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Period of Time
Conference Attendees
Seating Arrangements Resolutions
Caucusing
Speakers' Lists
Rules of Procedure
Bloc Spokespeople
Although Model United Nations aims to simulate committees of the United Nations accurately, there are important differences between the institutions that delegates should be aware of in order to prevent common misconceptions.
These differences often exist for one of these reasons
1 Model U.N. conferences work an a much shorter time frame,
2 Model U.N. participants are students, not experienced diplomats, and
3 Model U.N. organizers rarely have access to indepth Information on real U.N. practices and resources.
Sessions usually last several months
Attendees are primarily diplomats
Most U.N. sessions seat delegates in alphabetical (English) order. Delegates may prepare draft resolutions either individually or in groups, which are circulated and subsequently merged to form a consensus. A draft resolution typically does not go to the floor until it is ready to be adopted by consensus. lt is considered desirable for a draft resolution to pass by consensus, with no notion voting no. Accordingly, more than 70 percent of all U.N. resolutions now pass by consensus.
95 percent of the U.N.'s time is spent in "behind-the scenes" caucusing, after official meetings, during lunch or in the hallways. lt is very rare, however, for the U.N. to suspend formal meetings to caucus.
Formal U.N. meetings typically work on a speakers' list, with each country speaking once, possibly with an additional right of reply. Once every country speaks, the meeting breaks and behind-thescene work begins. Bloc groups and smaller bodies like the Security Council practice "informal consultation", in which all delegates speak freely, bound by the norms of diplomatic currency.
There are brief, formal rules of procedure for U.N. bodies. Some common rules are unwritten, and chairs occasionally make rulings without precedent, which stand if uncontested.
Typically, regional and diplomatic blocs elect a spokesperson to represent their consensus before the committee.
Conferences last one to five days
Attendees are primarily students from elementary school, middle school, high school, or college.
Delegates either sit in alphabetical order or based an individual conference rules. Depending on the conference, several resolutions may reach the floor for discussion. lt is typically after discussion has taken place in formal debate, that delegates merge resolutions, if at all. (Due to the short time frame of a Model U.N. conference, it is often difficult for students to come to a consensus.)
Delegates may move for suspension of the meeting to caucus. At this time, the official session breaks and the delegates meet informally in different blocs to discuss and draft resolutions. Additionally, many students meet after hours to discuss committee work.
Many Model U.N. conferences have speakers' lists, with delegations allowed to speak multiple times. Other conferences use a less formal means of debate, with delegates raising their placards for their chairperson to recognize them to speak. Some conferences also combine this with "informal consultation" for smaller bodies.
Conferences base their rules both on written U.N. rules and outside sources. The rules are often changed to help streamline a one to fiveday conference. Also, particular rules have different uses in Model U.N. than in the actual U.N., like "right of reply."
Conferences base their rules both on written U.N. rules and outside sources. The rules are often changed to help streamline a one to fiveday conference. Also, particular rules have different uses in Model U.N. than in the actual U.N., like "right of reply."
Bloc spokespeople are rarely used, as there is seldom time to form cohesive blocs or select consensus leaders.
UNITED NATIONS
MODEL UNITED NATIONS
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