Warsaw
Model United Nations 2014
CONFERENCE GUIDE
1
Venue addresses
National Stadium: Al. Ks J Poniatowskiego 1, 03-901 Warsaw
Palace of Culture and Science: plac Defilad 1, 00-901 Warsaw
Polish Supreme Court: Plac Krasińskich 2/4/6, 00-951 Warsaw
University of Social Sciences and Humanities: Chodakowska 19/31,
Warsaw
2
Conference Agenda
Thursday, 16th of October
National Stadium:
8:30 – Beginning of the registration
09:30 – Opening Ceremony
11:00 – Break
11:15 – Opening Ceremony continuation
13:00 – Transport to the venues:
• Polish Parliament:
DISEC
SC
WIPO
WTO
WHO
HRC
UNODC
• University of Social Sciences and Humanities (SWPS):
CSTD
CPD
HSC
UNICEF
UN WOMEN
WB
• Polish Supreme Court
ICJ
ICC
13:00 - various times - Debates in committees
3
Polish Parliament:
13:30 – 14:00 – Lunch break for following committees:
DISEC, SC, WIPO, WTO
Note: the debates are resumed 30 minutes after the end of the lunch break:
14:30
14:15 – 15:15 – Lunch break for following committees:
WHO, HRC, UNODC
Note: the debates are resumed 15 minutes after the end of the lunch break:
15:30
14:30/ 15:30 – debates in the committees (first session)
17:15 – Coffee break
17:45 – Debates in the committees (second session)
Note: the duration of the 2nd session may vary between each, however it will
not last longer than 19:00
University of Social Sciences and Humanities:
13:30 – 15.00 – Lunch break (all committees)
15:15 – Debates in committees (first session)
17:15 – Coffee break
17:45 – Debates in committees (second session)
Note: the duration of the 2nd session may vary between each, however it will
not last longer than 19:00
Polish Supreme Court:
13:30 – 14.15 – Lunch break
14:30 – Debates in committees (first session)
4
Note: due to the Supreme Court working hours the debates in ICC and ICJ will
not last longer than 16:00)
Friday, 17th of October
Polish Parliament, University of Social Sciences and
Humanities:
9:00 – Debates in committees (third session)
11:30 – Coffee break
12:00 – Debates in committees (fourth session)
13:30 – 14:15 – Lunch break for following committees:
Polish Parliament: DISEC, SC, WIPO, WTO
SWPS: CSTD, CPD, HSC
Note: debates are resumed 15 minutes after the end of the lunch break: 14:30
14:30 – 15:15 – Lunch break for following committees:
Polish Parliament: WHO, HRC, UNODC
SWPS: UNICEF, UN WOMEN, WB
Note: debates are resumed 15 minutes after the end of the lunch break:
15:30
14.30/ 15.30 – Debates in committees (fifth session)
17.00 – Coffee break
Note: the duration of the 5th session may vary between each, however it will not
last longer than 19:00
Polish Supreme Court:
9:00 – Debates in committees (second session)
11:30 – Coffee break
5
12:00 – Debates in committees (third session)
14:00 – 14:30 – Lunch break (all committees)
14.45 – Debates in committees (fourth session)
Note: due to the Supreme Court working hours the debates in ICC and ICJ will
not last longer than 16:00)
Saturday, 18th of October
Palace of Culture and Science:
9:00 – The first session of General Assembly
10:40 – Coffee break
11:00 – The second session of General Assembly
13:00 – Coffee break
13:20 – The third session of General Assembly
15:00 – Closing Ceremony
Social events
Thursday, 16 th of October:
21: 00 Endorfina Club and Restaurant
Location: Foksal 2, 00-366 Warsaw
Friday, 17 th of October:
21:00 Makulatura Club
Location: Chmielna 5/7, 00-021 Warsaw
6
BEST DELEGATE’S GUIDE
What is MUN all about?
A Model United Nations conference is a simulation of the real-life
United Nations committees. During MUNs students take on the role of
ambassadors representing different countries and Non-Governmental
Organizations (NGO) representatives. The idea of participating in such a
conference is simple - it allows one to gain insight in the way the world
functions also teaching students practical knowledge about international
relations, diplomacy and negotiations.
An MUN usually offers several different committees for delegates to choose
from, including, for example, the United Nations Security Council, the
World Health Organization or the International Court of Justice.
Delegates then discuss topics prepared by the organizers of the conference,
very often tackling actual world problems. Before the conference, students
gather knowledge about their country in order to represent it’s politics
accurately.
The goal of the debates is to reach a consensus which could be applied in of
the real world. To gain as much as possible from the conference, each
participant is encouraged to engage actively in the debates. He should be
present on every committee session, observe the behaviour of other delegates
and focus on representing his country’s policy. The delegates learn to break
away from national self-interest and develop international cooperation.
This requires engagement in discussions, which eventually lead to the
creation of a resolution - a document summarising the work of each
committee.
MUN is a place where young people can develop skills which are necessary
in life. Aside from negotiations and debating, conferences offer an
opportunity to meet people from many different cultures gathered in one
place. It creates the possibility to learn social skills and even create longlasting international friendship.
MUN is a gateway to the modern world and and a place where true
leadership is born. Wait not a second and explore the MUN world!
How to prepare for MUN?
7
Preparation is a vital point if you are willing to be a professional and
active delegate during Model United Nations. Not only does it allow for the
better understanding of problems, but it also helps convince other delegates
to your presented point of view.
Before the beginning of the conference delegations are assigned to countries
they will be representing.
Extensive research and thorough preparation are necessary to represent
their member state in committees. Prior to the conference, each delegate is
required to prepare several documents (opening speech, position paper,
draft resolution) that will be presented on the session. The delegate is
advised to prepare a lobbying strategy, outlining key arguments for his
solution.
Due to this, it is crucial to investigate the policy of the represented country
as much as possible, taking into account its history, geography, culture,
policy, economy, current problems, particularly in the context of the
debated issue. The diversity of information sources is greatly desired. It is
recommended to start with the website of the UN (www.un.org) where
delegates can learn how the UN works and find useful information
concerning their subject. Apart from the Internet and traditional sources
such as books and newspapers, the embassy of the represented country is
mostly very supportive as well.
Moreover, the chairs of each committee prepare STUDY GUIDES relating
to the topic of debate.
Who is who?
Chairs, Secretariat, GA
The Secretary-General (SG)
The highest official during the Warsaw Model United Nations. He is
responsible for making sure that the conference runs in accordance with
the agenda and that the formal (as well as some informal) rules are being
exerted. He announces the opening and the closing of the conference. The
Secretary-General is also a final arbiter and decision-maker during the
MUN, concerning form and substance of the debates as well as the
technical and logistical issues. He holds a power to issue the valid and
effectual interpretations of the rules of procedure. In case of any
uncertainties which may occur during the debates, the Chairs have a right
8
to ask the Secretary-General for announcing the final solution. The
Secretary’s decisions are of utmost importance and therefore can suspend
the Chairs decisions.
The Deputy Secretary-General (Deputy SG)
The Secretary-General has a right to nominate at least one deputy, which
will act on behalf of the Secretary. Deputy or the deputies are representing
the highest authority of the Secretary-General and therefore are entitled to
execute his reserved powers. Secretary-General can divide the
responsibilities between larger numbers of deputies.
The Chairs and The Deputy Chairs
The Chairs and their respective alternate chairpersons are the leaders of
the committees. Their duty is to organise and preside over the debates.
However, they are not members of any of the committees and therefore they
have no right to express their opinions about the topic of the discussion.
Their responsibility is to run the sessions in accordance with the rules of
procedure and thus they are entitled to answer all the delegates’ questions
concerning formal issues. The Chairs decision, in reference to the
delegations, is always final. When the Chair is not present in the house or
he/she is not able to preside over the session, he/she may grant the Deputy
Chair an authorization to conduct the meeting of the committee. In case of
such situation, the Deputy Chair possesses all powers assigned to the Chair’s
post. Please note, that in some committees it is also allowed to address the
Chair as “The President”. This refers to the special committees called
“councils”, which are the Security Council and the Economic and Social
Council.
The President of the General Assembly
This official presides over the sessions of the General Assembly, which is
the forum of all delegates from all the committees. The GA meeting is held
during the last day of conference, after committees have agreed on the final
resolutions’ propositions and they are now intended to be discussed and
voted by all the Member States representatives. The President acts similarly
to the Chair, being the person who bears the responsibility of upholding the
formal rules during session, granting the speakers the floor and conducting
the voting procedures. In extraordinary situations or when the President is
not able to run the GA meeting, the house can debate under the SecretaryGeneral or authorized Deputy Secretary-General.
9
The Pages
Perhaps being the most important part of the staff, the Pages are
responsible for carrying the documents for the delegates as well as passing
the formal information between the elegates during their debates. They
work extensively to provide the participants with sufficient circumstances
to actively and successfully represent their countries. The Main Page is an
official leader of the Pages Staff.
Position papers
A position paper is a document written by delegates before the conference.
At WAWMUN it DOES NOT take the role of the opening speech. It is a
document that briefly but comprehensively defines the issue and clearly
explains the policies as well as national interests of a given Member State
concerning a particular topic. It may prove to be useful during the
informal lobbying process in which you are going to look for co-submitters
in merging resolutions. The position paper is also the basis of the
resolution every delegate needs to write beforehand. It shows the country’s
policy and will be the ULTIMATE INDICATOR OF LOBBYING
SUCCESS. You will be able to read other delegate’s position papers before
the conference on the mymun website of your committee. Please analyze the
most influential countries positions in order to prepare for the debate.
Please note that you may not insult other members of the United Nations
or present your own delegation in an unworldly fashion.
To sum up, a position paper consists of four components:
a short summary of recent international action related to the
question;
reference to key documents relating to the issue;
a general statement of the country’s policy on the issue;
specific suggestions for a solution to the question, which may
provide ideas for the operative clauses the resolution.
You have been provided with an example of a position paper on a next page.
Please remember, that any form of plagiarism is forbidden.
10
Sample Position paper
Delegation: Japan
Commission: Disarmament
The Question of Space Arms Proliferation
Honourable Chairs, Distinguished Delegates,
Japan continues to be a leader in the development of peaceful space
technology. Since 1970, when the first successful launch of a satellite from
Japan was achieved, applications in communication, broadcasting,
meteorology, and earth observation followed in rapid progression. Japan
has worked to co-operate with the United States, Western Europe and
Canada in the construction of an earth-orbiting space station. The
government of Japan believes that space technology development is critical
for the nation’s future, so it is encouraging active participation in this
industry by Japanese firms. Because of its international approach to peace
and security Japan strongly supports the Outer Space Treaty. Preventing
the deployment, placing, or testing of nuclear weapons or other weapons of
mass destruction in space must be accepted as a fundamental principle of
this new frontier.
The Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty (SALT 1) also set a precedent in
establishing protection from attack from a country’s orbiting satellites.
This convention should be extended as a matter of international law. The
government of Japan commends the Advisory Committee and the
Preparatory Committee in preparing the draft report of UNISPACE III,
the Executive Summary, and the Vienna Declaration eight months in
advance. However, Japan is concerned at the cleavages that have been
accentuated between Western space powers and the non-space states. Japan
emphasises the continued practical benefits to life on earth of the diverse
spin-offs of space technology.
The delegation of Japan is certain that the debates in our committee are
going to be stimulating and will provide new solutions to this problem.
(The delegate is open to points of information) / (The delegate yields the
floor back to the Chair).
11
What is important in the
committee?
The most important rule is to try to simulate the behaviour of the country
as realistically as possible. One can perform lobbying, but it is more
important to mimic the traditions and values of the country than to try to
get by a resolution signed by all of the committee countries.
Every delegate has to accept the Rules of Procedure. These are the basic
rules and formulas that allow communication in UN manner. In case of
any doubt, be ready to contact the chair.
12
MOST IMPORTANT PHRASES:
1) GENERAL SPEAKERS LIST - the list of speakers, who are to
continue the discussion, the basic medium of conducting the debate. The
order of countries is determined by the chair upon each delegate’s
notification. It starts with an opening speech of one country and an
arranged order of speakers follows. After each caucus the debate is moved
to the general speakers list.
2) MODERATED CAUCUS - a form of debate that needs to be
motioned for by the delegate after the chair asks “Are there any motions on
the floor?”. The motion needs to include:
a topic of the caucus (e.g. “The controversies surrounding Internet
censorship”)
total time of the discussion (preferably 5-15 minutes)
suggested time of one speech (usually from 45 seconds to 2
minutes)
3) UNMODERATED CAUCUS - a form of discussion not moderated
by the chairs, usually used for informal lobbying and writing draft
resolutions. Needs to be motioned for by the delegate and lasts for a specific
time (usually 10-30 minutes).
4) RIGHT TO REPLY- used when a delegate feels offended by another
delegate’s speech in order to state the reason of feeling exasperate
5) POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE - used by the delegate to
discuss the subject connected with his physical state (e.g. heat in the room
or
no
battery
in
a
laptop)
6) POINT OF INQUIRY - used during moderated caucus to ask a
question connected with the speech of another delegate
During the committee debate, delegates should try to minimize the use of
electronic devices.
Delegates are required to be dressed accordingly (Western Business
Attaire). National costumes are also allowed.
13
Opening speech
At the beginning of the committee session willing delegates will be allowed
to present an opening speech. The speech should last about two minutes and
concern the most relevant issues affecting the represented country in the
context of the committee's main topic. Please, take into consideration that
the aim of the opening speech is to present only the general standpoint of
the country; that will enable other delegates to acknowledge your country’s
policy.
SAMPLE OPENING SPEECH:
Honorable Chairs, Distinguished Delegates!
On behalf of Her Majesty the Queen and the government of the United
Kingdom
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the delegation would like to
express its country’s enormous gratitude and satisfaction, that once again
delegates from a variety of states will try to overcome the disputes, which
are a serious threat to international peace and stability in the most
dangerous regions of the world.
The delegation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland is absolutely convinced that during this United Nations session all
the Member States are determined to reach a comprehensive agreements,
considering all the major clashes, which were neglected during recent years.
It is the duty of the United Nations that the the member states will
continue to fulfill all their obligations and will stand firm and doubtless
while challenged with litigations, wherever they appear. Currently, the
issues of political instability and human rights violations, especially in
Africa, are the most urgent ones. The delegation of the United Kingdom
and Northern Ireland believes that only the unity in taking
trenchant measures against law and order abuses can result in a more
peaceful world. We are looking forward to launch the hopefully fruitful
discussions and in which we stress and promise our full commitment to the
processes of alleviating global tensions. Thank you, I am open to points of
information and I yield the floor back to the Chairs.
14
Speaking rules
When giving speech at the floor of the General Assembly or committee, the
delegates are
to obey certain rules:
• A speech must always begin with a formal phrase: "Thank you Mr…/
Madame/ Honourable Chair/ President…" or “Distinguished chairs,
honourable delegates”
• During a speech delegates should not use “I” as they are not
presenting their own opinion but the policy of their country.
Therefore, delegates must be addressed in the third person as well.
• e.g. “Honourable Ambassador of the United States of America”
• The time allotted for a speaker is set by the Chair or President and
can be changed during the debate.
• The speech cannot be offensive and must be always relevant to the
issue currently discussed
• Upon finishing every speech the delegate must yield the floor to The
Chair.
• e.g. "I yield the floor back to the President of the General Assembly"
15
Resolution
The final results of debates are resolutions - written suggestions for
addressing a specific problem or issue. Resolutions, which are drafted by
delegates and voted on by the committee normally require a simple
majority to pass (except in the Security Council). Only Security Council
resolutions can compel nations to take action. All other UN bodies use
resolutions to make recommendations or suggestions for future action.
Draft resolutions are all resolutions that have not been voted on. Delegates
write draft resolutions and during lobbying and merging they discuss each
other’s documents. There are three main parts to a resolution: the heading,
the preamble and the operative section. The heading shows the committee
and topic. This first section also lists lists the main submitter and cosubmitters.
The preamble of a draft resolution states the reasons for which the
committee is addressing the topic and highlights past international action
on the issue. Each clause begins with a present participle e.g. (realizing,
recognizing, fully aware) and ends with a comma. Preambulatory clauses
can include:
References to the UN Charter;
Citations of past UN resolutions or treaties on the topic under
discussion;
Mentions of statements made by the Secretary-General or a
relevant UN body or agency;
Recognition of the efforts of regional or nongovernmental
organizations in dealing with the issue; and
General statements on the topic, its significance and its impact.
The last section of the resolution, the perambulatory clauses, identify the
actions or recommendations made in the resolution. Each operative clause
begins with a verb e.g. (encourages, calls upon, condemns). Operative
clauses should be organized in a logical progression, with each containing a
single idea or proposal, and are always numbered. If a clause requires
further explanation, bulleted lists set off by letters or roman numerals can
also be used. After the last operative clause, the resolution ends in a period.
Ultimately, resolutions passed by a committee represent a great deal of
debate and compromise. They are the tangible results of hours, if not days,
of debate and discussion. It is important to become familiar with the
resolution writing process and practice drafting resolutions using the
proper structure and wording.
16
The General Assembly
The General Assembly is a principal organ of the United Nations. Its
powers are to oversee the budget of the United Nations, appoint the nonpermanent members to the Security Council, receive reports from other
parts of the United Nations and make recommendations in the form of
General Assembly Resolutions. It has also established a wide number of
subsidiary organs.
In WawMUN, the General Assembly meets during a crisis or emergency
situation. This is when delegates from all of the committees gather together
in delegations, which are composed of students from various schools and
countries. The delegates’ main aim is to propose a solution to the crisis
situation through debate and dialogue. You can find further information
on what the crisis is and how it works in the next section of this booklet.
As was stated earlier, the President of the General Assembly chairs the
GA’s sessions. He is the person in charge of ensuring that formal protocol is
followed and that proper debate procedures are followed. He is assisted by
the Vice-Presidents. In extraordinary situations, the sessions can be
chaired by the Secretary General.
Crisis
A crisis is an unexpected event, that can happen anytime during committee
and GA debates. It is usually a confusing action, decision of a country
leader or a disaster, that forces delegates to react in order to secure their
country’s position, provide humanitarian aid for a region or solve a
military conflict. It is usually announced through a news flash or an
extraordinary
event
in
the
committee.
The best and most active delegates will most likely be willing to engage in
discussion, eager to improvise the speeches in order to achieve lobbying
success. As a crisis intensifies, delegates should react responsibly- further
escalation of the problem usually involves more drastic consequences than
in
topic
committee
debates.
17
Prizes
It is always a good idea to award those who stand out. The Secretariat
proudly announces that this year each delegate can receive various prizes
honoring different skills. None of the exceptional talents shall be omitted.
GA BEST DELEGATE
The award for the best delegate of the General Assembly
GA HONORABLE MENTION
The award for the outstanding delegates of the General Assembly
COMMITTEE BEST DELEGATE
The award for the best delegate of each Committee
COMMITTEE HONORABLE MENTION
The award for the outstanding delegates of each Committee
BEST POSITION PAPER
The award for the best position paper for the conference sent before
the deadline
FUNNIEST TIE
The award for most recognisable delegate
MR. FIRE ON THE DANCEFLOOR
The award for the delegate with the best moves
PARTY ANIMAL
The award for the delegate with the best social skills
Emergency
In case of any troubles concerning
18
Rules of Procedure
The Secretariat
Rule 1.
The Secretary General, The President of the General Assembly, as well as
the Under Secretary Generals are collectively to be called the Secretariat.
Rule 2.
The Secretariat shall coordinate the work of the Committee sessions and
the General Assembly, and perform any administrative work or aid with
the procedures in the Committees by providing the Member States with
material and staff that may be required.
Rule 3.
Any member of the Secretariat has the privilege to make an oral statement
in front of a Committee at any given time.
Rule 4.
The interpretation of the Rules of Procedure is the task of the Secretary
General. His decisions shall not be questioned by any of the Member States.
Rule 5.
The Secretariat shall not receive any instructions about the procedures
from external authority.
Rule 6.
The Secretary General will ensure a fluent course of action, and supervise
the work of the Staff.
Rule 7.
The Legal Counsel and the legal service shall ensure that every WawMUN
2014 document is coherent with existing legislation, and therefore shall
receive every draft resolution, working paper and other document presented
19
in the Committees. After the review, the Legal Counsel shall advise the
sponsors of the document.
Rule 8.
The Chairs are given complete authority during the Committee sessions.
The Chairs shall coordinate the work in the Committees to ensure the
procedures are conducted under the rules of the RoP. Also they will direct
discussions, guide and aid the delegates, as well as mediate between the
Member States. The Chairs may suggest and rule out motions to ensure
proper procedures during the Committee meetings.
Rules of the Debates
Rule 9.
The official working language of Warsaw Model United Nations 2014 is
English. All documents shall be available in English.
Rule 10.
Delegates must, at all times, respect other delegates and the members of the
Staff and Secretariat.
Rule 11.
The delegates shall address the General Assembly or the Committees after
being granted the floor. After the speech, the delegates must yield the floor
back to the President of the General Assembly, the Chair or another
Member State. Yielding the floor to another Member State can be only used
once during the delegate’s speech, and cannot be used by the following
delegate. When addressing oneself, the delegate must speak in third person.
Rule 12.
Plagiarism of documents is strictly prohibited. The delegates engaged in
the acts of plagiarism shall meet disciplinary measures conducted by the
Secretary General.
20
Rule 13.
All electronic devices shall be switched off during the GA or Committee
sessions. The use of portable computers and tablets is only allowed during
the unmoderated caucus in the Committees or the General Assembly.
Rule 14.
Delegates violating the Rules of Procedure, the Terms and Conditions of
WawMUN 2014 or the general standards of diplomacy will be excluded
from the debates in accordance with the decision of the Secretary General.
Rule 15.
All delegates must wear suitable business attire for the MUN Conference.
Western business dress is preferred.
Rule 16.
In the beginning of every meeting, the Chairs or the President of the
General Assembly shall call the Member States to state their status of
attendance. Member States shall reply “present” or “present and voting”,
where delegations who are “present and voting” cannot abstain from any
voting procedure.
Rule 17.
A minimum of two thirds shall be present for the Chair/PGA to open the
quorum. Quorum is required to open the session for debate. The quorum
remains valid until the end of the session, unless the Motion to Challenge
the Quorum is raised [this motion needs a second].
Rule 18.
A minute of silence is allowed to be introduced under a written request to
the Chair of the Committee or the President of the General Assembly.
21
Rule 19.
After establishing the quorum, the Motion to Set the Agenda is in order.
Upon setting the agenda, the delegates shall decide which of the topics of
the MUN shall be discussed first. This shall be decided by a given motion.
If there is an objection to the motion about the issue to be discussed, two
speeches in favour and against shall be presented. The motion shall be then
voted upon by the Member States. There shall be no abstentions from the
delegations.
Rule 20.
Upon setting the agenda, a Motion to open the General Speaker’s List shall
be adopted. The Chairs will call upon the delegates eager to be put on the
Speaker’s List, until a Motion to Close the Speaker’s List is suggested.
Rule 21.
The delegates have an opportunity to put the Member State’s name on the
list only once.
Rule 22.
When the Speaker’s List is finished, the debate will be declared closed, and
the Committee will move to the voting procedure concerning the issue of
discussion unless any Motion is raised.
Rule 23.
Delegates may address the audience and raise points and motions only
when given the floor by the PGA, the Chair or previous delegate.
Rule 24.
The President of the General Assembly and the Chair of the Committee has
the authority to call to order delegates whose speeches are irrelevant or
inappropriate.
Rule 25.
Only Points of Personal Privilege may interrupt the current speaker.
22
Rule 26.
Delegates whose national integrity or sovereignty has been offended by
other delegates are allowed to raise a Right of Reply. The Chair must
decide whether the Right of Reply is in order. The delegates must
remember that a Right of Reply to a Right of Reply is out of order.
Rule 27.
The initial time limit for the Speaker’s List shall be 1:30min. If a delegate
wished to change the time limit, a Motion to Set the Speaker’s Time shall
be raised. Upon the voting procedure, the order of precedence is focused on
the decreasing length of the Speaker’s Time.
Rule 28.
During the sessions, delegates may raise a Motion to Move to the
Unmoderated Caucus, which is the most informal form of debate. The time
of the Unmoderated Causus shall be set by the delegates, yet it cannot
exceed 30min. A Motion to Exceed the Unmoderated Causus is in order.
The delegates are expected to prepare working papers or draft resolutions
during the Caucus.
Rule 29.
When a Motion to Move to the Moderated Caucus is raised and adopted by
the Committee a free debate about a certain issue takes place. Every
delegate has the right to take part in the debate without setting the
Speaker’s List.
Rule 30.
The order of precedence puts the Moderated Caucus above the Unmoderated
Caucus in the hierarchy.
Rule 31.
Upon the voting procedure, the order of precedence is based on the length of
the time of the Caucus. A longer proposed time of Caucus shall be put above
the shorter proposed time of Caucus.
Rule 32.
23
At any point of the debates, a delegate may raise a Motion to Close the
Debate. The decision to entertain this motion belongs to the PGA or the
Chair of the Committee.
Rule 33.
During the debate the delegates may propose to suspend the meeting for a
specified time.
Rule 34.
During the debate the delegate may raise a Motion to Adjourn the
Debate/Meeting. This motion is used when a solution for the issue cannot
be reached. If the Motion is passed the debate will be closed without
adopting any resolution.
Rule 35.
Any topic that was closed can be reopened by the delegates through a
Motion to Resume Debate on a particular issue.
Rule 36.
Delegates may write and distribute working papers to the Member States in
the Committee. Working papers are not official documents and don’t have
to be written in resolution format. They are written to aid the Committee
with the creation of draft resolutions and can be edited only by the sponsor
for the working paper.
Rule 37.
Every document presented in the Committees shall be reviewed by the legal
services member present in the council during the meeting.
Rule 38.
Delegates may introduce draft resolutions after approval of the Legal
Counsel or the legal services. The draft resolutions must be signed by 20% of
the Member States in the Committee. Resolutions can be introduced when
the floor is open.
Rule 39.
24
The authors of the draft resolution shall be signed as “sponsors”.
Supporting delegates are to be signed as “signatories”. A sponsor is obliged
to vote “in favour” of the resolution, the signatories are not obliged to vote
for the draft.
Rule 40.
A first order amendment is written by a delegate to add, delete or innovate
a part of the draft resolution that is being discussed in the Committee.
Amendments need the approval of the Chair of the council.
Rule 41.
If an amendment is accepted by every sponsor of the draft resolution, it is
considered a friendly amendment. Friendly amendments are added to the
draft resolution without further debate or a voting procedure.
Rule 42.
Second order amendments are out of order.
Rule 43.
Delegates may withdraw any motion, amendment or draft resolution only
upon proposing the withdrawal prior to the voting procedure and under the
acceptance of the Chair.
Rule 44.
Voting procedures take place after debates or after a Motion to Move into
Voting Procedure. During the voting procedure the Member States must
state the status of their country by saying either “In favour”, “Against” or
“Abstain”. Member States which are “present and voting” cannot abstain
from the voting procedure.
Rule 45.
A voting procedure can be repeated by a Motion to Split the House. During
the repeated voting procedure, no Member State is allowed to abstain.
Rule 46.
25
On procedural votes, no abstentions are allowed.
Rule 47.
As a consequence of the violation of the Rules of Procedure, the delegate
shall be excluded from the debates upon taking immediate actions of the
Secretariat.
*The delegates are always welcome to ask the Staff about the Rules of Procedure*
Points and Motions
Points in order during WawMUN 2014:
Motion of Censure
Point of Personal Privilege
Point of Order
Point of Parliamentary Inquiry
Point of Information
Procedural motions in order during WawMUN 2014:
Adjournment of the Meeting
Suspension of the Meeting
Unmoderated Caucus
Moderated Caucus
Adjournment of Debate
Closure of Debate
Division of the Question
Appeal
Splitting the House
Motion to Move into Voting Procedure
26
Motions and points
Motion of Censure
Point of Personal Privilege
Point of Order
Point of Parliamentary Inquiry
Point of Information
Motion of Adjournment of the
Meeting
Motion of Suspension of the
Meeting
Motion to Move to Unmoderated
Caucus
Motion to Move to Moderated
Caucus
Motion of Adjournment of Debate
Motion Divide of the Question
Motion of Appeal
Motion to Split the House
Motion to Move into Voting
Procedure
Explanation
point to censure a delegate who
violates the Rules of Procedure
point of a delegate referring to a
personal discomfort
point to indicate the inappropriate
application of the Rules of
Procedure
point addressed to the Chair to
clarify the Rules of Procedure
point addressed to the statement of
the previous speaker
motion to close the meeting
motion to suspend the meeting for a
given time
motion to start a free debate
motion to start a debate
motion to close a debate about a
certain topic
motion to divide a certain motion or
amendment into parts
motion to question the decision of
the Chair or President of the
General Assembly
motion to repeat the voting
procedure without the opportunity
to abstain from voting
motion to move into the voting
procedure excluding the speeched in
favour and against
27