Working Papers and Draft Resolutions

The goal of the final conference is for each committee to come up with a resolution addressing
the issue at hand that most of the committee agrees with. Before the voting process, the
document passes through two stages which are the working paper (first stage) and the draft
resolution (second stage). Once passed, the proposed resolution becomes the official document
adopted by the committee as the most suitable solution to the discussed issue.

The Working Paper

Once a l the aspects and details of the topic have been covered in the speakers’ list, moderated
caucuses, and consultations of the whole, delegates convene in the unmoderated caucus to start
writing the working paper.

The working paper resembles a “scratch paper” or a “draft of the draft resolution” in which
delegates list their ideas in bullet points without following any specific format. This allows the
delegates to include any charts, graphics, or other visual aids to further explain and clarify their
proposed resolution ideas. For example, if the committee is tackling a territorial dispute,
delegates could include maps showing borders and demarcation lines to explain their proposals.

For any working paper to be considered by the committee, it requires a minimum of 20% of
the quorum to be signatories. A signatory either agrees with the suggested solutions,
participated in writing the ideas, or simply would like to see the working paper discussed even if
they do not entirely approve of the ideas. This is why a delegate may be a signatory to multiple
working papers, and they can criticize a working paper or draft resolution they were signatories
to - because being a signatory just means one would like to see the draft resolution being
debated.

The working papers are usually finalized on day 1 of the conference and have to be submitted
by a certain deadline set by the dais. After the submission, the dais members go over the
working papers providing comments, critique, and advice to the delegates to enhance their work.
The dais members might suggest the merger of 2 or more blocs if the ideas and stances are
similar. It could also serve as a good initiative to have representatives from the blocs approach
other blocs to check for any similarities and negotiate the possibility of merging blocs depending
on the resolutions in the working paper.

Sample Working Paper

 Signatories: Algeria, China, Egypt, South Africa, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates.

Suggested solutions

1. Urge all UNFCCC member states to completely phase out coal usage by drafting a
new agreement in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme

2. Appeal for cooperation between developed and developing countries to ensure a

smooth transition to renewable energy

3. Explore a possible increase in nuclear energy usage by drafting an updated IAEA

Framework that would:
a. produce reports allowing for a better understanding of the nuclear energy
industry in nuclear nations
b. develop guidelines for appropriate nuclear energy usage.

The Draft Resolution

After the working papers are submitted and the dais members have added their
comments/suggestions, each bloc will have to develop their working paper into a draft resolutio
n.

A committee can have either one draft resolution or multiple depending mainly on the size but it
can also be affected by the nature of the topic. For example, if the committee is discussing the
war in Ukraine, there will be 2 or more blocs regardless of the number of delegates as the issue
is highly polarizing. Even if multiple draft resolutions are debated, the committee will only adopt
one draft resolution at the end, turning it into a resolution.

To gain the dais members’ approval and begin referring to the document as a draft resolution, a
certain format must ensue. It consists of a heading, preambulatory clauses, and operative
clauses.

The Heading

The Heading identifies the draft resolution; it includes the committee, the topic, the number, the
signatories, and the sponsors.

● Number: Every draft resolution is designated by a certain number. The draft resolutio n
that is submitted first is numbered 1.1, the second 1.2, and so on. Delegates do not have
to worry about numbering drafts as it is the duty of the dais members. Example:
UNIDO/DR/1.1

● Name of Committee: The full official name of the committee is written and not the
acronym. Example: The United Nations Industrial Development Organization and not
UNIDO.
 ● Name of Topic: The full name of the topic as it is written in the background guide.

● Sponsors: The sponsors are the delegates who contributed the most to writing the draft
resolutions by providing the most resolutions and ideas. The word sponsor in this
context does not correlate to economic strength or the ability to fund or implement the
resolutio ns. The number of sponsors is determined by the dais members according to the
size of the committee/blocs.

● Signatories:

○ At least 20% of the quorum.

○ Want to see the draft resolution introduced and debated - they do not necessarily
support it.

○ Sponsors do not count as part of the 20%.

○ A country can be a signatory to multiple draft resolutions.

Sample Heading

DR/UNEP/1.3

Committee: United Nations Environment Programme

Topic: The Failures and Implications of COP26 and the Paris Agreement

Sponsors: Indonesia, Nigeria

Signatories: Algeria, Cameroon, China, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt,
Ghana, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mali, Morocco, Qatar, Republic of Korea, South
Africa, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates

Preambulatory Clauses

The preambulatory clauses essentially highlight the reason behind writing the draft resolution by
recognizing the problem, providing references to past international treaties/actions, and any
relevant supporting events.

The preambulatory clauses follow a specific format:

1. Sentences start with a present participle verb (with some exceptions listed in the sample
list below),
2. Each clause is written on an individual line, and
3. Clauses are separated by commas.
The preambulatory clauses are preceded by “The [Name of the Committee],”. For instance,
“The United Nations Environment Programme,”

Types of Preambulatory Clauses

● Previous UN resolutions: Noting the provisions of resolution 1325 of the United

Nations Security Council on Women, Peace, and Security,
● Previous UN actions: Acknowledging the commitment to the Convention on the Law of
the Sea which established the basis of marine territorial demarcation,
● Statements made by State/UN officials: Recalling IMF director Christine Lagarde’s
statements on cryptocurrencies in which she encourages the relevant parties to embrace
digital currencies in addition to highlighting the impact of digital assets on the system,
● Statistics, facts, and figures: Bearing in mind that more than 300,000 people are
experiencing catastrophic famine conditions with mortality rates reaching 100 people per
day,

Sample Preambulatory Clauses

The United Nations Environment Programme,

Acknowledging the importance of the Paris Agreement in order to reduce Greenhouse Gas
emissions and carbon emissions and achieving net zero emissions by 2025,

Recognizing the publications of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that
assesses human contribution to climate change and future projections,

Taking into consideration the failed attempt at COP26 to phase out the use of coal and the
urgency of addressing the matter at hand,

Recalling the words of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres: “I reaffirm my conviction that

we must end fossil fuels subsidies, phase out coal, put a price on carbon, build the resilience of
 vulnerable communities against the here and now impacts of climate change, and make good on
the $100 bi lion climate finance commitment to support developing countries”,

Noting the significance of the Adaptation Gap Report, the UNEP Six-Sector Solution, the
Emissions Gap Report, and all relevant initiatives,

Keeping in mind the disparities between developing countries and developed countries in terms
of economic power, mitigation capacity, and unequal roles within the existing system,

Operative Clauses

In the operative clauses, delegates develop their ideas from the working paper into formal
resolutions. The operative clauses follow a very intricate and strict format:

1. Clauses are numbered using decimal numerals (1, 2, 3 ...).

2. Clauses are separated with a semicolon “;”, except for the second-to-last clause which
ends with a semicolon and the word “and”. The last clause ends with a period “.”.
3. Clauses start with a present verb that is underlined.
4. Clauses can have sub-clauses to further clarify and organize ideas. Columns “:” are
inserted before the sub-clauses are listed. If sub-clauses are to be written, a minimum of
two is required.
5. Sub-clauses are listed using lower-case alphabets (a, b, c …).
6. Sub-clauses are separated by commas “,”, except for the last sub-clause which ends with
a semicolon.
7. Sub-clauses can have sub-sub-clauses to which the rules of sub-clauses apply and are
numbered using lower-case roman numerals (i, i, i …).
Sample Operative Clauses

1. Emphasizes the importance of implementing the “Enhanced Transparency Framework” of

the Paris Agreement through:
a. urging all member states to submit the Biennial Reports (BR) by the set deadline of
December 31, 2022, and the Biennial Update Reports (BUR) by December 31, 2024,
b. assigning UNEP representatives to all member states who would act as the main
spokespersons, communicate progress reports, and broker meetings,
c. expanding the requirement of annual GHG emission inventories submission to all
member states. This process would be:
i. monitored by working groups of international and governmental specialists,
ii. conducted by professional agencies in case of lacking capacity,
d. holding non-compliant member states accountable through a three-phase process:
i. firstly, a comprehensive advisory statement would be communicated to
governments consisting of recommendations to implement the provisions,
ii. secondly, increased trade regulations such as tariffs on energy exports would be
implemented,
iii. thirdly, the member state would be subjected to a one-year suspension of
membership from the UNFCCC if an absolute majority of countries vote in
favor of the measure,
iv. the process terminates at any phase if the country cooperates and alters the
course of action in line with commitments;

2. Recommends the establishment of a stronger framework of transparency and

accountability through:
 a. establishing an international judicial system in collaboration with the UNEP
which aims at:
i. collaborating with judges from different nations,
ii. ensuring that countries that have ratified the Paris Agreement are respecting
their binding commitments,
iii. ensuring that all binding countries are submitting their NDCs on time,
v. ensuring that countries are abiding by the goals established by the NDCs;

3. Initiates the total phase-out of coal usage in all member nations of the UNFCCC through:
a. drafting a new deal solely focused on completely phasing out coal usage by 2035,
under the name of “The Coal Energy Termination Pact”, which would:
i. include binding provisions for signatories,
ii. provide a country-specific roadmap to achieve the phase-out,
iii. have the signatures of China, India, and Australia as requirements to pass,
iv. fall under the auspices of the UNEP and the UNFCCC,
b. halting all coal mine, factory, and processing plant construction projects currently in
progress by April of 2023 at the latest,
c. establishing regional working groups which would cooperate with governments to
evaluate the impact of such a phase-out on the labor market and the required measures
to redirect workers,
d. significantly reducing subsidies and tax breaks for the coal industry in addition to
implementing measures that increase the cost of production and distribution;

4. Explores the feasibility of implementing regional emissions trading markets similar to the
EU Emissions Trading System in which incentive to reduce emissions would be created in
addition to directing carbon tax revenues towards emission-reduction initiatives;

5. Considers the carbon situation as a major factor in the unfair distribution of emission
limits between developing and developed countries, and thus:
a. adds to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement a statement to prohibit exchanged emissio
ns, hence each nation must abide by the limit set,
b. improves the criteria used to set limits, taking into consideration the available natural
resources within each country,
c. increases the economic incentive for use of renewable resources to encourage the use of
fewer carbon-emitting sources, by:
i. encouraging cooperation between renewable industries, and increasing value
and willingness to invest,
ii. encouraging a race to the top of certain industries in replacing coal;

6. Urges the creation of a new “International Nuclear Energy Framework” under the auspices of
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that would:
 a. draft comprehensive reports on the nuclear energy industry in nuclear nations
which would highlight:
i. the efficiency of nuclear power plants,
ii. the standards and safeguards implemented,
iii. the waste management mechanisms utilized,
iv. the costs of operation, maintenance, installation, and distribution,
b. convene experts in the field of nuclear fission technology, power plant operation and
maintenance, nuclear engineering, and safety systems to develop guidelines needed for
adequate exploitation of this resource,
c. sponsor an agreement amongst major nuclear power operating nations in which a
unified uranium market would be created to ensure equal access to uranium for nations
possessing nuclear ambitions, especially developing nations,
d. consolidate the efforts of international organizations such as the World Association of
Nuclear Operators (WANO), Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), and the Internatio nal
Nuclear Regulators’ Association (INRA) to enhance safety procedures, develop
nuclear waste management technologies, and provide recommendations for national
legislat ive actions,
e. promote increased funding and support for the International Thermonuc lear
Experimental Reactor (ITER) fusion project which aims to create a fully functio nal,
efficient, and clean fusion reactor;

7. Facilitates the renewable energy transition towards wind energy, solar energy, and
hydroelectricity through:
a. creating the “Joint Renewable Energy Transition Panel” under the auspices of the UNEP
in collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) which
would:
i. operate 6 regional offices in the Americas, Europe, MENA, and the Caucus,
Central and South Asia, Eastern Asia, and Oceania,
ii. formulate detailed 10-year action plans for member states in cooperation with
energy ministers and major renewable energy providers,
iii. facilitate technical cooperation agreements between developed and developing
nations in which assistance would be provided to produce, implement, and
sustain sustainable infrastructure,
b. subsidizing the aforementioned industries to ensure that the price per unit of energy of
renewables is lower than fossil fuels,
c. the issuance of long-term loans to developing and least-developed nations to establish
the required infrastructure for sustainable and clean public transportation, commercia l
operations, and industrial processes,
d. establishing the “Sustainable Energy Transition Fund” (SETF) which would:
i. consolidate upwards of $200 billion annually from Annex II nations,
 ii. allocate the funds towards UNEP-approved projects in non-Annex nations,
iii. be monitored by the UNEP under the transparency framework to track and
assess the operations of the fund on both the funding and receiving end;

8. Calls for holding the first Global Stocktake in 2025, instead of 2023, in which the surveys
and reports conducted by the “Enhanced Transparency Framework” would be compiled with
national reports, independent analysis, and corporate assessments; and

9. Urges member states to conduct proactive measures to assess and enhance climate adaptive
capacity through:
a. implementing modernized disaster forecasting, alarm, reporting, and response
mechanisms, especially in areas prone to severe storms,
b. introducing legislative measures aimed at establishing national funds and action plans
to relocate communities threatened by climate change repercussions,
c. revising vital infrastructures such as building codes, transportation networks,
emergency shelters, and medical facilities,
d. enhancing the sustainability of energy production and distribution in addition to
pursuing energy decentralization,
e. coordinating a cross-sectoral response to environmental disasters in compliance with
the guidelines and recommendations provided by the Six-Sector Solution.

Resolution

After the delegates have finalized their draft resolutions, they present them to the chairperson.
The chair, assisted by the dais members, then goes through the format and scrutinizes the content
of the paper thoroughly to ensure the draft resolutions are realistic and feasible. They also make
sure that the delegates complied with the required format.

After all the draft resolutions are admitted and numbered, the committee is allowed to introduce
the amendments, which are modifications to the draft resolution. When the final format for the
draft resolution is attained, the committee closes the debate and moves into voting on draft
resolutions. Only one resolution can pass per committee. The draft resolution that obtains an
absolute majority passes. If no draft resolution obtains an absolute majority, the draft resolutio
n that obtains a simple majority, i.e, the highest number of votes, passes and is adopted as the
official resolution of the committee.

Amendments

After draft resolutions are submitted and corrected by the dais, they are typed and projected in
front of the committee. This is where the importance of taking notes when other blocs were
presenting their draft resolution comes to play, as delegates have the chance to amend any draft
resolution by sending a note to the chair that includes the amendment and the clause/sub-clause
it applies to. The amendments would then be discussed in the order they were presented.

Purpose of Amendments

Amendments are very important during the final conference and serve multiple purposes. During
the unmoderated caucus, it is frequent that a delegate proposes a controversial idea that does not
pass with the bloc, and due to lack of time, it is difficult to agree or disagree on this idea. This
idea can then be proposed during amendments, where the sponsor of said amendment can
present it to the entire committee and have the entire quorum vote on it. It is also common for
certain delegates to not have the time or opportunity to present their ideas. Hence, amendments
in this case serve the purpose of creating an enriched draft resolution that is representative of all
views in the committee. Amendments aid in diversifying all draft resolutions as delegates can
propose amendments to any draft resolution, not only the one they contributed to writing, i.e.,
the one from their bloc.

Types of Amendments

Three changes are possible when amending: adding a clause/sub-clause, editing a clause/sub-
clause, and deleting a clause/sub-clause.

We have two types of amendments:

● Friendly Amendments: When there are no objections from the sponsors of the draft
resolution being amended, the amendment is considered friendly. In this case, no voting
takes place and it is directly applied to the draft.

● Unfriendly Amendments: In case one or more sponsors object to the amendment, it is

considered unfriendly. Debate on the amendment is entertained with each side having 3
minutes to explain their argument with or against the amendment. In the voting
procedure, an absolute majority is required for any unfriendly amendment to pass. As
the debate has not yet been closed, delegates have the option of motioning for an
unmoderated caucus. This can happen only before voting on the amendment.

Amendments are an opportunity for delegates to show their level of research and preparation.
Delegates must always keep the stance of their country in mind when proposing amendme nts.
However, it is important to note that amendments should not be proposed just for the sake of it,
instead they must aim to enhance the quality of a draft resolution.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a concept that involves the ability to recognize, understand,
manage, and effectively use emotions in oneself and in interactions with others. As such,
emotiona l intelligence is not only needed in this program but is also imperative in your daily
life.
EI is defined by four main components:
1. Self-Awareness: Self-awareness constitutes the ability to know what your strengths
and weaknesses are, and to actually realize what you are feeling at a certain moment or
phase.

2. Self-Management: Self-management, which comes after being aware of your own

emotions, is the ability to manage impulsive emotions or feelings such as stress, anxiety,
and anger which usually push you to take actions without thinking them through.

3. Social Awareness: Social awareness is the ability to recognize the changes in other
people’s emotions and spot the nonverbal emotional cues that people usually send out in
certain situations.

4. Relationship Management: Relationship management is your ability to communicate

your message clearly, operate fluidly in a team, and manage conflicts. To do so, you will
need to be socially aware of your surroundings and understand the context of the mome
nt before you act.

It is vital to learn EI skills and master these four components in order to apply them to problem-
solving and critical thinking.

Special Committees

In the final conference, some delegates will represent countries or individuals in specia l
committees. Special committees are made up of historical committees and regional or country-
specific committees. Certain special committees may have special rules of procedure or position
paper requirements.

Historical committees are set in the past. For example, the topic could be the 1945 Division of
Korea, and delegates are expected to act as if they were stuck in 1945. They must disregard
everything that has happened after that specific date and only use information concerning events
that happened before 1945 or are happening in 1945. A particular date will be specified in the
background guide, and anything that has happened after that day cannot be used in the final
conference because it has not happened yet. For example, if the specified date is September 2nd,
1945, delegates cannot mention events that happened on or after September 3rd, 1945 as the
information will be considered invalid. Historical committees are a way of altering the past.
Researching what happened after the set date is useful for delegates to understand how politic
ians dealt with the issue at the time. However, it is not necessary for the delegates to mimic
those actions, as long as they remain in character.

Other committees may tackle topics that have a specific region or country in the title. In such
cases, delegates should research in parallel to the topic and look for any relevant informa t ion
discussing how their country dealt with a similar case. For example, if the topic is related to the
issue of decolonization in French Polynesia, the delegate of Pakistan can research their own
country’s history with decolonization and how it has dealt with the issue.

There may also be cases in which delegates would not be solo representatives – instead, they
would be part of a double delegation. A double delegation contains two delegates from the
same school, both simultaneously representing the same country as a team. For example, if the
United Nations Development were a double delegation committee, then all the representatives in
the committee would come in pairs. Each pair is considered one entity.

Position Papers

What is a position paper and why do we use it?

Prior to the final conference, delegates are required to write and submit a research document
called a position paper. Within this document, delegates must detail their country’s position
regarding the respective topic, their country’s national actions (what their country has done
regarding the topic at hand), international actions (what their country has done for the
international communit y), and recommendations (what the delegate recommends as appropriate
measures to deal with the subject at hand).

The goal behind the position paper is to facilitate the delegates’ research process and familia r
ize them with the ins and outs of the state they are to represent in the two-day conference. The
organization of the position paper is as follows:

● First page:
1. Header
2. Introductory Paragraph
3. tional Actions
4. International Actions
5. Recommendations
● Second page: References only

The Header follows the format below:

Name of Country:

Name of Committee:
Coat of Arms
Topic:

ID Number:

Notes:

● When filling in the ‘Name of Country’ section, delegates should use the official name of
the state.
For example, the delegate of Nepal is supposed to fill it out with “The Federal
Democratic Republic of Nepal” and not just “Nepal”.

● When filling out all the entries on the left of the header, delegates should make sure to
keep the titles (Name of Country: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal). For the Coat
of Arms, it is enough to insert a picture and remove the title. If the country does not have
an offic ia l coat of arms, the flag would suffice.

The Introductory Paragraph is composed of 3 to 4 sentences that include the follow ing
information:

1. Why is this topic important to your country/the international community as a

whole?
2. Give some facts and statistics to prove its importance.
3. How does this topic affect the country you are representing?

The National Actions Paragraph is composed of 5 to 8 sentences that discuss what the
delegate’s country has done/is doing in regards to the topic at hand. This paragraph would
answer the following questions:

1. What is my country’s stance on this issue? (Does it support it, is it against it,
undecided, etc.)
2. What action has my country taken concerning the topic? (Legislative: passing a
bill/law to support/oppose? Legal: criminalized? Completely legal?
Decriminalized? Etc.)

The International Actions Paragraph is also composed of 5 to 8 sentences that mention what
the delegate’s country has done regarding the matter at hand on an international level. This also
includes actions that require or affect international entities and other states. This paragraph
should answer the following questions:
 1. What steps has your country taken internationally? (GA vote, SC vote, funding,
campaigns treaties, ratifications, etc.)
2. Did your country collaborate with NGOs/IGOs in regards to this topic?
3. What major events relating to your topic has your country taken part in?

The Recommendations Paragraph is composed of 8 to 10 sentences. It is where delegates

should invest most of their efforts. Here, delegates should be the most creative and use logical
reasoning to come up with new original solutions for the topic at hand. All the solutions should
be logical, feasible, and precise. The solutions could include original suggestions, future
recommendatio ns , ways in which the countries can improve the situation within their borders or
innovative ways they could collaborate with other countries internationally to tackle the issue.
Each recommendat ion should be able to represent a full plan and should not have any gaps.

For example, if one of the solutions needs funding, the recommendation should be very detailed
and indicate who will fund the project (it should be someone who is capable of doing so), how it
will work, how long the funding will be needed for, and so on. It is also advised to look beyond
the scope of “raising awareness.”

Format

● One page long excluding references

● Font: Times New Roman
● Font Size: 12
● Margins: Normal, one inch all around. Delegates must not try to manipulate the margins
to fit in more words. If this is done, the delegate will risk disqualification.
● Single spacing between the lines, double-spacing between the paragraphs (press enter
twice).

References

● References should be credible. Wikipedia is not a credible source; however, delegates

can use the citations and references within Wikipedia.
● There should be a minimum of 5 sources.
● All sources should be cited in MLA format (recommend Citation Machine).

Tips

● Delegates can use Google Scholar to find credible articles that might benefit their
research. They can also use other Google tools to get results that are limited to a specific
time frame.
● Credible sources include academic journals, national documents, CIA, CNN, BBC, Al
Jazeera, Politico, UN Agency/Organ websites, World Economic Forum, etc…
● Delegates should always proofread their position paper before submission. They should
make sure that they do not leave any typos or grammatical mistakes unchecked.
 ● Delegates should avoid using “I” or any other first-person pronoun. Delegates must refer
to themselves as “The Republic of X suggests…”. With that said, it is important that the
delegates remember that they wi l be presenting the country’s stance or view on the topic
and not their own.
● Delegates should keep the paper organized and neat. They should use connectors to move
from one idea to the next, keep it simple, and be straight to the point. Furthermore, they
should avoid jumping back and forth between ideas and over-elaborating on one point at
the expense of the rest.
● Delegates must be careful to include all sources used to avoid plagiarism.
● Delegates should pay attention to their choice of words so that their message is not
miscommunicated.
● Delegates should refrain from using paraphrasing tools to avoid any risks of plagiarism.
Critical Thinking

What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is a cognitive process and a skill that involves analyzing, evaluating, and
synthesizing information and arguments to make reasoned and well-informed decisions. It's a
way of thinking that goes beyond simply accepting information at face value and encourages
individuals to question and consider different perspectives and evidence before arriving to a
conclusion.

Tips to Foster Critical Thinking:

1. Question Assumptions: Questioning assumptions is the willingness to challenge any

predetermined information that may seem skeptical. It constitutes the ability to notice any
habitual events that may have caused certain conflicts. Delegates should use this
technique in preparation for the conference, as they should question assumptions they
might have regarding a certain topic while doing research in order to fully comprehend its
aspects and their country’s stance. Moreover, they should question their assumptions in
conflicts during the conference in order to identify their sources and be able to resolve
them properly.

2. Reason through Logic: Reasoning through logic is the ability to think in a logical
manner and not commit logical fallacies. This is relevant since delegates will have to
come up with arguments to support their positions and follow logical reasoning to write
their resolutio ns. Some prominent logical fallacies to avoid are the following:

2.1. Overgeneralization: using one piece of evidence to make an overly generalized

conclusion.
■ Example: I once had an encounter with a refugee and he was very rude to
me, hence I should not be advocating for the rights of all refugees as all
refugees are rude.
 2.2. Ad Hominem: attacking the person or their personality rather than focusing on
their claim and reasoning. This includes labeling, offensive behavior and not
giving them a chance to speak.
■ Example: During an unmoderated caucus, the delegate of Italy suggested
that countries should deport some of the refugees to other countries to
alleviate the pressure. The delegate of Algeria interrupts him and replies:
“you are only saying that because your country has a history of racism”.

2.3. Appeal to Ignorance: using human ignorance to prove something and make an
argument. In other words, you use the lack of evidence to prove something that
cannot be proven otherwise.
■ Example: Since there is no evidence that refugees will be productive and
improve our economy, then it is obvious that this will lead to a recession.

2.4. Bandwagon: it is commonly associated with appealing to the opinion of the

masses. Essentially, it is about getting someone to do something because
“everyone else is doing it”.
■ Example: delegate A addresses delegate B saying: “all delegates have
agreed to contribute financially, so you should do the same.”

How Can Critical Thinking Aid in Formulating Better Resolutions?

1. Use the background guide efficiently

● Read actively while annotating.

● Utilize the questions to consider and recommendations to determine the train of
thought for mapping out resolutions.
● Question your own assumptions and do further research.
● Determine the main ideas in the background guide, and ask yourself if said ideas
are important to be discussed as subtopic in the FC.

2. Ask the right questions

2.1. Decipher the title of the topic “the European Refugee Crisis”:
2.1.1. What are refugees? What are asylum seekers?
2.1.2. What is considered a crisis?
2.1.3. Where in Europe? Where do they come from?
2.2. What are the root causes of this crisis?
2.3. Why is this issue urgent to tackle?
2.4. What were the past resolutions and actions?
2.4.1. What can we learn from them?
2.5. What are the most important areas of concern?
2.5.1. What are sub-issues to tackle in clauses of the draft resolutions?
 3. Research accordingly and come prepared

4. Collaborate: Keep in mind the importance of diversity of ideas and solutions.

Public Speaking

The mark of a successful speech is not only its clear and engaging content. Indeed, the mode of
delivery has a sizeable impact on how receptive and convinced the audience is of the informa t
ion being pitched. The elements of public speaking are divided as follows: body language (Non-
Verbal Component), voice and tone (Paraverbal Component), and content (Verbal
Component). Mastering all three of these components is key to capturing your listeners and
conveying the message. Not everyone is born a natural public speaker, but you should remember
that public speaking is a skill that can be improved with practice. Some people naturally have
voices that seem very captivating, while others might even struggle with stuttering. You should
know your strengths and how to emphasize them.

Verbal Component: Speech Writing

The verbal component of public speaking comes down to the content and structure of a speech.
The elements that are essential to preparing a speech are the following:

1. Adapting to the audience

2. Setting a specific purpose
3. Adapting to the occasion

There are two types of speeches: prepared speeches and impromptu speeches.

Prepared speeches: speeches that delegates would have prepared prior to the conference as they
would have expected certain subtopics to be discussed.

Impromptu Speeches: at some point during the conference, delegates will have to provide
immediate statements or speeches to the quorum, with no prior preparation or prediction.
Impromptu speeches can be a bit distressing, but mastering such a skill could give delegates a
significant boost in their performance.

The Structure of a Speech

In general, all speeches have a similar structure and fundamental requirements, but some
speeches may be tailored to a specific purpose. This structure can be used to write prepared
speeches and plan impromptu speeches accordingly.

a) Hook: a hook is the first thing your audience will hear and it may well determine
whether they will keep on listening. For this reason, a good attention grabber is vital to
captivate your audience from the start and set the tone for the rest of your speech. A
hook, or an attention grabber, generally comes in different forms:
 I. Rhetorical Question: Example: Is it possible to entirely close the Gender Gap? It
is important to take a short pause for the audience to reflect upon the question.
Delegates should make sure the rhetorical question they have chosen is relevant
and intriguing enough to be used as their hook.

II. Quote/Country official statement: Example: Ruth Bader Ginsburg once said
“Women will only have true equality when men share with them the responsibility
of bringing up the next generation”. Quotes may be relevant in certain cases but
need to be concretely linked to the content of the speech. Any general quote that
is only slightly related to the topic is irrelevant. Quotes might emerge from a
country’s prime minister or UN ambassador which might serve to showcase the
country’s stance regarding a certain conundrum.

III. Surprising fact/statistic: Example: In 2018, women received 82 cents for every
dollar a man-made. Delegates should make sure that the fact that is used is
credible or else this would defy its purpose altogether. Surprising facts are usually
big figures and numbers that highlight the urgency of the situation.

IV. Anecdote/story: Example: On August 22nd, 2019, a 21-year-old Palestinian girl,

Israa Ghrayeb, was beaten to death by her fiancé in the name of honor after
posting a selfie prior to their engagement. This kind of hook is extremely
impactful in humanitarian topics and issues. Appealing to emotions at the
beginning of your speech could make the audience sympathize with the situation.
Therefore, the delegate won’t have to make the whole speech emotional but rather
keep this function for the hook.

b) Body: Here, the main focus is on the content of the speech and everything the delegate is
expressing. It is crucial for the speaker to be deeply aware of the topic they are
discussing and to know what to include to grab the attention of their audience.

The delegates should also back up the content of the speech with information and
evidence to reel the audience in with facts and figures that further clarify the message.
Some of which are:

● Evidence: Giving statistics that come from credible and certified sources.
According to UN Women, 72% of trafficked individuals worldwide are women
and girls.
● Examples: In order to illustrate a concept or a theory mentioned. A number of
possible solutions could be implemented to ensure equal political representation,
such as placing gender quotas.
● Personal Experience: Here, personal experience in the speech would rather be
the country’s or institution’s. In 2016, Sweden launched its third action plan for
the abolition of Gender-Based Violence, as per the UNSC Resolution 1325.
 ● Imagery: According to Malala, “With guns, you can kill terrorists, with
education, you can kill terrorism”.
● Using the 5 Senses: “As Malala walked through the schools in Congo, she could
see how the majority of students were males, hence encouraging her to advocate
further for female education.”
● What It Is Not: “The issue of poverty is not a short-term disaster, but instead, it
is prolonged and impacts everyone.”

c) Conclusion: In this part of the speech, delegates must make sure to end the speech in a
smooth manner. Delegates can refer to one of the following methods:

i) Call for action: Delegates should invite other delegates to partake in addressing
the problem at hand. “The Ca l for Action” hence encourages members of the
conference to actively work and take initiative, and is favored in opening
speeches. Example: The Kingdom of Sweden invites all member states to partake
in the fight against gender inequality by jointly developing sustainable action
plans that ensure equal treatment of all human beings.

ii) Propose possible resolutions: Delegates could include suggestions on how to

tackle the specific issue being discussed. These are needed in subtopic speeches.
Example: The Kingdom of Sweden urges expanding the scope of the UNHCR by
establishing a UN sub committee that deals with health related issues of refugees.

Rhetorical Devices

Now that we have covered the general structure of a speech, it is beneficial to explain certain
devices that can be utilized to make your message stand out. Rhetorical devices are techniques
that are used to persuade your audience by making the content more compelling and
captivating.

There are three prominent devices that are used in speeches: Parallelism, Repetition and Analogies.

1. Parallelism, also known as parallel structure, is when phrases in a sentence have similar
or the same grammatical structure. In its most basic usage, parallelism provides a phrase
with balance and clarity. Parallelism also serves to give phrases a pattern and rhythm.

“Both men and women should feel free to be sensitive. Both men and women should feel
free to be strong. It is time that we all perceive gender on a spectrum, instead of two sets
of opposing ideals. If we stop defining each other by what we are not, and start defining
ourselves by who we are, we can all be freer.” - Emma Watson, Gender Equality Speech

2. Repetition helps strengthen the listener's memory. Soon you will be able to associate the
repeated lines to other information. Use this powerful technique to enhance your pitch.
When done correctly, repeating certain words and phrases in your speech makes a lasting
impact.
 “All of us need to demand that Congress be brave enough to stand up to the gun lobby's
lies. All of us need to stand up and protect its citizens. All of us need to demand
governors, and legislators and businesses do their part to make our communities
safer.And yes, it will be hard, and it won't happen overnight. It won't happen during this
Congress. It won't happen during my presidency. But a lot of things don't happen
overnight. A woman's right to vote didn't happen overnight. The liberation of African-
Americans didn't happen overnight. LGBT rights, that was decades worth of work. So just
because it's hard, that's no excuse not to try.” - Barack Obama, Gun Control Speech.

3. An analogy is a comparison between one thing and another, typically for the purpose of
explanation or clarification. It can also serve as a major attention grabber.

“From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended
across the Continent.” - Winston Churchill, Iron Curtain Speech

Explanation of this example: Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech shows how an analogy can
be so simple describing a situation or concept that it can become part of our natural
language going forward, generating a common starting point for how people discuss the
issue in the future. The Soviet Union had separated the eastern European countries fro m
the west so that no one knew what was going on behind the “curtain.” He used the word
“iron” to signify that it was impenetrable. In simpler terms, the Iron curtain typically
described the division between a communist life and a non-communist life.

Paraverbal Component

Other than the body language that can essentially make or break your speech, your voice and
tone are vital for the audience to comprehend your words properly. In order to achieve this,
delegates should focus on the following characteristics of their voice:

● Articulation and pronunciation: They are vital in making sure the message is clearly
understood by the audience. If the words are not clearly, loudly, and accurately
articulated, the information may not be grasped by the conference attendees; leaving
room for misunderstandings. For delegates to practice articulation, use tongue twisters as
a fun activity.

○ How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
He would chuck, he would, as much as he could, and chuck as much wood. As a
woodchuck would if a woodchuck could chuck wood.

○ Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers

A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
 ● Emphasis: Emphasis can make all the difference in maintaining attention while stressing
the key notions and terms to be focused on. Make sure delegates distinguish between
emphasis and volume. Some may believe that emphasis may signify raising your voice
when saying a certain word but it could essentially just be taking a short pause and using
the proper hand gestures to convey this message.

● Pauses: Well-timed pauses allow the listeners to take in the given information and reflect
over them. Pauses are used often when starting with a rhetorical question to make your
audience really think about what you just asked. They can also be used for emphasis. It
should be noted that long and wrongly-timed pauses can bore the audience and diminis h
the speaker’s credibility in terms of knowledge in the material. Delegates should utilize
pauses to their advantage in order to carefully think about what to say next and still keep
up with a normal speech with a moderate amount of pauses.

● Pitch: One’s pitch should always alternate and cater to what is being said and explained.
Variations between a high and a low pitch should be made in order to reflect the intens
ity of the information. This will depend on the type and intensity of the information being
given.

● Speed: Speed affects the audience’s ability to absorb knowledge and the clarity of the
speech itself. Describing complicated concepts and frameworks requires a slower pace as
the audience may need more time to take them in. However, delegates need to make sure
they consider the time allocated for the speech and might decide to delete some informa t
ion on the spot for concision.

● Tonality: It is essential to avoid monotony while speaking as the audience will ultima te
ly stop paying attention to the speech. Tonality fluctuation is recommended.

● Volume: It is crucial for one to overcome background noise with volume in order to
reach all members of the audience. Volume must be varied, but not in excess, to keep the
listeners engaged.

Non-Verbal Component

Body language has been proven to give the very first impression of any speaker in the room.
Even the way a speaker walks towards the podium can set the tone for their speech. Body
language may reveal if a delegate is nervous and distract the audience from the content, but it
can also inspire confidence. It is easily neglected when delegates focus solemnly on the content,
therefore; delegates should stay mindful all throughout their speech.

The most important elements to focus on are:

 ● Apparel: Appearance and clothing constitute the general image reflected towards the
audience. Delegates are expected to dress in accordance with the conference’s dress code
(formal-wear).

● Eye Contact: Eye contact essentially maintains the audience’s attention, engages them in
the conversation and can be used to appeal to emotions. While it may be tempting to
focus on reading a well-written speech, lack of eye contact will make the audience feel
excluded. One should make sure they scan the whole room while delivering their speech.
This can be done by dividing the audience into several sections and alternating
accordingly. As a final tip, delegates who are not able to focus their eye contact directly
towards the eyes of their audience may use several techniques such as looking at the wall
behind them or focusing on their foreheads to overcome nervousness.

● Facial Expressions: Facial expressions can help convey the message properly while
attributing adequate emotion. So, the delegate must cater their facial expressions to the
topic at hand. If the topic is tragic, they can’t discuss it while smiling or grinning and
vice versa. It is also important to note that the audience should mind their facial
expressions, as it is encouraged to always stay diplomatic and maintain an objective
attitude towards your peers.

● Gestures: Limbs and hand gestures are essential in illustrating and simplifying the
content. They can be used to emphasize and stress key proponents of the speech. For
instance, one’s limbs should not remain at one’s sides, but rather be used only when
necessary. Gestures could help show a logical flow of ideas by enumerating while using
hands and stressing the importance of certain ideas. It is important to note that having
improper hand placement can be a major distraction for the audience. Therefore,
delegates should find a comfortable manner of placing them either on the podium or
folding their hands when appropriate.

● Posture: It is important to steady one’s feet firmly on the ground while avoiding any
form of distraction such as fidgeting. Head must be held upright as shoulders are mainta
ined straight. A firm posture signifies confidence and even psychologically boosts your
adrenaline and decreases nervousness.

Tips for Mastering Public Speaking

● Practice famous speeches

● Record yourself and watch it again to reflect over your performance
● Watch some well-known public speakers
● Practice in front of any audience (friends and family)
● Confidence will be attained through research (the more you know about the topic, the
easier it gets)
● Try to speak for more than 30 seconds about your topic
 ● Avoid using any filler words within the speech, in case you get stuck, take a pause in a
strategic way.

Negotiation

In the final conference, delegates representing countries with a range of stances will attempt to
reach a consensus regarding the topic at hand while upholding their interests. This is why
negotiation skills are of the utmost importance in a conference debate.

Negotiation is when parties strategically engage in a discussion with the aim of resolving a
certain issue. All parties involved aim to gain something from the negotiation process or else it
is futile. Negotiation relies on understanding the key issue at stake, its importance to the
different parties involved, and what is to be gained. To get what we want, we are compelled to
negotiate.

From children to adults, everyone has negotiated at least once in their life. “Like it or not, you
are a negotiator.”

Types of Negotiations

Distributive Negotiation: parties discuss a single issue, e.g., the price of a good or service.
Here, there is an aim to slice up the pie as parties bargain over a fixed amount of value. It usually
involves a back-and-forth exchange of offers, also known as the “negotiation dance”.

Example: a car sale where the buyer and the seller negotiate the price of the car.

Integrative Negotiation: parties discuss more than one issue. Multiple issues are at stake here
and negotiators have the potential to make tradeoffs across issues and reach a “win-win”
agreement. Here, if one cares little about a certain issue while the other negotiator values this
issue immense ly, one might propose making a concession on that particular issue in exchange
for a concession from the other negotiator on an issue they value.

Example: the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the United States,
Canada, and Mexico. It involved several issues such as tariffs, quotas, and subsidies, and
required open communication between the parties and a willingness to compromise. The final
agreement was beneficial to all parties and led to increased trade between them.

Team Negotiation: At least one of the parties is made up of more than one person. Indeed,
research shows that more overall value is created when negotiators are actually teams. When one
sets up their negotiation team, it is wise to discuss beforehand what role each person will play.
Planning the negotiation strategy in advance is key.

Example: the production and quality control departments negotiating a manufacturing strategy.
The production team cares about producing a large number of products as fast as possible
whereas the quality department advocates for slower production and more frequent quality
checks. Each member of each team has something to bring to the table, and a way to defend their
point of view based on their role, knowledge, and experience.

Multiparty Negotiation: three or more parties are negotiating with each other, whether as
individuals or as part of negotiating teams. The more issues, parties, and concerns there are on
the table, the more opportunities there are to create value by making tradeoffs across the table.

Example: three friends deciding where to travel to next or 193 nations agreeing on a draft
resolution to combat climate change.

One-shot vs. Repeated Negotiations: Some negotiations are one-shot whereby parties convene
for a single process of negotiation with no intention of negotiating together in the future.
Negotiation may occur in more than one meeting.

Example: negotiators who discuss the price of a used car online, meet in person for a test drive
and then conclude the negotiations a week later, but the expectation is that they will go their
separate ways when the negotiation is over.

One-shot negotiations carry a risk of unethical behavior if parties believe they do not need to
build a trusting relationship and can gain a lot by duping the counterpart. By comparison,
negotiators who hope to engage in repeated negotiations tend to work harder to create a sense of
mutual trust, and their negotiations may be more cooperative and collaborative as a result.

Example: workplace brainstorming sessions.

Tips and Tricks to Negotiating

1. Analyze and Cultivate the BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement):

the best source of power is one’s wi lingness and ability to walk away from the deal and
take another deal. It is wise for negotiators to spend significant time identifying their best
alternative to a negotiated agreement.

Example: Tom is negotiating with Jenny to purchase her car. She offers to sell it for
$10,000. Tom knows that another person online is selling their car for $7,500. This is his
BATNA because he knows that if she does not offer a price lower than $7,500, he can buy
the online seller’s car.

2. Listen Actively: One must resist the urge to think about what to say next while his or her
fellow negotiator is speaking. Instead, one should listen carefully to the arguments being
made and paraphrase what was said to ensure that both parties are on the same page.

3. Ask Good Questions: It is important that negotiators avoid yes or no questions or

leading questions such as “Don’t you think this a marvelous idea?”. Questions must be
shaped in
 a neutral manner that invites detailed responses such as: “Can you provide more
information regarding the issues you are facing this quarter?”

4. Search for Smart Tradeoffs: One should identify issues that their counterparts care
deeply about, but that they value less. Concessions are then made according to issues
valued more vs those valued less. This is done through preparation and research.

5. Be Aware of the Anchoring Bias: Research shows that the first number mentioned in a
negotiation, however arbitrary, exerts a powerful influence on the negotiation that
follows. Anchoring bias occurs when parties rely too much on this first information when
making decisions. One can avoid falling victim to it by making the first offer and trying
to anchor talks in their preferred direction. If the opposing negotiator makes an offer first,
it is important for the negotiator to keep their BATNA in mind for comparison.

Example: if you first see a pair of pants that cost $1,000, then see another one that costs
$100, you are more inclined to perceive the second one as cheap.

6. Focus on Interests, Not Positions: The manner in which people deal with the issue
being negotiated may be influenced by many factors, such as their values, beliefs, status,
responsibilities, and cultural background. One must consider these factors during the
negotiations to ensure both parties are respected (refer back to the Onion).

7. Build Bridges: One should act as the mediator and ask all parties involved for their
opinions and whether they wish to add something to the process.

Now, some negotiators believe that hard-bargaining tactics are the key to success in any
negotiation. They resort to unethical behavior to try to gain the upper hand in a negotiation. This
creates a win-lose mentality which is counterproductive to the negotiation process.

Unfortunately, when parties resort to hard-bargaining tactics, they risk missing out on this win-
win possibility as negotiators tend to respond in the way they are treated. It is important to be
able to identify these hard-bargaining tactics to later defuse them.

1. False Demands: Making a demand that they do not care about, just to take it back later
on and show that they made a concession.

2. Extreme Demands followed up by small, slow concessions: It can keep parties from
making a deal and unnecessarily drags out negotiations. Keep the BATNA in mind.

3. Take-It-or-Leave-It Strategy: Offers should rarely be non-negotiable. Focus on the

content and make a counteroffer.

4. Attempt at Forced Concession: The opponent keeps making greater and greater
demands to make the counter-negotiator reach a breaking point and concede. Clarify that
only reciprocal exchange of offers will be tolerated.
5. Personal Insults and Feather-Ruffling: Personal attacks can feed on insecurities and
make someone feel vulnerable. One must take a break when feeling flustered and let the
other party know that no insults or cheap ploys will be tolerated.

6. Bluffing and Lying: Exaggerating and misrepresenting facts can throw anyone off
guard. Investigate claims closely.

7. Threats and Warnings: The first step to defusing tension is to recognize threats and
warnings and name them for what they are.

8. Good cop, bad cop: Recognize the tactic.

9. Negotiating with authority: Equal authority is important in negotiations. If one party

negotiates with authority, the other party could stand to lose a lot.