1. Model United Nations Training Session 2

2. Or how to state a country’s position on 2 different topics
The Position Paper
Or how to state a country’s position on 2 different topics

3. How to write a Position Paper
What is your country’s position on the key issues?
What kind of solutions will your country look for in a resolution

4. A few requirements for the format
1 page Position Paper
Times News Roman, size 12
Normal margins
Write the country and the committee
Add 2 titles with the exact topic
2 parts
I. General Position Statement
II. Responses to the Questions, concrete solutions, suggestions or action plan
You can add small elements about your country historical/social/political background but ONLY if it explains your Country’s Position Statement

5. Advices – How to structure the PP
TRY TO MENTION THESE:
A brief statement on why your state feels the topic is important nationally and globally
A concise statement of your state’s position on the topic
An explanation of WHY your state takes this position
Major UN actions on the topic that your state feels are significant
Suggestions for addressing the topic

6. Advices – How to do the research
Use your Guidelines (provided by Le MUN des Lycéens) and especially the sources/footnotes
Look at the website of your UN committee
Make extensive research on YOUR OWN COUNTRY (not the one you know) through
Newspapers (preferably the one from your country)
History, Geography and Geopolitical books
The government websites (ministry, international affairs etc.)
The website of your country’s Embassy or High Commission
Sometimes NGOs websites if relevant

7. How to know your country better?
Location
Head of state and/or government
Type of government
Major allies and enemies, including membership of intergovernmental organisations
Broad overview of religion and culture
Internal and external conflicts
Other special concerns related to your committee’s topics

8. The difficult task in a MUN is to really pretend you are the ambassador of your own country, even if your personal convictions are opposed to the country’s politics…
A MUN official

9. Ask yourself those questions
How is my country affected by this issue?
What is my country’s relationship with states that are especially affected by this topic?
How has my country voted on similar issues in the past?
Does my country have special religious/cultural concerns that may lead it to have a specific stance on an issue?

10. Or how to deliver as a committee
The Resolution
Or how to deliver as a committee

11. A Resolution contains all the proposed solutions to a topic
A Resolution contains all the proposed solutions to a topic. Learning to write a resolution is very important because the ULTIMATE GOAL of the committee sessions is for delegates to come up with written solutions to the problems they are trying to solve.
The authors of the resolution will also be recognized as the leaders in the committee which distinguishes them from everyone else for awards.

12. WHO writes a resolution WHEN & WHERE are resolution written
Basics about the Resolution
WHO writes a resolution
WHAT is a resolution
Any delegate in the committee can write a resolution (although in rare instances an observer state is not allowed to directly write a resolution)
Most resolutions have multiple sponsors because it takes a group of countries to share good ideas and to come to a consensus
A resolution is a document that contains all the issues that the committee wants to solve and the proposed solutions to that issue. It’s called a resolution because that’s what the United Nations calls the documents they produce (here are some real Security Council resolutions).
During unmoderated caucus
Delegates are free to roam around the committee to collaborate on ideas with each other. Resolution-writing becomes more focused during the latter sessions of committee is in order or not.
The ultimate purpose of a committee session is to pass a resolution. All the negotiation and teamwork is supposed to lead up to a resolution which contains all the proposed solutions to the issue. The resolution(s) that the majority of the committee agrees upon will be passed during voting bloc.
WHEN & WHERE are resolution written
WHY writing it?

13. Example of a Resolution

14. Sponsors: delegates who agree with the draft resolution or actively contributed ideas. So they should vote for it.
All resolutions will require a minimum number of sponsors.
Signatories: delegates who wish the see the draft resolution debated but may or may not agree with all of the ideas.
Some resolutions will require a minimum number of signatories.
Pre-ambulatory clauses: statements in the first section of the draft resolution that describes the problems that the committee wants to solve as well as previous measures taken to combat the problem.
Pre-ambulatory clauses are usually italicized or underlined but not numbered.
Operative clauses: statements in the second section of the draft resolution that outlines the specific solutions the sponsors wish to implement.
Operative clauses are usually numbered and underlined.
Amendment: a change made to an operative clause of a draft resolution. Amendments can add, delete, or change an operative clause in a draft resolution.
A Friendly Amendment
An Unfriendly Amendment (see after)
About the Vocabulary…

15. HOW to write a Resolution?
Heading: the committee name, the sponsors, the signatories, and the topic
Resolution heading: sponsors, signatories
Pre-ambulatory clauses: states all the issues that the committee wants to resolve on this issue. It may state reasons why the committee is working on this issue and highlight previous international actions on the issue. can include:
Past UN resolutions, treaties, or conventions related to the topic
Past regional, non-governmental, or national efforts in resolving this topic
References to the UN Charter or other international frameworks and laws
Statements made by the Secretary-General or a relevant UN body or agency
General background info formation or facts about the topic, its significance, and its impact.
HOW to write a Resolution?

16. Example
For example, my country wants to address the issue of how HIV/AIDS has spread rapidly in sub-Saharan Africa.
I pick a pre-ambulatory phrase (you will be given a list before the MUN):
Alarmed by the 17% increase in HIV/AIDS contraction among sub-Saharan African countries in the past five years,

17. HOW to write a Resolution?
Operative clauses: state the solutions that the sponsors of the resolution proposes to resolve the issues. The operative clauses should address the issues specifically mentioned in the pre-ambulatory clauses above it.
For example, my first solution is to distribute low-cost medicines for HIV/AIDS to sub-Saharan African countries. I pick an operative phrase, I’ll use “Calls upon” :
“1. Calls upon the developed countries and major pharmaceutical countries to provide low-cost, generic medicines for HIV/AIDS to sub- Saharan African countries;”
HOW to write a Resolution?

18. TIPS ! Be specific Use figures Use facts
Try to answer WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN WHY HOW
You can have « sub-operative clauses » (bullet points) if you want to detail more your clause

19. Amendments to a Resolution
A friendly amendment is a change to the draft resolution that all sponsors agree with
Need to be signed by all of the draft resolution’s sponsors and approved by the committee chair
Then incorporated to the resolution
An unfriendly amendment is a change that some or all of the draft resolution’s sponsors do not support and must be voted upon by the committee.
The sponsors of the amendment will need to obtain a certain number of signatories in order to introduce it

20. What to do before the MUN?
Prepare yourself for the MUN
Prepare your Position Paper
Write beforehand your opening speech
Review the MUN rules through the resources available on
the Powerpoints
Other complementary documents
Special tips
Keep checking your adress
Look for your Facebook Group: COMMITTEE – MUN des lycéens 2017
Deadline for submission of the Position Paper: SATURDAY 22 APRIL MIDNIGHT (11:59PM)
Submit your PP at
No PP will be taken into account after the deadline for the AWARD

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