Summary / Checklist for Delegates
Each Delegation
• Represents a country
• Chooses an Ambassador to make the opening speech
• Chooses a designer to design and photocopy ‘Headed notepaper’ to be used by the delegates during the conference
• Researches the views and beliefs of their country agreeing an approach to the conference
Each Ambassador
• Writes an opening speech for the conference
• Makes the opening speech at the formal beginning of the conference
Each delegate – before the conference
• Chooses a committee
• Prepares a policy statement to make in their committee
• Writes a resolution on at least one topic within the committee. The resolution should be placed on the school system before lobbying
• Prepares a short speech about their resolution (in case it is debated in the committee)
• Researches all the topics in the committee and decides the view of the country they represent on each topic
Each delegate – during the conference
• Attends lobbying with other students in their committee to:
o get signatures for their resolution
o look to merge resolutions
o sign other students’ resolution (delegates can only sign one resolution on each topic)
o meet other students in their committee who they can work together with during the conference
• Submits resolution to the approval panel
• Attends opening ceremonies and opening speeches – sitting with other members of their delegation (or in the balcony)
• Attends their committee when committees are in session:
o making policy statement
o presenting their resolution if it passes approval panel and is sent to committee
o joining in the debate, asking Points of Information and/or take the floor
• Sits with their delegation during the sessions of the General Assembly, joining in the debate
TIPS FOR A GOOD DELEGATE
ΤHE DO’S
#1 Come Prepared.
You would be surprised how many people miss this. To start discussing your point of view, you must actually have one well formed. Make sure that before you walk into the room, you: 1. Understand the topic fully, 2. Know your country’s stance on the case very well, 3. Are prepared with a strong opening statement Do not just come prepared with papers or speeches written down, but with your delegation’s weaknesses, previous issues, economic weaknesses, and questionable actions about the case and prepare rebuttals for them. Other delegates will definitely be prepared, so it is your job to be well aware and prepared as well. Anticipate attacks from other delegates, and come up with answers to refute them. Receiving criticisms/attacks from your delegation can harm your influence, so be sure to address them. In addition, if your rebuttal was not ready in time, you may have a weaker chance regaining respect in the committee.
#2 Maintain Diplomacy.
The biggest indicator of a valued debate is that the two opponents respect each other. Think of presidential debates: shake hands, exchange compliments, and then get down to business. In Model UN conferences, you do not see delegates throwing diplomatic decorum out the window when they are provoked. Always maintain diplomatic decorum, in the room, outside the room, during debate, during caucus, always. Check out tips for diplomacy here. Undermining the other person by rolling your eyes, interrupting or ridiculing makes you look weaker. It is a sign of insecurity, and it will be viewed as such by the audience. Respect the other delegates, even if they are completely opposed to your opinion or bloc. This will make you look more professional, and serve to strengthen your arguments, not vice versa. Stay away from this and focus more on this.
#3 The best defense is a good offense.
Start the criticism of opposing delegations with facts you have discovered weaken their stance. Demand that specific actions or statements of their country are explained. Be the first to stir the water, and this just may get them pre-occupied long enough with refuting your attacks. You may then use this valuable time to form dialogue with other delegations, set your ground in the debate flow, or simply put them in the “defender” rather than “attacker” position. Of course, they may have
already expected your argument, and immediately offer a rebuttal. They may even attack back with weaknesses of your own. But, attacking still demonstrates that you are a force to be reckoned with.
#4 The best debater is the best listener.
If you think that the best debater is the one who talks the most… Think again. You can keep talking, but if you don’t listen very carefully to what other delegations (your opponent) is saying, your speeches will be void, it will be as if you are talking in an empty room. This mistake is made so much in MUN conferences… The delegates don’t listen carefully to each other and keep track of everything being said, mostly because they are too busy formulating their own speeches. Remember, your speeches should be based on what the other delegates are saying. Your biggest asset, your biggest weapon in that conference is the other delegations’ speeches…. Every single word coming out if the other delegates mouth are gold… More on that later.
#5 Agree, and then refute Here’s a very cool trick that comes from listening.
Start by agreeing with the other delegation, with what can be agreed with (and what won’t hurt you) and then, refute it. It will make the power of your refute multiply. Example: Delegation of y supports military intervention as a means to achieving peace & stability in a region, and to maintaining international peace & security. Delegation x disagrees. Therefore, he can say: “the delegation of X firmly agrees with the delegation of Y. This region is quite unstable and is in dire need of immediate measures to promote its political stability.” (note: X just caught Y off guard, he can’t disagree with x agreeing with him, can he ? ) Then X can say: “however, military intervention is undoubtedly the most destructive path to achieving any stability in this region within the next 3 years. Multiple examples from previous military interventions should have taught us this by now. Does the delegation of y not agree that the intervention in country……. Has resulted in casualties amounting to……….., and does the example of …………. Not demonstrate that little/no stability has been reached even after 5 years of intervention ? Honorable delegates, let’s face it, military intervention is likely to make matters worse…” See how this made X’s argument stronger, than if they had just began by disagreeing?
#6 Use other delegate’s speeches against them.
The best trick that can come for listening to the other delegates speeches. How can you best apply this? 1. Try and find contradictions in the delegate’s different speeches. 2. Remind him of when their country (delegation) did something against what they are saying/ standing up for. Example: when a delegate speaks about “democracy”, use the fact that his country has been criticized for level of civil democracy. When a country speaks about the rights of women, use statistics showing they have the highest number of sexual harassment and domestic violence in the world…etc. 3. Just agree with one minor point/ concept/ goal, then refute and refute and refute. Example: agree with a goal that a third party made a mistake, and then show how you will fix it. Or, agree with a problem the opponent is discussing, then highlight his role in it.
#7 Find a “universal principal” everyone agrees on.
First, know your audience, then start your speech by stating a universal principal that everyone in the room will agree with. Example: “human suffering and deaths are a tragedies no one can deny” or “the secret to any solution is cooperation”, or “patience, determination, and solidarity, are the ways to reach anything worthwhile” Notice how the phrases seem like common sense. However, before you have started discussing your actual relevant points of debate, the entire audience will have for a moment, agreed with you. This takes you off the “bad guy, just block everything he says list” and puts you on the “Hmmm… Maybe he does have a point” list (subconsciously of course). Then, move on to your controversial points.
“The only way to stop the casualties is by intervention” or: “in order to prevent any more casualties, we must stand in the face of this intervention” This small trick will make your speeches & arguments more convincing to the audience.
#8 Turn a perceived weakness into a strength.
There is one timeless example to this rule. In a presidential debate, when a much younger candidate attacked President Reagan due to his senior age, he replied by saying: I will not, for political purposes, exploit my opponent’s youth and inexperience” He won the campaign, and that says it all. When you have a weakness, turn it into a strength.
#9 Capture the audience’s attention.
The golden rule, yet one of the biggest mistakes made in MUN conferences: when a delegate fails to capture the attention of his audience. Here is the ugly truth: if you do not capture and maintain the eyes and ears of the other delegates in that room while making your speech, then your speech is not heard. It is the other delegates’ responsibility to pay attention to your speeches, but it is also your responsibility to make them know why this speech is important to them, and make it get their attention. Secret strategy: If you want to be convincing, capture and maintain attention, or be influential, use your body language and know the importance of non-verbal communication. This is the biggest conveyor of what you want to say. How? Manipulate the tone of your voice, Make eye contact, Make your voice clear and stable at all times. Address a specific delegation when speaking, Do something dramatic at the beginning, Have confidence! And make sure that when you speak, everyone listens.
#10 Use Facts. The backbone of your speeches should be facts.
No one can argue with facts. They can however, certainly argue with opinions. Facts are a commonly ignored, yet a pivotal weapon in debate strengthening. They make you believable; provide credibility and make your speeches virtually indestructible. Use the facts in your case. Research more facts. Use facts as strategic weapons (your strengths and others weaknesses). Just keep in mind: your opponent may also be prepared with facts on the same case. For instance, you both have numbers and dates of previous resolutions, strengthening two different arguments. Therefore, a tip in this case, is to use your magic. Example: “the delegation of x supports delegation y in retrieving this information. We would also like to point out to certain historic facts that are even more relevant to the case, and will serve to demonstrate and prove our claim that….” This paves the way for delegation x’s info, even before they have said it.
#11 Capitalize on your strengths.
Many delegates forget to keep their eyes on the ball and focus on the strengths they already have that can be mentioned or used in the debate they are trying so hard to gain foothold in. For instance, a country is accused of a specific violation, and is under attack. But this country also has some incidents in which it did something right, and that is already mentioned in the case. A country under attack may have a specific resource at its disposal (ex: scientific research facilities for instance) that can be offered in the middle of a heated debate to show willingness to cooperate or, as a strategic leverage point. When in doubt, always remember your side’s strengths, what good things you have, or did, or can do… And turn the focus on them.
#12 Find common ground, and keep using it.
When you find the debate is getting too heated, and you need a certain delegation on your side, try to find something you both agree on, either from your foreign policy research or the other’s speeches. For instance, “as delegation y stated, we aim for peace and stability for this region, and let us assure, so do we, we do not disagree, so let’s work together”. If you have a common rival. If you have any common interests or stances, use them. Remember them. They will be very helpful.
#13 Small people make small points.
When you are discussing a serious and heavy subject, do not get side tracked and get too absorbed into insignificant details. Keep your eyes on the ball, as your conference time is limited. Many delegates lose sight of the main committee topic, and spend too much time arguing over a sub-topic, that will have little influence over the operative clauses of the resolution. If you note that this is happening, remember, small people make small points. Keep the resolution in mind, and spend your speech and debate time wisely.
#14 Appeal to Emotions. This is a powerful tool.
Most of your cases will have some kind of human aspect. The difference between a good delegate and a great delegate is that: one will just “mention” the human aspect, and the other will exploit it, capitalize on it, press on & describe it, till the people in the room actually feel it. You can say: “people died.” And you can deeply explain how many people died.
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