8th Ateneo Model

United Nations

DELEGATE PRIMER
Compiled by
The Ateneo Model United Nations Commission

This work is not to be reproduced unless permitted by the

organization.
Good day Delegate!

On behalf of the Association of European Studies Students (AEuSS)

and the 8th Ateneo Model United Nations Commission, I congratulate you
for accomplishing the application process for the 8th Ateneo Model United
Nations. Your journey begins with your research on the topics assigned to
you. I hope you prepare well for the conference for we have doing the same
in order to ensure that you may have a fruitful and memorable experience.

The Ateneo Model United Nations is a simulation of the proceedings

of the United Nations and you, as delegates, will get to experience how
diplomats work by debating and forging arguments based on your foreign
policy, lobbying working papers and creating innovative solutions to resolve
current global issues. Let us not restrict ourselves, however, to these
experiences alone for Model United Nations is more than just a diplomatic
experience. You get to experience the thrilling pressure of creating
resolutions by forming working blocs, creating bonds with your fellow
delegates, formulating new and innovative resolutions.

My experiences as a delegate have opened my eyes to thinking

outside the box and drove me to become more open to new ideas. I was
challenged by everything around me, whether it was the people or the
conference and its topics. In the process, I enjoyed learning and soon, I
craved it. I cherish every single moment of a conference, whether it be a
local or international MUN because every conference amounts to its own
unique experience. May you forget your fears, conquer your shyness, and
shape yourself to be a model delegate. Do note that MUN does not stop
once the conference ends, rather it stays with you and permeates your
academics, your social lives, or even your future profession.

As the conference draws nearer, I would like to apologise on behalf

of the AMUN Commission, for every setback and issue that has come your
way. I hope that the unfortunate events do not ruin your AMUN Experience. I
promise you however that my team and I will continue to do our very best
until the end of the conference to ensure a great and unique experience. I
wish you the best of luck in your preparations and during the conference
itself. If there is anything else that we can help you with, please do not
hesitate to tell us your concerns and we will attend to it as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Raul Gabriel M. Manalo

Secretary-General
MODEL UNITED

Model United Nations is an academic simulation of

the proceedings of the existing New York based
United Nations organization in an academic
environment. It provides opportunities for students
around the world to practice cross-cultural
communication, experience multilateral diplomacy,
and engage in discussions involving global issues
and current events.
Model United Nations thus becomes a platform for
young individuals to hone their skills in
negotiations, writing, policy analysis, and problem
solving as they work together to realise common
goals and come to accord through resolutions and
good will.
CONFERENCE
PROGRAM
PROGRAM FLOW

Time Activity Tentative Venue

8:00 – 9:00 Registration Leong Hall Lobby

Opening ceremony and

9:00 – 9:10 introduction by AMUN Leong Hall Auditorium (LH
Secretary-General 111)
9:10 – 9:25 Opening remarks

Ingress to respective
9:25 – 9:40 —
committee venues

UNGA: Leong Hall

Auditorium (LH 111)
UNSC: Faber Hall 302 (FH
9:40 – 12:00 Committee session 1 302)
UNDP: Faura Hall AVR
UNEP: Faber Hall 101 (FH
101)

Lunch break and ingress to

12:00 – 13:15 respective committee Leong Hall Roofdeck
venues

UNGA: Leong Hall

Auditorium (LH 111)
UNSC: Faber Hall 302 (FH
13:15 – 15:45 Committee session 2 302)
UNDP: Faura Hall AVR
UNEP: Faber Hall 101 (FH
101)

Ingress to keynote
15:45 – 16:00 —
speakers’ talk

Leong Hall Auditorium (LH

16:00 – 18:00 Keynote speakers’ talk
111)

18:00 Egress of delegates —

PROGRAM FLOW

Time Activity Tentative Venue

8:00 – 9:00 Registration UNGA: Leong Hall
Auditorium (LH 111)
UNSC: Faber Hall 302
(FH 302)
9:00 – 12:00 Committee session 3 UNDP: Faura Hall AVR
UNEP: Faber Hall 101 (FH
101)

Lunch break and ingress

12:00 – 13:15 to respective committee Leong Hall Roofdeck
venues

13:15 – 13:45 Committee icebreakers UNGA: Leong Hall

Auditorium (LH 111)
UNSC: Faber Hall 302
(FH 302)
UNDP: Faura Hall AVR
13:45 – 17:00 Committee session 4
UNEP: Social Sciences
Building, Conference
Rooms 1-2 (SS Conf 1-2)

17:00 Egress of delegates —

PROGRAM FLOW

Time Activity Tentative Venue

8:00 – 9:00 Registration UNGA: Leong Hall
Auditorium (LH 111)
UNSC: Faber Hall 302 (FH
302)
9:00 – 12:00 Committee session 5 UNDP: Faura Hall AVR
UNEP: Faber Hall 101 (FH
101)

Lunch break and ingress

12:00 – 13:15 to respective committee Leong Hall Roofdeck
venues

UNGA: Leong Hall

Auditorium (LH 111)
Awarding of minor awards UNSC: Faber Hall 302 (FH
13:15 – 13:45 and picture taking per 302)
committee UNDP: Faura Hall AVR
UNEP: Faber Hall 101 (FH
101)

Ingress of delegates to —
13:45 – 14:00
plenary session

Plenary session
14:00 – 17:00 (presentation of
resolutions)

Awarding ceremony Leong Hall Auditorium (LH

17:00 – 17:30
(major awards) 111)

17:30 – 17:45 Closing remarks

17:45 – 18:00 Picture taking

18:00 Egress of delegates —

CODE OF
CONDUCT
DRESS

In order to effectively embody the character of a

professional UN delegate, participants of Ateneo
Model UN are required to wear corporate attire.
Everyone is enjoined to limit the colours of their
attire to neutral shades. Ateneo Model UN will not
tolerate attire that includes T-shirts, short pants,
athletic wear, denim apparel, and hats.
Ateneo Model UN strongly respects religious
diversity. In line with this principle, religious attire
that may have been considered as inappropriate
will be permitted. The Ateneo Model UN Secretariat
reserves the right to decline the admittance of any
delegate deemed to be dressed in inappropriate
attire. Dress code violations will automatically
forfeit delegates of their privileges during the
conference.
Ateneo Model UN delegates are expected to carry
themselves in a manner appropriate of real-life diplomats.
Diplomatic etiquette should be highly observed
throughout the entire conference. The debates that
transpire during any Model United Nations conference
generally carry a well- defined tone of formality.
Delegates are therefore encouraged to communicate and
cooperate with other delegates with utmost respect and
courtesy.

Principles of a healthy line of cross-cultural

communication that acknowledges both religious and
cultural diversity should be held as the standard in this
conference. All types of contemptuous acts and deeds will
be sanctioned by the organisers of this conference.

Alcoholic beverages, cigarette smoking, drugs, public

displays of affection, and any explicitly lascivious acts
are prohibited. Delegates found to have violated these
rules will be sanctioned accordingly and will not be
allowed to join the conference thereafter.
GENERAL
INFORMATION
NAME
Name tags will be provided for the delegates before
the conference which will serve as their credentials.
The name tag will include the delegate’s full name,
country assignment, committee designation, and
the institution he/she hails from. Delegates and
staff members are obligated to wear their name
tags at all times for the entire duration of the
conference.
Responsibly wearing the name tags will help the
staff and event organisers identify delegates,
which will decrease the possibility of any
misunderstanding between school personnel,
faculty, and student body while the delegates are
on campus.
Placards will also be provided for each delegate,
indicating his/her country assignment and council
designation. Delegates are encouraged to handle
their placards with care. Before delegates break for
recess, they must surrender their placards to the
Delegate Services Committee for safe-keeping.
NAME

Delegates must check-in for each day of the

conference at the registration desk located outside
the General Assembly Hall before convening. Upon
signing in on the first day of the conference,
delegates will receive their delegate kits, which
include the delegate’s name tag, placard, notepad,
pen, and an Ateneo Model UN shirt souvenir.
All delegates are required to surrender their name
tags and placards at the registration desk at the
end of each conference day excluding the final one
when they get to keep their name tags and
placards as memorabilia.
LIABILITY +

Liability
Ateneo Model United Nations will not hold itself liable
for any damage, theft, or loss of any and all items
during the conference or outside it. Delegates are
advised not to leave their belongings unattended.

Language
English will be the official working language of this
conference, and formal language shall be used
(which means this excludes colloquial terms). All
delegates are always to refer to themselves in third
person (i.e. The delegate of [full official name of your
assigned country] moves to...), and never in first (I
move to...). Furthermore, when a delegate wishes to
make a motion, the word “motion” is never to be
used as a verb (i.e. This delegate motions to...). The
correct phrasing would be “This delegate moves to”
or “This delegate calls for a motion to...”
Delegates are the main participants in any Model
United Nations Conference. Each participant is
assigned a country to represent within the of
his/her as- signed committee’s and topic agenda.
In order to ensure that proceedings carry on
appropriately, each delegate is cautioned to
conscientiously reflect only his/her nation’s views
and policies.
The delegates must take great caution to not “go
out of character” as a representative of their
respective country as this will ruin the quality of the
debate and the negotiation. The practice of
interjecting one’s own personal opinions and bias
at any point and time especially if they are
directed negatively towards another delegate
during the debate or conference proceedings is
strongly discouraged.
For the 8th Ateneo Model United Nations delegates
are assigned either to the Security Council, the
United Nations Environment Programme , the
United Nations Development Programme, or the
General Assembly. Countries in the General
Assembly are represented by only one delegate.
Each country is given one vote. Veto powers are
held by the Permanent Five in the Security Council
(China, France, Russian Federation, the United
Kingdom, and the United States of America).
NOTES AND

Notes
Delegates are allowed to pass notes to each other
with the help of note passers. The Chair, however,
may revoke this privilege if he/she deems that this
dispensation is being maltreated.

Note Passers
Note Passers are responsible for relaying messages
from one delegate to an- other or from one
delegate to the Chair, and they have no power in
the flow of the debate. The Chair may call for
assistance from pages in counting votes,
distributing copies of resolutions, and other
logistical matters.
DAIS AND

DAIS
The Dais is composed of a Chair, a Vice-Chair, and
a Rapporteur for each committee. They are in
charge of moderating each session and ensuring
that de- bates go smoothly and productively.
Chairs
Chairs take on the roles of moderators who have
absolute parliamentary control during and over the
conference. They are primarily tasked with
facilitating the flow of debate from roll call to
passing resolutions in order to ensure that the
discussions in their respective committees proceed
efficiently and remain relevant to the topics at
hand.
Chairs come to decisions regarding agendas,
objections, motions, amendments, and votes. They
are also allowed to address points of order, and
they are allowed to recommend procedural
mechanisms. In addition, Chairs are responsible for
keeping order during the conference proceedings
by taking note of any violations or warnings
delegates may incur.
For the 8th Ateneo Model United Nations delegates
are assigned either to the Security Council, the
United Nations Environment Programme , the
United Nations Development Programme, or the
General Assembly. Countries in the General
Assembly are represented by only one delegate.
Each country is given one vote. Veto powers are
held by the Permanent Five in the Security Council
(China, France, Russian Federation, the United
Kingdom, and the United States of America).
8th AMUN
COMMITTEES
UNITED NATIONS

The General Assembly is usually the largest council

designation in any Model United Nations
conference. One of the six principal organs of the
United Nations, the GA is considered the primary
deliberative and policy making organ of the UN.
The GA tackles and makes resolutions concerning
any issue within the scope of the United Nations,
except for matters that the United Nations Security
Council (UNSC) is specifically tasked with, which
are mainly issues of peace and security. The
assembly undertakes international issues that may
be within the parameters of political, economic,
humanitarian, social, and legal spheres. Each
member state of the assembly is given one vote;
and two-thirds majority are needed to pass a
resolution.
UNITED NATIONS

The United Nations Development Programme

advocates for change and development in
countries with a goal of providing avenues for
better lives mainly in reducing poverty. The body
focuses on providing aid in development, training
and giving recommendations to policies of local
governments for any development challenges they
encounter. Other areas of focus would include
crisis preventions and recovery, energy issues,
health issues, social development and the like.
UNITED NATIONS

The Security Council is generally part of a

committee referred to as Specialized Agents, which
often limit the number of their delegate
participants. It is a principal organ of the UN with
the main responsibility of maintaining international
peace and security. It is the only UN body able to
issue binding resolutions, deploy peacekeeping
missions, authorise military intervention, and
establish international sanctions.
UNITED NATIONS

The United Nations Environment Programme is the

world’s leading environmental authority in setting
climate agendas, promoting environmental
awareness and providing environmental
sustainability with the goal of protecting and
ensuring the future of the environment and a better
quality of living. The body mainly focuses on
environmental issues broadly on climate change,
disaster management, resource efficiency,
chemicals and waste management and the like with
an overarching commitment to sustainability.
BEFORE THE
CONFERENCE
POSITION

A position paper is a one-page summary statement.

Preparing a position paper enables the delegate
concisely collect all the information gathered on
his/her country, committee, and the topic in
question, and in this manner, s/he is familiarized
with the country s/he has been assigned to before
the committee session convenes. Delegates are
required to submit their position papers before the
conference.
SIX-STEP STRATEGY

1. Know your country in general.

• Form of government;
• General demographic (population statistics on
religious and cultural diversity);
• Any issues on rebellion, separatists, issues with
indigenous people (if any);
• Geographical borders and topographical
characteristics.

2. Know the issue, both objectively and in the

framework of your country’s policies.
• Know whether your country is central to the issue,
and always, always keep your country’s position in
the matter in mind.
• Look at official statements by the pertinent
government agencies.
• Statements given by government officials in
international conferences;
• Government press releases (Foreign Affairs site);
• Research on the important specifics of the issue in
general.
SIX-STEP STRATEGY

3. Using the information about the issue in

relation to your country’s policy, foreshadow
and framework thoughts accordingly.
• Good time to write a position paper (see above);
• Given the basic policies you are aware of, try now to
formulate what your country will now say;
• Identify your “red lines” in the issue, the non-
negotiables of your country.

4. Look for UN-related resolutions that your

country may have supported before which
are related to the topic/policy at hand.
• Read them, and determine if the resolution still fits
with your policy, or is it time to change?
• What does the resolution try to do with the issue?
• What tone in resolutions do you think should you
write/sponsor?
SIX-STEP STRATEGY

5. Determine the core states that influence

the issue. Determine your role in the issue.

• Will my country be expected to give strong stances on

the issue?
• Will my country be a major actor in the debate, given
my position with regards to the issue?
• Who are my country’s allies?
• Who are the countries I should look out for? Why?

6. Branch out. Look for sub-issues that fall

under the council issue. Try to familiarise
yourself with some of these. They will help
during the debates and other occurrences
requiring your direct contributions.
• You may find a topic to write a resolution on.
• Crisis situations may occur. You may want to prepare
for them.
BEGINNING THE
CONFERENCE
ROLL

The Chair begins with a roll call to which the

delegates will respond to with “present in voting”
which is indicative of a delegate’s attendance, but
with the right to abstain during voting procedures.
“Absent” will be cast by the dais when the delegate
is not present.
Each committee will have one topic and several
draft resolutions on various specific issues
pertaining to the committee’s theme. Setting the
agenda serves to lay down the order by which the
resolutions that are already available will be
discussed. The primary purpose of calling the roll is
to determine the existence of quorum.
QUORUM AND

Quorum
Quorum is the needed minimum number of
delegates in order for a committee to start its
session. The quorum of an A-MUN General Assembly
is majority which is fifty percent of the delegates
plus one to offset discussion on resolutions and
voting. In the A-MUN Security Council, a majority is
also needed to begin the session.

Setting the Agenda

Due to the nature of the Ateneo Model UN, the
agenda is determined and released to the
delegates prior to the conference. Hence, the
Chair will ask the Rapporteur to provide the
agenda at the beginning of the session, and
delegates will vote which topic the committee
will tackle first.
DELIVERY OF

Every delegate has to prepare and orally present

an opening speech at the beginning of the
conference, stating his/her country’s stance on the
committee-specific issue. Delegates are given a
maximum of sixty seconds for their opening
speeches. The Chair is responsible for strictly
imposing this time limit to accommodate all the
delegates before lobbying and discussions on
resolutions can begin. Customarily, opening
speeches are presented formal- ly thus the delegate
who is about to deliver his/her opening speech
must address the Chair and the committee
respectfully.
For example, “Good morning/afternoon/evening,
honourable Chair and fellow delegates. [Full
official name of your assigned country] is
honoured to be present in this year’s Ateneo Model
UN Conference.”
It is encouraged that a member of the assembly to
set the general speaker’s time for the entire session.
However, if no motion is raised to set the speaker’s
time, it can be set later on. Other motions can be
raised as well, but the context within which they are
made must be taken into consideration.
(Continued on to next page)
 What does it When is it How many
Type of Motion
do? applicable? votes to pass?
Motion for a Moderated When council opts Only one delegate
Moderated Caucuses are to stick within a needs to second
Caucus debates to limit timed and orderly the motion. If there
topics to a more series of are objections, one
specific discussion. exchanges on the speaker “for” and
They follow the matter being one “against” will
order of countries discussed. be required by the
listed on the Chair. Simply
speakers’ list. To majority will be
be placed on the needed to pass.
list, one needs to
raise his placard.

Motion to Table To simply junk the Between speeches 2/3 majority. When
Resolution resolution for on the resolution. someone motions
whatever When no points to table a
meritorious reason. are being raised. resolution, the
Should be raised council proceeds
between speeches. straight to voting
block.

Motion to move Ends all debate on In between No vote needed.

directly to voting the resolution, and speeches on the Only a second and
procedures immediately resolution, and no objections.
places the council when no points are
into voting being raised.
procedures.
Type of Points When to use it What it does How to say it

Point of Order Immediately after It informs the “This delegate

you think that the concerned parties believes that the
Chair or a of the error in Chair/the delegate
delegate made an procedure. of ____ made an
error in procedure error in/by…”

Point of At any time you Asks the Chair how “This delegate
Parliament Inquiry are confused with to continue with would like to
matters pertaining the debate inquire about
to procedures. Rise the… (time of
only when no one suspension, etc.)
is speaking.

Point of Personal When no one is Asks the Chair to Unless it is on the

Privilege speaking. You may grant you the matter of
only interrupt timed bathroom audibility of
speaker if the breaks, etc. another speaker,
point is on all points of
audibility. privilege are to be
sent via note
passers. State
reason for such a
request. Wait for
confirmation from
the Chair.
Point of When the Chair Inquiries from the Polite phrasing of
Information opens up the floor delegate who just a question related
for points after a gave the speech to the speech
speech is delivered he/she just
delivered
DEBATE ON
RESOLUTION
SPEAKER’S LIST
The General Speaker’s List is part of the
conference’s default method of debate. The Chair
lists down the order by which delegates can
address the committee prior to voting on a
resolution. If delegates wish to be placed on the
General Speaker’s List, raising the placard is
enough for the Chair to recognise a delegate as a
speaker. Once the General Speaker’s List has been
established, delegates are allowed one minute to
speak. The Chair will strictly monitor the time limit.
The Chair may open the floor to points of motion
thereafter and any delegate may move to open
unmoderated caucus on the topic at hand.
SPEAKER’S LIST
The creation of a Special Speaker’s List is a type of
moderated caucus dedicated to a specific aspect of the topic
or issue that needs special attention. Any delegate can
motion for a Special Speaker’s List once the Chair opens the
floor for points of motion. For example, the topic of discussion
is Somalian piracy. A delegate may motion for a Special
Speaker’s List for a moderated caucus on a specific topic he/
she wants to focus on such as financing terrorist
organisations. The delegate who motioned for the Special
Speaker’s List will have to state the purpose and time limit of
the entire moderated caucus as well as the time limit for each
delegate’s speech, which is usually set to thirty seconds.

If a delegate does not finish his/her speech in the time

allotted during a discussion on a resolution, and if there are
more than 25 seconds left for his/her speech, s/he may yield
to any of the following:

• To questions
• His/her time to the Chair
• His/her time to another delegate
If the delegate yields to questions, and no one
raises a question, the Chair will appoint at least
one other delegate to ask questions regarding the
speech, which the delegate who has the floor is
obligated to answer each question in a one-minute
time frame.

Yielding to the Chair ends the time the speaker has

been given, however, the Chair can opt to move
down the Speaker’s list or open the floor for
questions directed to the speaker from other
delegates. Yielding the remaining time to another
delegate only allows that delegate to speak in the
permitted time frame increased by the time yielded
to him/her. After the remaining time has passed,
the Chair will move down on the Speaker’s List.
CAUCUS
A moderated caucus will only be open for a specific
purpose provided by the delegate who motioned
for it. The delegate in question will also indicate 1)
the time of the entire caucus, 2) the topic, and 3)
speaker’s time, which the Chair will strictly
monitor.

The purpose of a moderated caucus is to focus the

debate on a specific aspect of the topic during the
discussion. Any delegate may move for a
moderated caucus after the Chair opens the floor
for points. The Chair will only facilitate the voting
of those in favour of or opposed to a moderated
caucus. If the majority of the committee raises their
placards, a moderated caucus will ensue. The
Speaker’s List will be temporarily suspended on the
event of a moderated caucus. The Chair will
encourage delegates to speak at will.
CAUCUS
An unmoderated caucus presents opportunities for
delegates to speak informally about their nations’
positions on the topic in question as well as to
lobby in preparation for their working papers and
draft resolutions. The Chair will ask the one who
motioned for an unmoderated caucus to state the
purpose of such a motion and the time limit for the
discussion, which is usually capped at a maximum
of ten minutes.
The Chair will strictly monitor the time limit. Once
the purpose and time lim- it has been specified,
delegates will vote whether they are in favour of or
opposed to an unmoderated caucus.
LOBBYING AND

Lobbying and negotiating are two of the most important skills

every delegate in any MUN conference must develop. A delegate
should be able to effectively share his/her stance with other
delegates in order to accomplish key tasks during the conference
such as drafting resolutions, working papers, and resolutions
themselves. Moreover, negotiating can be a very helpful ability
during crisis situations when delegates are challenged to engage
in high-pressure discussions that require them to think critically in
order to restore peace and order back to the committee
proceedings. More than discussing certain issues with other
delegates, negotiating involves coming to a compromise.

To be able to start negotiations, a delegate must first be clear on

what he/ she wants to achieve and the plan by which he/she aims
to accomplish it. Research plays an important role in committee
proceedings because delegates will find it easier to negotiate with
countries that share similar goals and policies such as Australia
and the UK because they recognise the same monarchy. While
delegates should be clear on what they want, they should also
consider what they don’t want to happen. In a room full of
delegates at- tempting to lobby and negotiate for support for their
stance, delegates have to be cautious not to be overpowered by
another delegate’s opinion or manner of delivery.
LOBBYING AND

The point of lobbying and negotiation is to come to

a point of compromise after all the ideas have been
presented clearly, constructively criticised, and
agreed upon. Delegates must always remember to
treat each other with respect and courtesy as if
they were in a professional setting at a real United
Nations conference. Every delegate should be given
an opportunity to speak and petition for their
stances and ideas. When a delegate is speaking,
everyone is advised to listen attentively and
considerately without suddenly interjecting.
Delegates are likewise reminded that they are
representatives of a country so bias and personal
opinion should be excluded from the discussions as
much as possible.
SUSPEND/ADJOURN +

Suspension/Adjournment of Session
A motion to adjourn the session from any delegate
may only be entertained by the Chair once he/she
opens the floor for motions and if three-quarters of
the allotted time for the whole session has already
been spent. The motion to adjourn the sessions
requires a majority to be passed.

Postponement/Resumption of Debate
If the Chair opens the floor for points of motion and
a delegate moves to postpone or resume discussion
on a resolution or an amendment, the proceedings
will require a two-thirds majority vote only after
two-thirds of the entire set committee session time
has been spent.
RECONSIDERATION +

Reconsideration
A motion to reconsider is entertained after a
resolution has been adopted or rejected. A delegate
who voted with the majority must make the move to
make a point of reconsideration. The Chair will
hear from only two delegates against the motion
and will proceed to facilitating the voting process
where two-thirds of those who are present and
voting will be required for this motion to be passed.
Closure of Debate
As with all points, a delegate may only move to
close a debate only if the floor is open. After a
delegate moves to close the debate, the Chair will
hear from two speakers against the motion and
none from the group of delegates who are in favour
of it. If the majority of the committee is in favour of
closing the debate, the Chair will pass this motion
and the resolution or amendment in question will be
voted on thereafter.
No friendly or unfriendly amendment and draft
resolution could be considered to be official until
after it passes a parliamentary voting procedure.
There are two ways of counting votes. One is by
having delegates raise their placards. If the Chair
finds results unclear for whatever logistical reason,
he may opt to take a roll-call vote.
When any delegate motions to move into voting
procedure passes, the Chair will mandate all
delegates to go back to their designated places,
should they be elsewhere. When the committee is in
voting procedures, no delegate will be permitted to
both enter and exit the conference hall.
There are three possible votes to cast. One may
vote “for”, “against” or “abstain” on a resolution.
Abstentions are only permitted when voting for a
resolution. All other matters that require voting
procedures will not have abstentions as possible
votes.
For procedural matters (unless specified otherwise
in this primer), resolutions or amendments to pass
in the GA, they need to be agreed upon by majority
vote of the members present. This is defined by
50% + 1. For example, if there are 40 members,
majority vote is 20 + 1. Majority vote is also required
to pass motions on procedure in the SC.
For the Security Council, two-thirds of those
present must vote in favour of a resolution with all
P5 (Permanent Five) member countries present –
the US, Russia, the UK, PRC, and France –must also
vote in favour of the resolution or abstaining, for it
to pass. A vote against the resolution from any of
the P5 countries will render it ineffective.
When a resolution passes, delegates are free to
clap. However, clapping for a resolution that failed
is strictly prohibited. Motions to applaud the
author(s) of the resolution are welcome. Objections
to these informal motions are not in order.
TYPES OF

1. By voice
Members of the assembly in favor say: “Aye”,
then members against say: “No”. Afterwards,
those who abstain say: “Abstain”.

2. By show of hands
Members in favor raise their right hand, then the
vote will be counted. Members against and those
abstain do the same.

3. By rising
Members in favor rise, then the vote will be
counted. Members against and those who abstain
do the same.
TYPES OF

4. By roll call
Members are called individually in alphabetical
order and each says: “For”, “Against” or
“Abstain” depending on whether they said
“Present” or “Present and voting”.*

5. By general consent
Members are asked by the Chair if there are any
objections and if there are none, then the council
proceeds to another method of voting. (This
method is used on the assumption that General
Consent can be attained)

*This is the pre-determined method for voting for AMUN. It

can be modified if a delegate moves to do so.
RIGHT TO REPLY +

Right to reply
All delegates reserve the right to reply to questions
and clarifications set by co- delegates. Rights to
reply come into play when allegations are set by
any other delegate. All a delegate needs is to raise
his placard right after the speech in question is
delivered. The delegate should request for the right
to reply, and he shall be given 30 seconds to
respond to anything that may have been raised in
the previous speech.
Grievances and warnings
For example, if a delegate has “threatened”
another delegate (within the context of merely
representing countries in an academically
simulated diplomacy event) in any way, the
affected delegate can stand until the Chair
recognises his/her grievance. Once the grievance is
recognised, the Chair gives the offending delegate
a warning and takes note of it.
ISSUES ON

It is assumed by both the Chairs and the delegates in the

committee that statements from all delegates are
accurate representations of their country’s foreign
policy. However, should there be any obviously
detrimental errors made by any delegate, any delegate
who notices should act by sending a note identifying the
error to the Chair, in case the Chair himself does not
notice the erroneous statement.

The Chair will respond by sending a note to the delegate

in question mentioning that such an error was indeed
committed. This will take place if the Chair believes that
the error made by the delegate did not directly affect the
quality and flow of debate. However, if the Chair notices
that the quality of debate has been adversely affected
by the error, the Chair may directly inform the
committee in order to correct misconceptions and
prevent more errors to occur as an effect of the one in
question.

Any delegate who would like to determine if the topic of

debate is still within the bounds of jurisdiction of the
committee should be raised as a Point of Parliamentary
Inquiry to the Chair, following the same procedures
already discussed in this primer
WORKING

PAPERS
PROCEDURES FOR

The only requirement for the reproduction and

distribution of a working paper is to submit it
privately to the Chair, who will inspect its contents
in terms of competence and format. Should the
Chair deem the Working Paper to be only
indirectly relevant to the council/committee, he
will have the right not to approve its reproduction
and distribution. However, this lack of an approval
will not prevent the delegate from using the
information to lobby, should he decide to do so.
Violations in format will merit an immediate
rejection, unless edited to comply with the set
format.
The only format prescribed for a working paper is
the inclusion of a proper heading and the
compliance with the prescribed paper size (A4).
The orientation of the document (landscape or
portrait) is not of significance.
The heading should be placed in the upper left
corner of the page, regardless of orientation. The
heading should simply indicate the overall topic of
the Working Paper and the countries who put the
document forward.
RESOLUTIONS
Resolutions are the heart of each Model United Nations
Conference. These documents are the culmination of all
discussions, negotiations and lobbying performed and
contributed by the various delegations represented in a
council. Like an actual United Nations resolution, Model UN
resolutions are written binding and non-binding policies on
how to address the primary issue being discussed by the
council. Resolutions, which are authored and ratified by
delegates in a committee, need only a majority number of
votes to pass.

However, Security Council resolutions require a two-thirds

majority vote, with Permanent 5 Member States (USA, China,
UK, France, Russia) veto powers. Resolutions written by the
UN GA are non-binding, while those by the UN SC are binding.
They simply contain suggestions on how the international
community could act on an issue involving the member states.
However, Security Council resolutions have the authority to
compel Member States to perform certain tasks that are
within the framework of international law.
DRAFT

Draft resolutions are resolutions that have not yet been voted on by the
committee to which it is addressed to. Delegates have multiple options
in writing resolutions. There is no mandate on a timeline involving
resolutions. Delegates may opt to come to a conference with a draft
resolution already in the works. Furthermore, delegates are allowed to
write resolutions during the conference itself. There is no restriction in
the number of delegates working on a single resolution.

A draft resolution has three main parts: the heading, preamble

(commonly known as the pre- ambulatory clauses), and the operative
section (commonly known as the operative clauses). Each draft
resolution is technically one long sentence divided into a varying
number of clauses. Each clause ends with either a comma or a
semicolon when appropriate. The subject of the sentence is the
committee taking action (General Assembly, Security Council, etc.),
and therefore, the heading of the resolution. The preamble sets the
context of the resolution by a detailed reference of past resolutions
that may have been considered while writing the resolution. The
operative clauses contain the concrete action plan the resolution aims
to present to the committee to consider. For the purposes of a sizeable
committee, a draft resolution could only be included in agenda by the
staff if it has at least one-fifth of the committee as tentative
signatories.
PARTS OF A

The parts of the resolution highlighted YELLOW

constitutes the Heading of the Draft Resolution. The
first country listed in the category “Submitted by” will
be considered as Main Submitter. Main Submitters are
tasked to read the operative clauses of the resolution
once presented to the Council/Committee. All
questions regarding the resolution are assumed to be
directed at the Main Submitter, unless the question is
posed to all Submitters of the draft resolution.

The parts of the resolution highlighted BLUE

constitutes the pre-ambulatory Clauses. Pre-
ambulatory clauses set the context of the draft
resolution by offering a detailed introduction. These
clauses include possible references to past resolutions
that may have dealt with the issue being tackled by
the draft resolution. These are not read during the
presentation of the resolution.
PARTS OF A

The parts of the resolution highlighted RED constitutes the

Operative Clauses. Operative Clauses are the detailed
action plans of the resolution. They are considered to be
the heart of the resolution. Debates will primarily revolve
around the content of the Operative Clauses. For
formatting purposes, Operative Clauses are numbered
orderly, and are indented by at most an inch for easy
identification. All pre-ambulatory clauses end with a
comma. All but the last one of the operative clauses end
with a semicolon. The last operative clause ends with a
period. All operative and preambulatory clauses are to be
italicised, as seen in the template below.

(The following resolution is an excerpt from the United Nations Security

Council Resolution 1511. It is used only for the sole purpose of educating
delegates on the prescribed format of resolutions.)
SUBJECT: MANDATE OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN IRAQ SUBMITTED TO: the
Security Council SUBMITTED BY: USA, UK
Co-Submitters: Spain and Cameroon

The Security Council,

Reaffirming its previous resolutions on Iraq, including resolution 1483 (2003)

of 22 May 2003 and 1500 (2003) of 14 August 2003, and on threats to peace
and security caused by terrorist acts, including resolution 1373 2001) of 28
September 2001, and other relevant resolutions,

Underscoring that the sovereignty of Iraq resides in the State of Iraq,

reaffirming the right of the Iraqi people freely to determine their own
political future and control their own natural resources, reiterating its
resolve that the day when Iraqis govern themselves must quickly, and
recognising the importance of international support, particularly that of in
the region, Iraq’s neighbours, and regional organisations, in taking forward
this process expeditiously,

Recognising that international support for restoration of conditions of

stability and security is essential to the well-being of the people of Iraq as
well as to the ability of all concerned to carry out their work on behalf of the
people of Iraq, and welcoming Member State contributions in this regard
under resolution 1483 (2003),

Welcomes the positive response of the international community, in form,

such as the Arab League, the Organization of the Islamic Conference,
the United Nations General Assembly, and the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, to the establishment
of the broadly representative Governing Council as all important step
towards an internationally recognised, representative government;

Supports the Governing Council’s efforts to mobilise the people of Iraq,

including by the appointment of a cabinet of ministers and a
preparatory constitutional committee to lead a process in which the
Iraqi people will progressively take control of their own affairs;

Determines that the Governing Council and its ministers are the
principal bodies of the Iraqi interim administration, which, without
prejudice to its further evolution, embodies the sovereignty of the State
of Iraq during the transitional period until an internationally recognised,
representative government is established and assumes the
responsibilities of the Authority;

Decides to remain seized on the matter.

RESOLUTION

There are various ways one could write an effective draft

resolution. This primer offers a possible five-step guide to
writing effective resolutions.

1. The delegate should know the topic of the council

well. This is done by basic research methodologies.
Then, the submitters should narrow down the topic to
a more specific aspect. One way of effectively
narrowing down a topic for a resolution is to
enumerate all possible issues that fall under the more
general council issue.

2. Once the submitters have effectively narrowed down

a topic for consideration, listing down possible action
plans that will directly answer the needs posed by the
draft resolution topic. In listing down possible steps
for the unified action plan, the submitters should
consider the importance of making sure that the ideas
are feasible, not redundant and are accurate.
RESOLUTION

(Continuation)

3. The next step to take would be to order your action plan

logically. This is the step where submitters could decide
which of the enumerated steps for the possible action
plan should be retained or dropped. In doing this,
submitters are encouraged to consider matters on
feasibility, redundancy and accuracy. After striking
down steps deemed impertinent, the next step is to order
the steps in a clear and logical outline. There are
numerous ways of ordering the steps of the action plan.
However, most United Nations resolutions opt to follow a
chronological framework by ordering the action plans in
the preferred order of execution. The ordering of UN
resolutions are feasible but must be logical.

4. After giving your action plan a logical order, each step in

your action plan will now take the place of the operative
clauses of the draft resolution. For each step/ operative
clause, submitters should now cite more specific details
pertaining to each step/operative clause.
RESOLUTION

(Continuation)

5. The final step will be for the submitters to organise

their outline to fit the technical requirements of
UN Resolutions. This should be the phase for the
operative clauses and the pre-ambulatory clauses
to be merged into one document. The clauses of
the entire draft resolution should be phrased in
the passive voice of the English language
conventions. Format in draft resolution in
accordance to the standard Resolution Format is
being applied in this conference.

Appropriate words for Pre-ambulatory and Operative

Clauses may be found at:
http://www.unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un/how-to-
participate/
Amendments are proposed changes to a draft resolution currently
being discussed by the committee. These allow delegates who did
not have opportunities to contribute to a draft resolution to offer
ideas and thoughts on how to improve it by making it more
agreeable to other nations. There are two types of amendments:
friendly amendments and unfriendly amendments.

In order for an amendment to be considered friendly, the main

submitter and co- submitter should first agree on the amendment.
If the amendment is not approved by the main submitter and co-
submitters, it will be deemed unfriendly. Unfriendly amendments
will need to receive a simple majority vote from the committee
before it is placed in the draft resolution. For this conference,
there will be no limit to the number of friendly amendments.
However, only a maximum of 3 unfriendly amendments will be
submitted for voting by the entire council.

Amendments, once deemed friendly or unfriendly, will be

forwarded to the Chair. The submitter of the amendment should
indicate whether the amendment is friendly or unfriendly for the
sake of voting procedure.
PROCESSES

How to Submit an Amendment

On a sheet of paper, the delegate must indicate the
any of the following:
• Strike <clause number> - this will remove the entire
clause from the draft resolution Insert
<amendment/editing> in <clause number>
• Replace <...> with <amendment> in <clause number> -
to replace words, phrases with better phrasing.
• Strike <...> in <clause number> to strike out a
word/phrase in a clause.

Debates on Unfriendly Amendments

In the same way debates in resolutions proceed, there
will be “for” and “against” speeches for each
unfriendly amendment. The number of speeches to be
given by both sides will be determined by the
committee. After the speeches, the committee will vote
to adopt the amendment into the resolution. A simple
majority is required for all committees except the
Security Council, which requires 9 of the 15 members
to vote in favour of it. There are no abstentions on
voting for an amendment.
PROCESSES

Amending an Amendment
Amendments may be amended following the same
procedure of amending a resolution, as explained
previously. These must be submitted during the
debate on the amendment. Amendments to
amendments that have already been voted down or
incorporated into the draft resolution will not be
considered. If an amendment to an amendment
passes, then it will be incorporated directly into the
resolution. If the amendment for an amendment
fails, debate on the originally proposed
amendment will resume.
RESOLUTION

A Model United Nations delegate will encounter various relations

even in a single conference. This part of the primer aims to present
a practical framework for delegates, regardless of experience, on
how to analyse resolutions for purposes of debate.

1. Clarity of the issue. The first aspect each delegate

should look at in the process of resolution analysis is the
clarity of the issue being discussed. UN Resolutions
should always have a narrowed-down issue, which has
the general issue of the council as its root. Since UN
Resolutions are action plans for specific issues
concerning the international community, the lack of a
specific concentration will not produce an effective
resolution. For example, UN resolutions that discuss the
broad issues of “Climate Change” or “Peacekeeping
Forces” will be difficult to draft because of a lack of
concentration. A lack of concentration will only result in
general action plans.

General Issue: Peacekeeping Forces

Specific and Pertinent Issues: Mandate of Peacekeeping
forces in Somalia, reforming the legal mandate of
peacekeeping forces in UN Legal System, etc.
RESOLUTION

(Continuation)

2. Feasibility. The second point of analysis a Model UN

Delegate could look at is the feasibility of the entire
resolution in general. All resolutions should be realistic, if
implemented in actuality. Since Model United Nations
Conferences should, as much as possible effectively and
accurately, simulate actions in the United Nations, all the
stipulations in a Model UN resolution should be ones that
could actually be executed by the United Nations
General Assembly. The implementation of excellent Model
UN Resolutions wouldn’t be difficult to imagine in the real
world. Potential problems on resolution feasibility are
often found in the timeframe and the deadlines set for
completion and the legality of the actions being
proposed or mandated.
RESOLUTION

(Continuation)

3. Redundancy. The third point of analysis a Model UN

delegate could look at is the possible redundancy of a
resolution. Should there be any other resolution that
already covers any of the stipulations in the resolution,
the resolution could be considered redundant, and
therefore, weak. Redundancy also covers the occurrence
when the steps proposed by a resolution, though not
found in existing ones, have already been proven to be
inadequate in relation to the issue by virtue of common
knowledge. All resolutions have to be forward thinking
and progressive. This means that prior to writing a
resolution, a delegate, without disregarding the clarity of
the topic, should research effectively on the topic/issue
s/he would want to discuss in the resolution.
RESOLUTION

(Continuation)

4. Logical ideas. The next point of analysis a Model UN

delegate could look at is the development of ideas in a
resolution. A good resolution will have multiple operative
clauses, each pertaining to a separate detail that helps build
the entire resolution’s main idea. With this in mind, repetitive
operative clauses should be avoided in order to maintain a
logical order of ideas in a single resolution. Since resolutions
are, in structure, outlines, they should follow conventional
principles of logical idea presentation. An effective resolution
will flow smoothly and clearly if the ideas of the submitters
are developed logically. Resolutions should also be well-
worded. Clear and direct statements of ideas will always be
the better choice follow. An effective resolution will flow
smoothly and clearly if the ideas of the submitters are
developed logically. Resolutions should also be well-worded.
Clear and direct statements of ideas will always be the better
choice.
RESOLUTION

(Continuation)

5. Accuracy. Another important point of analysis is the

determination of the accuracy of a resolution. It will be
assumed by other delegates that what you write in your
resolution is correct based on credible sources gathered
through the appropriate research methodologies. As an
act of courtesy to other delegates, it is deemed
imperative for delegates to present only factual technical
details. Furthermore, the entire resolution and flow of
discussions will become erroneous should the inaccuracy
be left unnoticed. Debates on the competence of a
delegate and the credibility of his research should be
avoided.
RESOLUTION

(Continuation)

Other details to not when analysing resolutions include the

idea of financing United Nations projects. It should be
assumed that the UN has no real concern for funding.
Debates on funding and possible issues related to money are
not necessary. Another problem a delegate may determine is
the quality of the resolution as a whole. If the resolution is
deemed to be too problematic to even put up for debate and
amendments, a majority of delegates could vote to table a
resolution.

Most importantly, a delegate should always ask

himself/herself whether the pending resolution being
discussed directly affects his country’s foreign policy. The
answer to this question should play a key role in the analysis
of the resolution, and how the delegate would vote on the
resolution.
SITUATION

Crisis situations are immediate events that need

urgent resolution. These can be of any kind, from
hurricanes to hostage crises to nuclear threats. When
the assembly is faced with a crisis situation, all
ongoing discussions of the topic at hand will be put on
hold and the assembly must resolve the crisis first.

After announcing the crisis situation, the Chair will ask

all delegates to deliver one-minute policy statements.

Discussion and resolution making regarding the crisis

situation must be done with urgency. Procedures are
usually the same as a normal session. However, it will
be up to the discretion of the Chair to make changes
to parliamentary procedures when he/she deems the
process too time consuming to reach a solution
appropriately.

All procedures and rules remain in the assembly.

After the crisis situation is resolved, the assembly will

resume the discussion of the initial topic.
PAPER

The position paper is usually a one-page paper that

expresses the clear stand of the country the delegates are
representing regarding the issues being discussed by
their respective committees. It must contain what the
country has done and what it proposes to do. This is the
formal paper in which you situate your country’s
placement within the state of affairs – referring to policy,
political culture, or institutional structure can do this. The
purpose of a position paper is to provide you with a clear
and concise stand on the given topic, which aids in
fostering full and free debate.

The Ateneo Model United Nations Conference has two

assigned topics for each council. Delegates are expected
to make a one-page position paper per assigned topic.
There will be an award for Best Position Paper per
committee.

Criteria include: cogency, conciseness, and creativity. Be

as articulate as possible.
POSITION PAPER

Document format:
• Font: Times New Roman

• Font size: 11

• Margins: 1 inch on all sides

• Spacing: 1.0 Justified

• Paper size: A4

• Citation format: APA

• File format: PDF

Other details:
• Please put (COUNTRY_COMMITTEE) on the HEADER. Do
not indicate your name.

• E-mail subject: COUNTRY_COMMITTEE Position Paper

• Maximum of 2 pages only. Allot 1 page per topic of your

respective committees.

• Your position papers need not be of the same length as

the example below. However, the format prescribed
above must be followed.
KOSOVO_THE SOCIAL, HUMANITARIAN, AND CULTURAL COMMITTEE

Topic: Solving Linguistic Extinction in the 21st Century

Kosovo affirms that language is that which presents a society’s unique

human experience from the distinct worldview of its speakers and thus,
advocates the importance of language as the necessary demarcate of
distinctive anthropological, historical, cultural and social knowledge.
Kosovo understands that bound to the increasing loss of language in the
world is the irrevocable loss of culture among societies.

Moreover, Kosovo recognizes the significance of preserving and

perpetuating language for the survival of nations. Faced with the fact that
as a result of conflict-related displacement that the country struggles with
as an after-effect of the Kosovo War, several regions and municipalities of
present-day Kosovo have lost their multi-linguistic diversity or have become
less diverse, and as such, displaced persons that must retain their right to
return, to seek and obtain information on municipal affairs and require
services from authorities struggle with language barriers.

Thus, through efforts such as the adoption of the Law on languages in

October 2006, the Assembly of Kosovo has endeavored to harmonize
existing legislation on the use of languages, and reaffirmed the commitment
to ensure the equal use of the official language, Albanian and Serbian.
Further efforts have also been made for the preservation of languages in
Kosovo through its Office of the Language Commissioner.

Correspondingly, Kosovo advocates the implementation of similar policies

that provide for the effective integration of existing government legislations
on languages within multi-ethnic communities among the international
community.

Kosovo continues to promote language rights and endeavor for the

promotion of policies that encourage patronage for the preservation of
languages through its Office of the Language Commissioner, and with the
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The country
shall be supportive of future international efforts in line with these goals.

Sources:
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). (2014,
October 14). Promoting language rights in Kosovo. Retrieved January
2015, from http://www.osce.org: http://www.osce.org/kosovo/
TIPS AND

1. Please come on time. Upon your arrival to the University

Campus, proceed to the LEONG HALL LOBBY, where you will
be assisted to the venue for plenary session, and then to your
council’s assigned venue

2. Present your school ID to the guards stationed at Gate 2.5 or

Gate 3.5. These are the entrance gates at the foot of
overpasses across Shakey’s and Regis Building, respectively.
Cars without Ateneo stickers may enter through Gate 3, at
the rightmost lane, where the drivers shall be asked for their
driver’s license. You may park at the LS Northwest Carpark
across the Social Sciences Building. This parking area is not
reserved exclusively for participants. Thus, parking slots will
be available only on a first come first served basis.

3. Bring your conference materials, laptops or iPads, chargers, and

umbrella. It is also advised to wear comfortable shoes (within the
prescribed attire) as there will be walking involved for changing
venues.
TIPS AND

4. For your own convenience, it is also recommended to bring your

own broadband connection as the WiFi connection in the Loyola
Schools is only for students and employees. Some members of the
Ateneo Model UN Commission will also be hosting WiFi hotspots
from their laptops.

5. Please observe proper decorum

6. During the conference, do not take things personally. Also, do

not be intimidated by the procedure or the community. The
AMUN Commission is there to help you along the way.

7. The Ateneo Model UN Conference will be a fruitful learning

experience if the delegates make it so. Remember that a
delegate needs to both represent his or her country well and
contribute to resolving the conflict at hand.

8. Make friends and enjoy the experience.