basic terms
background guide
written by conference organizers it’s a summary important information for your committee topic and is the starting point for any model un delegate.
Gavel
a mallet that is used by a committee chair to bring order to a committee or council.
abstain
deciding not to vote on a particular issue. it is generally understood as not supporting a resolution enough to vote for it, but not being opposed enough to vote against it.
There will be anywhere from 50-200 committee members and 5-15 blocs.
regular general assembly
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Mid-sized bodies tackling economic development, human rights, and environmental policy.
Bloc
a group of countries wither either similar geographic location or similar opinions on the topic
delegation
a team of students that attend a conference usually from the same school.
moderated caucus vs unmoderated caucus
moderated: conversation that is moderated by a committee chair on a subtopic
unmoderated: open conversation with all the counties to attempt to get sponsors and signatories
delegates represent characters instead of countries
crisis committee
Specialized & Regional Bodies
Smaller groups focusing on specific geographic or functional areas like NATO or the Human Rights Council (HRC).
council
an advisory body that meets regularly and serves in an administrative capacity.
delegate
a student who is a representative for a particular state or person in a model un committee
Adjourn
suspending the debate for a particular committee session, discussions can resume during next session.
Directives not Resolutions
crisis committee
Addresses immediate threats to international peace.
security council
committee
a body that is tasked with investigating, reporting, and taking advantage of a particular issue.
position paper
An essay that presents your delegations assessment of a situation and how to fix it.
Flow of Debate
a term used to break down the stages of a MUN conference. a committee session moves along a 4 step process (opening debate, organizing priorities, debating the topic, solving the problem).
world health organization
regular / general assembly
Regional Bodies
Simulates specific geographic or political alliances with unique voting norms. ex. EU
committee session
a meeting by a committee or council that includes debate on a certain topic.
placard
a Signboard that shows who the delegate is representing. A delegate can raise it when they would like to speak.
point
Raised by delegate, used to discuss issues outside of substantive debate.
These are committees that are in-between the Regular and Crisis styles. It can be something like a double-delegate Crisis committee
fusion committee
Ad Hoc Crisis Committees
Often treated as the ultimate test of skill at a conference, the topic and rules for an Ad Hoc are kept entirely secret until the first session begins. It relies heavily on rapid improvisation, creative crisis notes, and split-second thinking against top-tier delegates