, their connection, and their
policy proposals. Position Papers should be submitted to the chairs before the conference.

Study Guide: A Background Guide with information about the topics to be discussed at a MUN
conference.

Rules of Procedure (RoP): The rules which dictate how to run a Model United Nations committee.

Decorum: A call to order. The chair will call for decorum if delegates get too loud or disrespectful. When
the chair called “Decorum delegates” it is best to be quiet and go back to your seat.

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Motion: How you ask for something in MUN in the official request form. You can motion for many
different actions to guide the debate forward in a specific way. Some examples of motions are motions
for different types of caucuses (discussion), to move to vote or end the committee session altogether.

Second: A second delegate agreeing with a motion that has been proposed. Most motions require a
second to be voted on by the entire committee. If there are no seconds a motion automatically fails.

Objection: After a motion gets a second, the Dias asks if there are objections. At least one delegate
needs to object for the motion to proceed to a vote by the entire committee. If there is no objection the
motion automatically passes.

Simple Majority: A vote that requires at least one over 50% of the vote to pass. Most procedural votes
require a simple majority.

On the Floor: When a motion, working paper, or draft resolution is open to discussion and voting. (The
term floor is a legislative term meaning the part of a legislative hall where debate and other business is
conducted.)

Blocs: Groups of delegates who agree on certain principles. These blocs will work together to write draft
resolutions, which they later introduce and vote on. Blocs can be formed based on any common
interest. Some blocs are formed around regional, cultural, or ideological interests but there are many
more. Choosing who is in your bloc should be done on a case-by-case basis depending on the topic.

Flow: The notetaking, or shorthand, MUNers use to keep track of all the ideas, policies and arguments
said in other delegate’s speeches. Flow can be taken on paper or computer. Flow is used by both chairs
and delegates.

“Honorable Chair, Distinguished Delegates”: This is how MUN speeches usually start. While it is
customary to start a speech with these words it is not the end of the world if you don’t say them.

2. Conference Terms

MUN Conference: A Model United Nations conference is where delegates from different institutions
and clubs come together to participate in MUN. Conferences can be run by university students, high
school students, teachers, or third-party providers. Conferences range from a handful of participants to
thousands. MUN conferences can be aimed at national or international audiences. MUN conferences
can be for beginners, expert MUNers, or have committees of all levels.

Secretariat: The team who organize Model United Nations conference.

Secretary-General: The head of the Secretariat. The role usually involved the recruitment and
management of the other secretariat roles.

Director-General: A role usually of equal rank to the Secretary-General. Director General is a fluid title
and can be in charge of the logistics or academics of a conference.

Under-Secretary-General: The heads of each department at a MUN conference. Under Secretary

Generals have roles that include, but are not limited to, Chairing and Academics, Logistics, Delegate
Services, Marketing, Fundraising, Finance, Socials, Media Management, Press, Guest Speakers.

Page: A volunteer who has the role of passing notes between the delegates.

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Admin: A volunteer who functions as a page and also helps with other tasks around the committee.

3. Points & Inquiries

Point of Parliamentary Inquiry: Also called a ‘Point of Inquiry’. A question from a delegate to the chair
about the Rules of Procedure (RoP) or anything else they don’t understand in the committee.

Point of Information: When a delegate asks a question of another delegate. These usually take place
after a delegate completes a speech on the Speaker’s List. Some conferences do not have Points of
Information. Consult each conference rules to understand how exactly they work.

Follow-Ups: A request to ask a second question after having already asked one as a point of
information.

Point of Personal Privilege: Can be called for when a delegate feels hindered by something outside of
the debate, which is not covered by the RoP. Examples can be going to the bathroom, room
temperature and inability to hear another speaker.

Point of Order: Called by a delegate on another delegate, or on the chair, when the Rules of Procedure
are not being followed. The specifics of a Point of Order vary between conferences and the specific RoP
should be Consulted.

Right of Reply: When a delegate feels their country was insulted during another delegates GSL speech,
the can ask for Right of Reply. 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.

Point of Entertainment: This informal point is used at some MUN conferences to call for a break-in
procedure for the delegates to take part in a mood-lifting activity. Points of Entertainment are generally
used at the beginning or end of committee sessions and take place at the discretion of the chair.

Check out our guide about points and motions to learn more.

4. Start of Session

Member State: A country that has ratified the charter of an international organization, such as the
United Nations but not limited to them. Member states have voting rights in the committee.

Observer: A delegate who is not a natural member of the committee. They can be a country who isn’t
part of the organization (Portugal in the Africa Union), an international organization, Non-Governmental
Organization (NGO), national organization or even an individual. Observers can only vote on procedural
matters. (For specifics, consult your conferences Rules of Procedure).

Roll Call: A procedure performed by the chairs at the beginning of each committee session to know how
many delegates are present in the room (for a simple majority and 2/3rds majority voting) and to know
who is ‘present’ and who is ‘present and voting’.

Quorum: The minimum number of delegates needed to be present for the debate to take place. (If
unsure about your committee quorum check your RoP).

Present: What a delegate says when they are present in the committee and want to reserve the right to
abstain on the final vote.

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Present and Voting: What a delegate stays during roll call when they forgo their right to abstain. This
means they can only vote for or against the draft resolution. This is usually done when they feel strongly
about the topic.

Agenda Setting: Where the delegates in the committee choose which of the agenda topics they wish to
discuss first.

5. Debate

Speaker’s List: Speaker’s List, or General Speaker’s List, is the default format of the committee. It
contains a list of delegated who have been recognized to speak in a specific order. The Speaker’s List is
suspended when a motion for something else (like a moderated caucus to move to voting procedure) is
passed by the committee.

Yield: Used in MUN for when a delegate finishes their speech with the extra time that needs to choose
what to do with it. The delegate can yield, or give up, their time to:

● The Chair: Meaning they give up the rest of their time.

● Another Delegate: Another delegate gets to use the remaining time in their speech.

● Question: The speaker will take questions and answer them with the remained of their time.

Informal Debate: When delegates motion to leave the Speaker’s List for a specific purpose. That can be
speaking about a specific topic, speaking in a format moderated by delegates or lobbying and writing the
draft resolutions. This is done through a Moderated Caucus, Unmoderated Caucus and Consultation of
the Whole.

Moderated Caucus: A less formal discussion on a subtopic within the general topic, chosen by a
delegate and passed by a majority. Delegates raise their placards to offer Moderated Caucuses when the
chair opens the floor to motions. Moderated Caucuses need to offer overall time, individual speakers
time and topic of discussion. For example: “Venezuela motions for a 10 minute moderated caucus, 45
seconds speakers time on the topic of ‘Where should we put plastic waste cleaned from the oceans’”.

Unmoderated Caucus: Lobbying time. When motioning for an Unmoderated Caucus usually no topic is
needed, only the general time requested for the unmoderated caucus. Once passed, delegates get out
of their seat and move freely around the room. During this time they can lobby, negotiate with other
delegates and blocks and write draft resolutions.

Consultation of the Whole: An informal discussion where the delegate who is speaking chooses the next
speaker. When motioning for a Consultation of the Whole (CotW) you only ask for a general time. The
delegate who motioned for the CotW speaks first for as long as they like. When the speaker is done the
choose the next speaker. This continues until the CotW time elapses.

Table: To suspend action or discussion until later.

6. Resolution Writing

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Clause: A MUN clause is written instruction detailing the practical policy you want to be implemented if
the resolution passes.

Working Paper: The first draft of ideas in writing which is compiled by the different blocs. They do not
need to be written in resolution format but are often written as complete clauses.

Draft Resolution: The final draft of a working paper where the blocs combined policy ideas are properly
formatted and approved by the chair for both content and format. Once approved by the chair they can
be discussed and, after debate closed, voted upon.

Sponsors: Delegates who were major contributors to the draft resolution. They are usually the ones who
wrote the majority of the document but not always. The number of sponsors is usually limited.

Signatories: Delegates who support a draft resolution, or at least want to see it discussed. There is no
limit on the number of signatories.

Submitter: The main delegate that submits a clause or resolution. (Submitters and Co-submitters are an
alternative to sponsors and signatories and work according to a different RoP).

Co-submitter: A delegate that signs another delegates clause to get credit for the joint submission.

Preambulatory Clause: Clauses that explain why you are implementing the policies described in the
Operative Clauses. They can provide a background to the problem, legal precedent, and other
supporting data. Preambulatory Clauses are usually italicized and not numbered.

Operative Clause: Clauses that detail the policies / explain what the draft resolution is going to do.
Operative clauses can go into detailed sub-clauses to properly convey the idea. The first words are
italicized are each clause is numbered.

Amendment: A written change made to an operative clause. Amendments can change an existing
clause, add the new one or delete a section, or an entire clause.

Friendly Amendment: A change to a clause approved by all the sponsors. These get automatically added
to the resolution.

Unfriendly Amendment: A change to a clause that at least one sponsor does not agree to. These go to
vote and are only added to the draft resolution is passed with a majority in favor of the amendment.

Merging: When two or more draft resolutions are combined. This usually results in the blocs merging as
well to give themselves more voting power.

Panel of Authors: A motion for the main contributors of a draft resolution to stand before the
committee, give an overview of the ideas in their draft resolution and answer questions.

Introduce Draft Resolution: This motion needs to be approved by the chair to officially discuss the draft
resolution by name. For example, the working paper is now draft resolution 1.2.

Introduce Amendment: A motion to review and vote on the amendments submitted to the chair. The
procedure for how amendments are submitted and when they are voted on varies between
conferences.

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7. Voting

Close Debate: A motion for the committee to end debate and more 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.

Voting procedure: The period at the end of a committee session. Once the debate is closed, delegates
will vote on amendments followed by draft resolutions. During voting procedure, nobody may enter or
leave the room.

Reorder Draft Resolutions: A mother to change the order of the draft resolutions which is different from
the one where the one introduced first is voted on first.

Vote Clause by Clause: A motion to vote on each clause individually instead of all together. This is
commonly done to get some of the clauses to fail.

Divide the Question: A motion to vote separately on a set of specifically chosen operative clauses. These
clauses can come from anywhere on the document. For example, you can take a 12 clause resolution
and divide the question so as to vote on clause 3, 6 and 11 separately, leaving the remaining clauses to
be voted on together.

Divide The House: A motion which would result in countries losing their option to abstain. If this motion
passes, everyone in the committee can only vote in favor or against.

Vote by Acclamation: This motion means a draft resolution can pass as long as no delegate objects. If
one delegate objects the motion moves to a simple majority vote. Many conferences do not use this
motion.

Vote by Roll Call: A Motion to have each country declare verbally if they are “For”, “Against”, “Pass” or
“Abstain.”

● For: When a delegate casts their vote in favor of the draft resolution.

● Against: When a delegate casts their vote against the draft resolution.

● Abstain: When a delegate formally declines to vote either for or against the draft resolution.

Pass: To skip casting a vote and waiting for a second round. While this allows the delegate see how
others vote, in the second round they must vote for or against and can no longer abstain.

Voting With Rights: When a delegates Votes with Rights they get to speak after the vote is completed.
This is usually used when a delegate votes in an unexpected manner, for example against their own
resolution.

Suspend / Table Debate: a motion to put the session on hold, generally for lunch or coffee break.

Adjourn: A motion to completely end the committee session until the next conference.

8. Security Council Terms

P5: The permanent five members of the Security Council who never rotate their seat. These are China,
France, Russia, The United Kingdom and the United States.

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Veto: When a P5 country votes against a draft resolution or motion. If a P5 vetoes it automatically fails.

Procedural Voting: Voting on something that does not impact the world outside. A motion for a
moderated caucus is an example of a procedural vote.

Substantive Voting: When the vote does have real-world impact. The vote on the draft resolution
(which if passed get passed into law and has real-world outcomes) is a substantive vote. At some
conferences, the P5 can turn a procedural vote substantive. Once a substantive item is on the table it
can be vetoed.

Binding: A UN resolutions that legally force nations to abide. Only the Security Council resolutions are
binding, while resolutions passed by the other UN bodies are not. (Other non-UN bodies may also have
binding or partially binding agreements or resolutions)

9. Crisis Terms

Crisis – A fast paced type of MUN where the situation keeps changing and, in most cases, delegates can
impact the direction of the simulation.

Historical Crisis – A crisis that takes place in the past.

Futurist Crisis – A crisis that takes place in the future. This can be the near future or a far off future
which has significantly less basis on reality.

Crisis Director (CD) – The manager of the entire crisis. The CD usually chooses the topic and coordinated
the writing of the study guide and character bios.

Crisis Staff – The team who work under the Crisis Director. This can be anywhere from one or two
people to teams of twenty or more. The rules include Deputy Crisis Directors, Backroom Directors,
Backroom Staff and Frontroom Chairs.

Single Cabinet Crisis – A crisis set in one room of participants.

Joint Cabinet Crisis (JCC) – Also known as Joint Crisis Committees. Multiple rooms of participants. If
there are two they usually face off. If there are more than two they can form alliances with each other
and evolve dynamically as the crisis progresses.

Directive – A written requests sent to and read by the crisis staff (AKA Backroom). They can be
approved, or denied. Directives can be personal or represent the interest of the committee. The
outcome of the requests moves the crisis forward. (Everything to know about crisis directives can be
found here!)

Death – When a participants character dies. This results in the participant getting a new character. In
JCC’s a participant can be resurrected in another committee.

Cabinet Director – The staff member responsible for everything that takes place in a specific cabinet.
They usually approve smaller requests and take larger ones up to the Crisis Director.

Backroom Staff – A crisis staff member who is in charge of responding to individual directives. They can
be assigned to one specific cabinet or work in multiple cabinets.

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Frontroom Chair – Also simply known as the chair of the committee. The Frontroom Chair usually works
with the backroom.

Character bio – Basic information about the individual, or entity, the delegate will be representing in the
crisis. Character bios are usually provided by the crisis staff.

Crisis Update – When the Backroom gives the Frontroom new information.

Character knowledge – Information which your character is aware of in the crisis. This will differ greatly
from the knowledge you personally know about the crisis or the characters as you might know how the
crisis unfolded in history or some character secrets but your crisis character will have to work by sending
directives to obtain that knowledge.

Defection / Betrayal – The act of a delegate or chair switching cabinets during the course of the crisis
and retaining their character personality.

NPC (Non-Playable Character) – A personality or character who is within the crisis but is not
represented by a delegate or chair but instead played by the crisis staff.

10. MUN Abbreviations

The following list of abbreviations are MUN conference terms, committee terms, UN terms and other
MUN jargon commonly used at MUN conferences.

DSG – Deputy Secretary General

EU – European Union

GA – General Assembly (UNGA)

GDP – Gross Domestic Product

IGO – Inter-Governmental Organization

MDG’s – MIllennium Development Goals

Mod – Moderated Caucus

NGO – Non-Governmental Organization

JCC – Joint Crisis Committee

PGA – President of the General Assembly

PHRC – President of the Human Rights Council

PICJ – President of the International Court of Justice

PoA – Panel of Authors

PSC – President of the Security Council

SDG’s – Sustainable Development Goals

SC – UN Security Council (UNSC)

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SG – Secretary-General

UN – United Nations

Unmod – Unmoderated Caucus

USG – Under Secretary-General

For abbreviations of MUN committees check out our full MUN committee list.

11. MUN Acronyms

CIA: Clash, Information and Action are the three components of a strong MUN speech.

WAK: A countries claim to relevant within a given topic. They Want, are Afraid of, or Know the topic
which is why they would be the most relevant.

OLaF: Research will show your connection to the topic to be Obvious, Likely or Flexible. Depending on
which you are, you have more of less flexibility when deciding on what position to take.

SEEC: A formula to build strong arguments. SEEC stands

for Statement, Explanation, Example, Conclusion. More on SEEC!

CAR: Your three options regarding amendments. You can Change, Add or Remove.

Orientation 180: The 5 things you need to know about your country to get a basic understanding of
their perspective before you start your MUN research. This is your country’s size, population, neighborly
relations, GDP rank, and political structure. More on MUN research!

12. MUN Terms Not To Use

Teacher: Don’t call the chair teacher. It is incorrect and they don’t like it.

I: As in the letter “I” which means me. You represent a country, and not yourself, so it is best to say “we”
or the country name. For example, you would say “We feel the best policy is” or “The Republic of Mali
believes that we should…”

Other words you should not use: Yo, Dude, Buddy, Bossman, The big C, Your honor, Oh captain my
captain

We hope you found our guide to MUN terminology helpful. If you are new to MUN be sure to check out
our guide on basic mun terms your should know before your first MUN Committee.

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13. How to Write a MUN Position Paper

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A MUN Position Paper, also known as Policy Paper, is a strategic document that gives an overview of a
delegate’s country position.

A good MUN Position Paper has three parts:

1) Country’s Position on the Topic

2) Country’s Relation to the Topic
3) Proposals of Policies to Pass in a Resolution

The following guide will show you how to write an excellent Position Paper, make the right impression
to your chair and fellow delegates while achieving your overt, and covert, goals.

The Purpose of a Position Paper

Show chairs you’ve researched and successfully turned facts into a strong, country-specific case

Make a first impression with the other delegates, to present yourself in the manner you want
to be viewed
For you to sort your thoughts and research

Have a fact and example sheet that you know, available to use in speeches

Read what other delegates wrote to best strategize what course of action will get the best
majority to pass your resolutions

What is a Position Paper?

A Position Paper/Policy Paper, is a document, normally one page, which presents your country’s stance
on the issue/topic your committee will be discussing. A solid position paper has three parts 1) Country’s
position, 2) Country’s relation 3) Country’s Proposal

Great Position Papers require research and strategic analysis to effectively convey your countries
position. Most MUN conferences require Policy Papers for a delegate to be eligible to win an award.
Having an outstanding Position Paper could be the tiebreaker to win an award.

Why is the Position Paper important?

A MUN Position Paper is important for a wide variety of reasons beyond ensuring that delegates do a
basic level of research before the conference. Understanding why a Position Paper is important lays the
foundation to help you sort your thoughts as well as delivering your desired message to the chair.

The chairs oversee the committee from start to finish and as a delegate, you will want to show
consistency with the principles and values present in your Position Paper.

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Goals of a Position Paper

1. Show your country’s unique understanding of the issue being discussed.

2. Show your country’s previous relationship with the topic (preferably with relevant examples).
3. Show policies and ideas that your country would like to see in the resolution.

As most position papers are limited to one page, a minimum of one paragraph should be devoted to
each of the aforementioned goals, and there should be clear transitions from paragraph to paragraph.
The following position paper outline is universal, with options to expand in specific sections if you see it
is needed.

The Sections of a Good Position Paper

A position paper is the result of proper preparation and research for your Model UN conference. Once
you finish researching, follow the position paper guidelines (the conference should provide you with
these). With the formatting instructions in mind, follow the instructions below to produce a high-quality
position paper.

Model UN Position Paper Structure

1) How you / your country sees the situation/problem in general

2) Your country’s relation to the topic

3) What you want to pass in your MUN resolution

1) Your Position on the Topic Being Discussed

To answer the question “how to start a Position Paper’, keep in mind that you are not only sharing your
position, but also introducing the reader to see the topic being discussed from your eyes.

To establish your position, start with a brief history of the situation / problem the committee will be
discussing (How you see the situation / your position on the topic).
Define what you see as the challenge to the global community (or at least what some of them face).
Keep in mind that your goal is to meet this challenge by the end of the paper.

Frame the issue to be discussed as something that does not only pertain to your country but, ideally,
also the other countries you would want to support your policy.

It helps to keep in mind that you will not get support for your clauses, or pass a resolution, alone. It is
only if other countries see the topic the same way you do, that they will want to join you to implement
your solution.

Example of Position
Country: Angola

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Committee: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Topic: Improving Access to Clean Water
The Republic of Angola believes consistent access to clean water is a basic human right.
Some countries have an abundance of water, such as: Canada, Scotland and Switzerland.
Others have next to no water, such as: Yemen, Libya and Djibouti, or low rainfall like Namibia
and Sudan which creates water scarcity and desertification. The solution to all of these
problems is the weather control that comes from cloud-seeding, with richer countries
already reaping the benefits. The National Center of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS)
witnessed an increase in rainfall of 10%–15% in polluted air and 30%–35% in clean air. China
uses cloud seeding over several increasingly arid regions including Beijing, the capital. In
2017, the United Arab Emirates launched 235 cloud-seeding operations by five cloud-seeding
planes based in Al Ain. The use and success prove the technology works, but it is only
accessible to those who can afford setting up the mechanisms to cloud seed, or pay for the
chemicals from companies like Bayer and DowDuPont Inc, who control the patents and sales
rights.

2) Your Country’s Relation To The Topic

presentation of the policies your country has used to deal with the issue in the past.
You should also describe the successes or failures of those policies (Your country’s previous relation to
the topic and the precedents it set).

Note: This is also the place to write previous actions your committee has with the topic ONLY IF it is
relevant to how your country introduces itself. Otherwise, you are repeating factual information that is
not related to you introducing your position. Writing facts that do not forward your case is a trap many
fall into.
In the cases where your country has a strong link to the issue, the examples in the 2nd paragraph should
be about your country’s connection to the specific issue.

If your country has no direct relation, see if similar countries to yours, or countries with similar positions,
have a relation to the topic. You can also conduct research to find out if your country has a relation to a
similar topic, from where you can draw inspiration and a direction to justify your policies. (More on this
in our article about ‘How to effectively represent your country’)
Example of Relation
Country: Angola
Committee: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Topic: Improving Access to Clean Water

Angola’s history is scarred with conflicts arising from the abuse and mismanagement of
natural resources, such as iron ore, petroleum, uranium, and diamonds. Angola is oil-rich
while our people are dirt-poor. We stand at 149 out of 186 on the 2016 Human Development
Index poverty scale. In rural areas, which contain 11.4 million people (38.5% of our total
population), only 6% of households having access to electricity and 38% do not have access
to safe water sources. Approximately 15 out of every 100 children do not survive beyond the
age of five, leaving us with a child mortality rate is around 17%. These challenges are
especially difficult for our president Joao Lourenco, who entered the office in September 2017.
President Lourenco biggest challenge is reforming 38 years of cronyism and corruption under
former President José Eduardo dos Santos. During his 38 years in power, infrastructure has

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not been developed while tens of billions of petrodollars disappeared. The 2014 oil slump
made our situation worse reaffirming that we are unable to pull ourselves up on our own.
Additionally, we do not get enough rain. We only get 32 days of rain with more than 0.1mm
of rainfall meaning only 2.7 days of quality rain, sleet, and snow per month. Not enough to
maintain adequate crop yields.

3) Extra Supporting Material

Sometimes, a Position Paper will need a 4th paragraph of extra supporting material covering additional
angles that don’t fit into the main three. This can be a case study, some topic-specific information about
your (or another) country. It can be hard data needed to support paragraph 2 or justify paragraph 3; this
4th paragraph still comes before the final section where you describe your desired policies.

The key is that the 4th paragraph needs to display a clear contribution to the Position Paper, show clear
thinking and, in the end, be supporting of the Call to Action/policy that is being advocated for.
Collectively, all of the sections of the Position Paper should show how the delegates unique, country-
specific research and analysis furthers the understanding of what was originally read in the committee
study guide.

Example of Extra
Country: Angola
Committee: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Topic: Improving Access to Clean Water

The global system that depends on technologies provided by companies like Corteva is
strongly entrenched in the Sub Saharan agriculture sector, as well as all over the world. The
four biggest companies, Bayer-Monsanto, ChemChina, Corteva and Syngenta have 59
percent of the world’s patented seeds, 64 percent of all pesticides and held near-monopolies
over other agrichemicals. The use of these crops and chemicals has become fundamental to
grow corn in Tanzania, potatoes in Kenya and other crops in sub-Saharan Africa throughout
their diverse range of crops and terrains. This position of power persists because the sub-
Saharan farmers are similar in their lack of access to best practices, techniques, technologies,
finances and markets. This lack of skills is combined with limited resources results in the
agriculture sector that is as under-development in agriculture as it is dependent on
companies like ChemChina.

4)Proposal – What You Want to Pass in a Resolution

Give an outline of possible / likely solutions that your country proposes and would advocate to see
implemented during the Model UN simulation.
Do this within the limits of what your particular committee can do (What you would want to pass a
resolution about).
If you want to do additional actions beyond the mandate of your committee, you can outsource them to
other committees. If this is an integral part of your strategy they should also go here.

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In the Proposal section, you can either commit to one strong Call to Action, a few different policies or
two extreme red lines, which you say you intend to work between. Remember, while you do not need to
fully commit yourself to what you write in your Position Papers, it is important that you show the
margins within which you will be operating at the conference. Doing this shows there is thought behind
your actions and gives you more credit with the chairs for diplomatic progress. It is thus strongly
advisable that you not write something that you will directly contradict through your actions in
committee sessions.

What is a Policy?
A policy is a course of action proposed, or adopted, by a government, party, business, or individual. Your
policies are a Call to Action telling the UN officials, who get the resolution, what to do.

You want your MUN policy to be clear, concise, and SMART.

The SMART MUN Policy

SMART is an acronym to describe the criteria needed to set policy goals.

Specific – Target a specific area for improvement in your policy.

Measurable – Suggest an indicator of progress once the policy is in place.

Actionable– Specify what action this policy will do.

Realistic – Given available resources and committee mandate, ensure your proposed policy can
realistically be attained.

Timely – Specify when the result(s) from your proposed policy can be achieved, or when to revisit.

Example of Proposal
Country: Angola
Committee: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Topic: Improving Access to Clean Water

Angola advocates for a UN-sanctioned policy that gives permission to dry developing
countries to make generic replicas of their patented chemicals at a fraction of the cost to
achieve water independence. An example of these technologies belongs to German rainfall
enhancement leader WeatherTec Services GmbH. WeatherTecs cutting edge technologies to
improve water access are cheaper than many of their competitors but the operating costs
start at 11 – 15 million Euros a year. Angola does not believe the United Nations should
subsidize the cost of the chemicals, as the subsidy is a temporary solution and it would take
funds from other important programs while leaving the corporations with the same level of
control. Today, aside from South Africa, none of us can afford cloud seeding. We can cloud
seed on our own if freed from the shackles of patent laws that benefit the rich. Dupot made
net sales of $62.5B in 2017, by charging prices which the poorer dry countries could never
afford. The UN should allow the relevant member states to locally produce WeatherTecs
technologies so we can join the ranks of self-sufficient nations who can provide for
themselves the basic water needs to survive.

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The PReP Formula for Successful Position Papers

PReP stands for Position, Relation, extra & Proposal, which are the essential parts of every position
paper. PReP will help you remember the formula.

Position – Your view / interpretation of the issue being discussed. (Paragraph 1)

Relation – Your connection to the topic being discussed. (Paragraph 2)

extra – The optional 4th paragraph which can contain extra information your feel is critical to your case,
but doesn’t naturally fit into one of the other three paragraphs. This paragraph still comes before the
one containing your policies.

Proposal – The practical policies you would want to see in the resolution. (Paragraph 3)

The PReP Strategy

Tool tip

With the Proposal (paragraph 3), you solve the issue shown in your Position (paragraph 1) with the
tools and relevance you set up in your Relation (paragraph 2). (The examples used in paragraph 2
should, preferably, also show the policy margins of your country).

The policy outlined in the final section of the Position Paper should show ideas that address the issues
outlined in your position associated with the committee topic (as should have been specified in the first
paragraph). This position should be justified by the country’s relation (or guesstimate relation) to the
topic (the second paragraph). These should be used to justify the policy proposals you outline in the
third paragraph. Each of these paragraphs should try to have as much unique information as possible
that can’t be found in the committee study guide (because everyone in the committee should
theoretically know that information). Obviously, your paper should have some connection to the main
issues of the topic, but if you feel the paper should go in a different direction, that is completely your
right.

Topic: Finding the cure for the Zika virus

Country: Greece
While this topic is one that is important, the delegate of Greece can decide that he doesn’t
want his country to fund viruses they don’t have and only exists half a world away. In such a
case, we would see:
Position (First paragraph): How the global community spends collective money on local
issues.
Relation (Second paragraph): How Greece doesn’t have the money to spend and how it has
local diseases and problems at home.
Extra (Fourth Optional Paragraph): Optional paragraph could include data on regional diseases
that broke out in neighboring countries and remain a viable threat for Greece.
Proposal (Third paragraph): Passing laws that would have localized diseases with body counts
that don’t cross the tens of thousands, to be funded by local unions. There can also be a

16
second idea that the World Health Organization divert extra funds instead of countries
collectively forking out money.

Pro Tip

There is no set amount of space each section needs to have. Some Position papers need a longer first
section while others need double the space for the policy. What is certain is that no paper can miss any
of the sections (except the extra part) and each one should be developed to at least 25% of the paper.

Practicum: The four-step plan to implement PReP

Writing a Position Paper should come after you finish your MUN research. Once you have completed
that (and especially if you haven’t), follow this three-step plan and don’t over complicate things.

1. Read & Reference Your Study Guide

The guides provided by the conference are a blueprint for you AND for the Chairs. They will be
looking to see if you properly read and interpreted them. They didn’t spend a bunch of time
writing them for no reason; they are usually quality documents (when you have a bad study
guide, check out our article What to do With a Vague Study Guide). They expect you to use them
in some form in your papers, or, if you deviate from them, to see a very good alternative topic
interpretation. Reading the guide does not absolve you of your own independent research. YOU
NEED TO DO BOTH. The key is to make sure you have a good understanding of everything
written in the guide before you begin writing.
–

2. Find Your Position

Once you read the guide and understand the issues, figure out how your country relates to the
topic (see in our —How to Represent Your Country guide. This will eventually turn into your
second ‘relation’ paragraph. You can also search for past resolutions in the UN as well as other
sources.
–

3. Choose What is Most Important

-You will find a lot of data when researching your country and the topic. Filtering through it and
choosing what is important and relevant is part of the challenge of writing a good Position
Paper. To show your most important ideas in the limited space you have, you should aim to
show the facts that are the strongest and most relevant to your case. For this reason, try to
avoid writing the obvious in your Position Paper and avoid being off clash.
– The right mix of research, and strategic writing, should give the reader the feeling that your
Position Paper had much more relevant content then you were able to fit into the paper. You
want to show that, while the most relevant of your research is there, it is only the tip of the
iceberg when it comes to your knowledge.
–

4. Create Solutions
The third paragraph, where you write your policy, is the section where you can get creative. Yes,

17
 make sure any solution you come up with is viable and based on research, but don’t be afraid to
be bold. You are not married to the policies you write in the Position Paper and a chair will
understand if you need to deviate for the sake of compromise in the committee. In the Position
Paper, the policy paragraph needs to be clear and consistent with the previous two paragraphs.

Types of Position Papers

– Position Papers chairs read

– Position Papers delegates read
– Position Papers everyone will read
– Position Papers no one will read

“Everyone has a story to tell or a product to sell. Know your audience before you open your mouth.”
– April Sims

While not all Model United Nations conferences require Position Papers, many of them do. Whether it
be your Chairs, other delegates, a mix or none of the above, knowing who will be your audience will help
you craft the right paper and achieve your desired goal.

Position Papers Only The Chair Will Read

When the chair is required to send feedback, this usually means they will have read your Position Paper.
This is an excellent opportunity to go all out, regarding the reasons for why your country has the
position that it is taking and why you chose the policies that you did. (See our article on ‘Properly
Represent Your Country?’) This is also the place to describe your Call to Action / the policies you want to
implement in detail. The reason for such open and clear (but not too clear) writing is because no one but
the Chair will read it, meaning you don’t need as much nuance as you would in a public Position Paper or
opening speech. This is the place to give your ideas in a clear, unfiltered manner so that the Chair can
understand it later when you give a more layered speech during the formal sessions.

‘For Chair eyes only’ Position Papers are also an excellent opportunity to bring facts and ideas that you
want known to the chair, but don’t have time to fit into your first speech or two. While not bluntly giving
away your country’s real motivation, you have a lot more liberty to flag things you’re afraid might be
missed once the committee session starts.

Position Papers Only Delegates will Read (but not Chairs)

These are Position Papers where all the delegates are able to read each other’s work, research and
position on the topic at hand. An example of where this can happen, is a large conference (e.g. 200
delegates), where the Position Paper deadline is the day before the conference.

For these papers, you still want to use the Position Paper platform to show why the discussion should
focus on where you want it to go. For this reason, the Position Paper should be written more to frame
the issue than give concrete detailed policies. Delegates who did not research to the same extent, or
have no clear position, can be introduced to your interpretation of the topic. Some may completely

18
adopt it, or at least be familiar with it when they hear it in a speech. (See our article on ‘Writing the
Killer Speech’)

Position Papers Everyone Will Read (Chairs and Delegates)

The Chair + Delegate Position Papers are the most complex to write. In these cases, the ideal situation is
for the chair to see what you would want them to see, as if it was written just for them, while at the
same time, the other delegates would see a Position Paper customized for them. This is a hard balance
to find, but if erring to one side, it is better to build a paper for the delegates and hope the chair has the
experience to read between the lines.

One more variable to take into consideration is when Position Papers are written for a gigantic
committee (100 or more delegates).

In gigantic rooms, the Position Paper should have at least the basics of the policy, because one might not
speak in the first few hours and this might be the only way to get you onto the floor.

Position Papers No One Will Read

Yes, this actually exists in MUN. Some Position Papers will not be read by the Chairs or anyone else at all.
However, the conference requires submission to qualify for a diplomacy award. A few conferences will
admit that no one will read the Position Papers, but most will not.

Here are a few things to look out for to know your Position Papers likely won’t be read:

-When Chairs are not required to send you feedback on the Position Paper

– The deadline is the day before the conference.

In these cases, the main benefit of writing a Position Paper is to organize your thoughts. However, in
practice, a poor document can be just as easily submitted to qualify.

Pitfalls to Avoid

Potential issues you may run into:

Conflicting information

● You may run into a situation where your country does not have a clear policy towards a topic, or
they have recently changed policy. For example, with the election in the US and the change from
one ideology to another, their rhetoric towards the Iran Nuclear issue changed almost
overnight. It would be tempting to follow the words of the leaders in a case like this, but pay
attention to actual actions. Nothing has changed.

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● When faced with conflicting positions from your country, choose one and stick with it. Use the
position that you can find the most research on.

Lack of information

● Sometimes you will be stuck with a topic or committee that your country has little to no interest
in. This will cause a lack of information to work with. For example, if you are in UNESCO and the
topic is oil drilling in Ecuador’s rainforest, you may find that Malawi has not put out any
statement on the issue. Don’t despair.

● In a situation like this, when your country has no position on a topic, you have to get creative.
Find similar issues that affect your country and extrapolate that to the current topic. For the
Ecuador example, Malawi can use their position of environmental issues in their own country
and throughout the continent as a guide as to how they would respond.

● If you find yourself on a topic with indigenous people’s rights, but your country does not have a
strong position, find out if there are indigenous groups in that country. Do they treat them well
or poorly? Both will give you a direction to take with your Position Paper.

Loose Ends

● There shouldn’t be a single sentence that has no purpose. Each fact or statement should
support the identity you are constructing.

● If you feel a fact or statement that doesn’t seem to have a place, must be in the PP, think about
why. If it is so vital that it fits into the first, second, or sometimes the third paragraph. If it does
not, perhaps it can be replaced with one which does.

● The information can be used later – this fact or statement can be important and be saved for a
later speech. However, the position paper needs to be a self-supporting document and just
because it is important doesn’t mean it has to go here.

Strong Words ≠ Strong Conclusion

● You want to end every Position Paper on a strong note, but you do not want to have a
conclusion that is overwhelming or concrete. Remember, you will not have many
pages, usually, one to get your country’s position across. The Chair is not judging your Position
Paper on how well you close, they are judging it based on your understanding of the issues and
the solutions you bring to the table.

● That being said, it helps to close the paper well. There is an old saying about writing an essay
that can apply to a Position Paper as well:

● “Your introduction tells them they will be intrigued. The body is the meat of the argument. The
conclusion reminds them that they were impressed.”

● How do we apply this to a Position Paper? In the beginning, you frame the problem, not wasting
your time giving a detailed research paper. The bulk of the paper is letting the Chair know that
you understand your country’s relationship to the topic and your proposed solutions. Your

20
 conclusion is going to close briefly with a strong, concluding remark. BRIEFLY is the key word
here.

Position Paper Format

The format of each Positions Paper, or Position Paper template, varies from conference to conference.
However, even if you have no format instructions you do not want to have a messy position paper.

An unorganized paper can:

● Make you look less serious (to chairs and delegates)

● Make your text harder to follow

● Give your reader less incentive to pay attention

Organized Position Paper – Example

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Sometimes, the conference will give you an unfilled Position Paper template, with the logo and blank
headings for you to fill in. Other times, the conference will send you a Model UN Position Paper sample.
Other conferences will send you specific, or loose, Position Paper instructions about how they want the
paper formatted.

Each Position Paper should be measured by its content and its ability to inform and influence the
respective Chairs and delegate. However, the Position Paper will not reach that point if it is not
accepted. It is a pity when your work is not be read or forwarded on because you got the font wrong,
exceeded the margins or sent the paper in late. For this reason, whether strict or lax, read and follow
the Model UN Position Paper formatting instructions so the hard work you put into the document will
achieve its strategic objective.

Examples of Position Paper Instructions

Position Paper Instructions Example #1:

Write the Position Paper for MUN 2022 using the standards below:

● Length must not exceed two pages.

● Margins must be 2.54 cm or 1 inch for the entire paper.

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 ● Font must be Times New Roman, size 12.

● Justify the paragraphs. The left and right margins must both have straight edges.

● Country name / institution committee name must be clearly labeled on the top of the 1st page.

● Agenda topics must be clearly labeled as the title.

● National symbols, such as flags, logos, etc. are deemed inappropriate for ExampleMUN Position
Papers.

● Send your document in PDF format.

Position Paper Instructions Example #2:

We ask delegates of ExampleMUN to each produce a position paper before the conference.
It must outline their country’s position, main objectives and issues they are seeking to address
during the conference. Your Chairs will return the Position Papers to you with feedback a
fortnight before the conference. This will give you time to ascertain which countries would be
considered natural allies for you and for you to read which issues the other delegates may
deem important.
A Position Paper the length of one side of A4 should be sufficient to state your position.

Example of Formatted Position Paper

Angola feels that in this day and age, hunger should be a thing of the past. However, in 2018, over 795
million people do not have enough food to lead a healthy, active life. This does not include the half of
the world’s population, more than 3 billion people, who live on less than $2.50 a day. For better or
worse, the road to more accessible and cheaper food is strongly related to water supply. Some countries
have an abundance of water, such as: Canada, Scotland and Switzerland. Others have next to no water,
such as: Yemen, Libya and Djibouti, or low rainfall like Namibia and Sudan which creates water scarcity
and desertification. The solution to all of these problems is the weather control that comes from cloud-
seeding, with richer countries already reaping the benefits. The National Center of Meteorology and
Seismology (NCMS) witnessed an increase in rainfall of 10–15% in polluted air and 30–35% in clean air.
China uses cloud seeding over several increasingly arid regions including Beijing, the capital. In 2017, the
United Arab Emirates launched 235 cloud-seeding operations by five cloud-seeding planes based in Al
Ain. The use and success proves the technology works, but it is only accessible to those who can afford
setting up the mechanisms to cloud seed, or pay for the chemicals from companies like Bayer, Dupont
and Dow Chemical Company, who control the patents and sales rights.

How to Win a Best Position Paper Award

The difference between a good and a great Position Paper

Good Chairs will give credit to delegates who properly predict the room and are able to guide their
policies from the Position Paper to the final resolution. This is because it means that the delegates

23
accurately predicted which direction the discussion would go in, or better still, were able to direct the
room in that direction.

This does not mean that the best delegate must have an excellent Position Paper, or perfectly stick to it.
Aside from the ‘Best Position Paper’ award, the actions that take place in the committee are almost
completely what Chairs will consider for awards. However, it is not uncommon that a Position Paper is
used as a tiebreaker between two extremely close delegates.

In all these cases, you need to have an opinion. To win the ‘Best Position Paper’ award, your Position
Paper needs to be full of new solutions, it must follow proper format and it has to be concise and ‘fluff-
free’. Neutrality on an issue, or saying your country has no opinion, is admitting that you will let other
delegates take the lead on the issue. It is better to find a policy of a country similar to yours, or your own
policy on a similar issue, than saying nothing.

Top Position Paper Strategies

The R and S strategy

For the entire Position Paper, keep the R and S strategy in mind. This is the RESEARCH and SOLUTION
strategy. Try to ensure that every sentence is either research-based or solution-based. This helps cut
down on unnecessary sentences.

Facts and Name Dropping

Nothing shows research like using numbers, names and dates. This is especially impressive when it’s
information that was not in the study guide. Paragraph 1 and Paragraph 2 should be full of these.
Remember that it is not enough to simply throw facts onto the page, they need to be connected to the
point you are trying to make. Good use of facts, with numbers and names properly capitalized, makes an
impressive first impression. Effective use in the paper can be the difference between runner-up and the
Best Position Paper award.

New Solutions and Interpretations

● The Chair of your committee will be reading so many Position Papers about the same exact topic
that they will be bored to death of seeing the same solutions over and over again. To stand out,
come up with a viable, new strategy that other countries may not have thought of. We say
viable because it cannot be so outlandish as to be impossible, but it should be something that
makes the Chair stop and focus on your paper.

● You can get a little off-the-wall with solutions, as long as they have a basis in reality.

● Alexander Hamilton employed a similar strategy during the Constitutional Convention in the
US. When debating an overhaul of the US government, there were two main plans (the
Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan). The New Jersey plan was closer to what was already
in place, while the Virginia Plan was a change almost too much for people to handle (though
most knew this was the only way to save the nation). In order to discredit the New Jersey
Plan, Hamilton boldly proposed a plan so radical, that the Virginia Plan became moderate in
comparison.

24
 ● Hamilton’s plan opened the discussion and changed the conversation. It caught the attention
of everyone present and moved them towards a solution.

● You can do this with a position paper. Even if you do not ultimately get what you want, you
have caught the Chair’s attention and have become a player in the game.

Follow proper format

While this seems self-explanatory, you would be surprised how many people disregard the format rules
given by the conference. Do not ignore this. As Chairs are reading the papers, they will come to expect
certain formatting and anything not following the rules will stand out, and not in a good way. Do not get
on the Chair’s bad side before the conference even begins. You can be sure that they will take points off
for improper formatting and keep your name written down for conference time.

Concise and fluff-free

Don’t waste a single sentence with fluff. Due to the short length, everything you write in a Position
Paper should be concise and free of fluff. We know that as students, you have mastered the ability to
fluff your way through a paper, but that won’t work here. Not if you want to win Best Position Paper.

When you think about how to start a Position Paper, don’t go for an intense sound-bite. Flare is not
good without substance. Try to be as clear as you comfortably can and reach your important points as
quickly as possible.

Follow proper format

While this seems self-explanatory, you would be surprised how many people disregard the format rules
given by the conference. Do not ignore this. As Chairs are reading the papers, they will come to expect
certain formatting and anything not following the rules will stand out, and not in a good way. Do not get
on the Chair’s bad side before the conference even begins. You can be sure that they will take points off
for improper formatting and keep your name written down for conference time.

Concise and fluff-free

Don’t waste a single sentence with fluff. Due to the short length, everything you write in a Position
Paper should be concise and free of fluff. We know that as students, you have mastered the ability to
fluff your way through a paper, but that won’t work here. Not if you want to win Best Position Paper.

When you think about how to start a Position Paper, don’t go for an intense sound-bite. Flare is not
good without substance. Try to be as clear as you comfortably can and reach your important points as
quickly as possible.

What Chairs Look For

Similarly, to how Position Paper format instructions are given to delegates, Chairs are also given
instructions by the Model UN Conference Secretariat on how to evaluate Position Papers. Chairing, from
when you write the study guide until the closure of debate, is a sacred responsibility.

25
Sometimes, the instructions given by the secretariat on how to evaluate Position Papers are clear and
uniform. However, often, a Chair needs to fill in some gaps between the secretariat’s instructions and
doing the job in real-time. To better understand the considerations regarding Position Papers, read the
following instructions, given by an Under-secretary General of Chairing to their staff.

26
Dear Chairs,

As of this weekend, all the registered delegates should receive their study guides. While a few delegates
will still be getting allocations over the next week, most of them will have received guidelines for how
and when to send Position Papers. The delegates are required to send the Position Papers to the
committee email from the 20th – 26th of February. Any Position Paper received by the 26th before
midnight should receive feedback from one of the Chairs. You are not obligated to give feedback to
papers received from the 27th onwards. Hopefully, you should get most or all of the papers before the
deadline. Papers received after the 28th are not eligible for the best position paper award, as you may
not have time to check them. Position Papers that are received after March 1st, or not at all, will make
the delegate ineligible for an award.

In the Position Papers, we want to see that delegates show they understand (a) the topic (b) their
countries position and history and (c) the policies they propose to solve it / perpetuate it (if they are evil).

The Position Papers which arrive on time should get feedback. This does not need to be more than a few
lines per topic. However, we do require you to tell the delegates if they did a good job or if they are
lacking in one of the three sections mentioned above. You should also tell them what you want them to
improve. In the feedback, where possible, please use examples from their text. To do this most
effectively, divide the position papers amongst yourselves and return them when you can. You are not
required to send feedback if the delegate sends you an improved position paper. Our main goal is for you
to have prepared delegates in your committee, and a rewritten position paper generally indicates better
preparation.

If anyone would like more information on how to give feedback, or have any other questions relating to
Position Papers, please let me know in a reply to this email.

If your delegates write you asking how to write a policy paper, or any other questions, we expect you to
be helpful, courteous and available.

Good Luck

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11 Questions Chairs Ask When Reading Your Position Paper

Question Chairs Ask About A Quality Position Paper

1. Did the delegate reframe the topic to make the problem-specific and relevant to them?

2. Did they show their country’s relation to the topic?

3. Did they offer policies that can gain a majority in the committee?

4. Do these policies represent their countries stated interests?

5. Did the delegate use examples?

6. Do the examples go beyond the information in the study guide?

7. Did the writer bring something new, unique and interesting?

Questions You Hope Your Chair Never Asks

1. Was this position paper copied and pasted from Wikipedia or some other online source?

2. If I change the country name on this super vague paper will it be just as “valid”?

3. How inebriated was the delegate when they wrote this?

4. Has the writer even heard of Model UN?

Using these questions to measure the quality of your paper will let you review your work with a Chair’s
eyes. If the answers to these questions aren’t good enough, then you now know what to work on. A few
appropriate modifications can result in a complete makeover of a Position Paper, and possibly a much-
improved delegate as well.

Closing thoughts on Position Papers

Position Papers are important. Knowing if the Position Paper will be read only by the Chair or by the
delegates should be taken into account when choosing what to write and focus on. Position Paper
format should also be taken into account, but not at the expense of quality.

A Position Paper should accomplish three goals:

1. Show a country’s position on the topic being discussed.
2. Show a country’s previous relationship to the topic (preferably with relevant examples).
3. Show policies and ideas that (1) represent the interests of your country and (2) you would ideally like
to see in the resolution.

When you’re the Chair, give instructive feedback with specific examples. Your comments could be the
difference between a lost delegate or an effective one, or between a good conference and a great one.

Lastly, don’t forget the PReP strategy:

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In Policy (paragraph 3) you solve the issue in Position (paragraph 1) with the tools and relevance you
set up in Relation (paragraph 2).

14. Preparing to be a delegate

A. Researching your country

As a delegate, you will be expected to know all information regarding your country on its respective topic
in order to represent your country well. Here are some questions to consider:
Is your country a democracy or a dictatorship?
Does your country have any natural resources? If so,
what are they?
Is your country in any trade agreements with other
countries?
Is your country in debt?
Is your country a part of any regional organizations?
Is your country noted for its views on any world issue?
Is your country allied with or against any countries with
respect to your topic?
You should be able to look up information about your country in any reliable encyclopedia, reference book
or the Internet. You can also ask your teacher for help or consult with students with MUN experience who
have attended other conferences.
B. Writing an Opening Speech

The Opening Speech typically lasts about 1 minute or 1 minute and 30 seconds and is the first speech
you give to the committee. It is the best opportunity for you to explain your country policy and the key
sub-issues you would like the committee to focus on. Opening Speeches are the main way for countries
to determine who they want to work with, so it’s important to prepare a speech that conveys this. They
will also help you make your presence known and establish a first impression. There are many tips and
strategies on how to deliver an Opening Speech, but use your Position Paper as a guide when you are
starting out. Most importantly, be brave and make a well-developed speech. Your country report
worksheet will also help you write an opening speech that is professional, concise and successful. A
simple well-prepared and well-delivered speech will mark you out as a delegate of importance.

C. Writing a resolution

Every resolution has three parts:

1. The Heading

Sponsors: 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"

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2. The Pre-Ambulatory Clauses

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, [use commas to separate perambulatory clauses]

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,

3. The Operative Clauses

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; [use

semicolons to separate operative clauses]

Urges member states to comply with the goals of the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs

to streamline efforts of humanitarian aid;

Requests that all nations develop rapid deployment forces to better enhance the

coordination of relief efforts of humanitarian assistance in complex emergencies;

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. [end resolutions with a period]

References

How to write a Model UN position paper - (examples inside). WiseMee. (2021, January 5).
Retrieved February 28, 2022, from https://www.wisemee.com/how-to-write-a-mun-
position-paper/#What-is-a-Position-Paper

Mun Glossary terms. WiseMee. (2020, December 2). Retrieved February 28, 2022, from
https://www.wisemee.com/mun-glossary/

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2022 IEC AP- MUN Chairs and Co-chairs.

2022 Advisors:

1. Mr. Mohammad Shatnawi 2. Ms. Eman M. Attily

3. Ms. Carmen I. Shbeeb 4. Ms. Hiba S. Qabbani
5. Ms. Rana M. Omar 6. Ms. Rima D. Hammad
7. Ms. Leen S. Arkhagha 8. Ms. Ala’a M. Abumohsen
9. Mr. Ashraf Mansour 10. Mr. Marwan M. Nairat
11. Ms. Dana M. Hamad 12. Ms. Ashwaq A. Ibrahim

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