2020 - overseas school of colombo · in indonesia, un intervention has yielded successful results....

1. THE UNITED NATIONS

1.1 ORIGINS On October 24th 1945, the United Nations came into force as an official organization. The UN charter was signed by fifty nations in June of that year, in the closing stages of history’s most destructive war, with the hope that it would prevent such an atrocity from ever occurring again. This idea was not new. Prior to World War II, the League of Nations was created as the peace keeping body and assigned with the task of maintaining world peace. Although it died an undignified death, the principles behind it did not. In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the USA and Prime Minister Winston Churchill of Great Britain signed the Atlantic Charter calling for the creation of a new organization, and for a more serious commitment to it by the nations of the world. That call has been answered by 192 countries so far.

1.2. MISSION The mission of the UN is first and foremost the safeguarding and promotion of peace. It also works towards social progress, better living standards, and strengthening human rights. It achieves this primarily through the provision of a global forum where all member nations are treated equally, no matter what their standing, both in the world and in the issues discussed. Just as importantly, the UN takes a direct role in alleviating the problems of the world. It does this via contributions from member nations. Each member of the UN is obligated to bettering humanity to the best of its ability, whether through contributing troops as peacekeepers, providing medical assistance, food supplies, and/or other helpful measures.

1.3. THE UN SYSTEM

The United Nations is divided into six major organs: General Assembly (GA)

Security Council (SC) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Trusteeship Council (TC) International Court of Justice (ICJ)

Secretariat

The UN also consists of different programs and funds, through which various initiatives are managed. These include the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Development Program (UNDP). There are also specialized, semi-autonomous agencies set up by the UN such as the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

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1.3.1. GENERAL ASSEMBLY (GA) The GA is the largest body, with all 193 members represented by one vote each (except for Palestine). It is divided into several committees, which study a wide range of issues. These committees try to reach a consensus on the seriousness of a particular problem, ranging from global warming to arms smuggling, and produce resolutions. Resolutions are recommendations made to the SC, a particular nation, or the world in general as to what should be done. GA resolutions are not legally binding, but it is the most accurate and influential barometer of world opinion. Therefore its resolutions can give or deny the diplomatic force of world approval on the actions of even the most powerful nations. CO-MUN simulates the committees of the GA mentioned below, each of which deals with a unique range of discussion subjects:

First Committee – Security and Disarmament (DISEC) Third Committee – Social, Cultural and Humanitarian Issues (SOCHUM)

Fourth Committee – Special Political and Decolonization Issues (SPECPOL)

1.3.2. SECURITY COUNCIL (SC) The Security Council is mainly accountable for maintaining peace and security, and under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, it is the only UN organ with the ability to enforce its decisions, utilizing all means from economic sanctions to military intervention. The SC consists of fifteen members, five of whom are permanent:

China

France

Russia United Kingdom

United States of America

These five countries have the power of ‘veto’: one vote against a resolution by these countries results in its failure. This power was granted to these countries in order to assure their support for the UN Charter, and has been the subject of much controversy in recent times. The other ten members are elected by the GA, and hold membership for two years each. Each year, the membership of five SC members expires, and the GA elects five new countries.

1.3.3. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL (ECOSOC) ECOSOC is the central UN forum for economic and social issues such as living standards, malnourishment, disease, and cultural cooperation. It consists of 54 members, each elected by the GA. Today, ECOSOC’s primary concern is the developing countries of the world. Typical problems dealt with by ECOSOC over the years include human rights, the status of women, the narcotics trade, and international extradition laws. It works through several UN agencies to accomplish its resolutions, including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO).


1.3.4. TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL (TC) The main responsibility of the council was to supervise the administration of Trust Territories which are placed under the Trusteeship System. In addition, the system aimed at promoting the advancement of the inhabitants within Trust Territories and their progressive expansion towards self-government or independence. The Trusteeship Council is composed of the five permanent members of the Security Council -- China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States

The Trusteeship Council suspended its activities on 1 November 1994, a month after the

independence of Palau, the final remaining United Nations trust territory.

1.3.5 INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE (ICJ) The International Court of Justice is the major judicial branch of the United Nations (UN). Located in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, the court resolves legal disputes proposed to it by states and provides advisory opinions on legal questions submitted to it by duly authorized international branches, agencies, and the UN General Assembly.

The ICJ is collected of fifteen judges elected to nine-year terms by the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council from a list of people selected by the national groups in the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The election process is written from Articles 4–19 of the ICJ statute. Elections are spread over a period of time, with five judges elected every three years to ensure continuity within the court. Should a judge die within his/her term, the practice has generally been to elect a judge in a special election to complete the term.

1.3.6 SECRETARIAT The Secretariat is the name for the bureaucracy of the UN – all the administrators and volunteer staff who run the functions of UN operations all over the world. These employees are selected from the worlds many governments and organizations, and are chosen to bring a multi-ethnic, and extremely talented and dedicated mixture of the world’s civil servants and NGO volunteers under the cause of the UN. By official mandate, UN employees are generally obliged to be legally loyal to the UN only, and not any government or institution. The Secretary General is the highest official of the Secretariat and of the United Nations itself.

The job requires constant communication with influential world leaders, and maintaining personal

relationships with them – thus giving the UN Secretary General the position of arguably, the world’s

most important diplomat. Currently, this position is held by a Portugeese diplomat, Mr António

Guterres who was elected by the General Assembly and succeeded Mr. Ban Ki-moon on the 1st of

January, 2017. António Guterres is the former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from

2005 to 2015. He is the ninth Secretary General of the United Nations.


1.4. ACHIEVEMENTS The United Nations has several notable achievements, some spectacular, and some which have simply passed unnoticed, yet vital parts of our lives. For example, each time we make an international phone call, travel abroad, and send overseas mail, we are unknowingly using long established UN protocols for efficient handling.

The UN has also claimed many victories in stabilizing countries. For example, when it was discovered that an ethnic cleansing campaign was under way in Kosovo, the SC gave its tacit approval to the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) air-strikes in 1999. It authorized the NATO peacekeeping mission and set up a UN administration to provide for basic civil services. War criminals from the Kosovo crisis, including Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, are currently being tried in the War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, and free elections were held in November 2004.

In Indonesia, UN intervention has yielded successful results. Continued violence towards the province of East Timor by Indonesian forces threatened to become a humanitarian disaster towards the late 1990s. The province came under the administration of the United Nations, and despite attacks on UN staff, in May 2002, East Timor swore in a stable, democratic government, and became the world’s newest country.

After the US led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, the country remained in a state of questionable

stability, with years of Taliban rule leaving a country that many believed was not yet fit for

democracy. Despite this uncertainty, in late October 2004 the country held UN administered

elections. This success gave increased legitimacy to the government of President Hamid Karzai, and

helped to take Afghanistan one step closer to joining the ranks of free and secure nations.

1.5. THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY The United Nations continues to face new challenges in the new century, not all of which regularly make headlines. For example, one in six people in the world is still illiterate. 15,000 people are infected with HIV each day. Every 22 minutes a person is injured or killed by a landmine. Solving these and other issues will require a concerted international effort.

The most spectacular problems of the 21st century seem likely to come in the form of terrorism and war. The terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001, and the ensuing war on terrorism provide by far the most compelling reminder that, although many things have changed, war is still a part of our world, and that no place is safe from turning into a battleground.


Even the neutrality of the United Nations has not removed it from the crosshairs. To date, 1700 UN Peacekeepers have been killed while assisting in humanitarian crises. One of the most recent and graphic demonstrations of UN vulnerability was the destruction of the UN building in Iraq, in April 2004, which killed dozens.

In 2005, the Kyoto treaty against global warming was put into action, a significant step forward in saving humanity from the dangers of climate change. The UN also led Timor-Leste into becoming an independent country, helping the nation continue its journey towards self-sufficiency and self-reliability. A tsunami early warning system for the Indian Ocean was formally launched in June 2005, becoming fully operational in July 2006 to provide the region with protection against the ocean related hazards.

2007 was indeed a significant year for Indigenous individuals as the The United Nations Declaration

on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) passed through the General Assembly. The

Declaration established an important standard for the treatment of indigenous individuals due to its

aim of eliminating human rights violations against the 370 million indigenous people.

In addition, 2009 was the year in which the WHO declared the first Public Health Emergency of

International Concern (PHEIC) due to the outbreak of the H1N1 virus. Guidelines were issued to countries which helped to mitigate the impact of the disease. Such guidelines were critical in the development of H1N1 vaccine.

Furthermore, the 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference led to a legally binding deal comprising all countries by 2015, which was to take effect in 2020. There was also development regarding the formation of a Green Climate Fund for which an administration framework was adopted. The subsidization is set to US$100 billion per year to help LEDCs (Lower Economic Developed Countries) adapt to climate influences.

In September 2013, the UN and the ExxonMobil Foundation collaborated to release a new

evidence-based report called “A Roadmap for Promoting Women’s Economic

Empowerment”, which identifies established and high-potential methods to promote women’s

economic advancement across the world. In 2015, The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were established with the deadline as 2030. There are 17 Global Goals with 169 intermediate targets between them. Examples of such goals are zero hunger, no poverty and high quality education. The goals ambitiously involve all 194 member states of the United Nations.

With the appointment of the new Secretary General, Mr António Guterres, the United Nations has entered yet another era of its universal work for the betterment of mankind. The creed of our species remains the hope for a better tomorrow, and thus, the responsibility of the current generation of diplomats is to adapt to this changing world, and to continue to serve the


principles of the UN, which despite all the challenges it has faced, still represents humanity’s

best hope for lasting peace.

2. COLOMBO OPERATED MODEL UNITED NATIONS

2.1 ORIGINS Simulation programs of the UN have existed for over 80 years, with the creation of the Model

League of Nations in 1923. Its successor, the Model United Nations, was created immediately

following the signing of the UN Charter in 1945. They were meant to provide students with

experience in the world of diplomacy via a simulation of the functioning of the UN. In 1994, Sri

Lanka joined the rapidly growing number of countries with an MUN program, with the creation of

the Colombo Model United Nations program. This was the brainchild of Sandra Fernando, an

educator at the Overseas School of Colombo. Her idea started off with a conference of four schools

including OSC. In 2007, the thirteenth CO-MUN conference was held. Over five hundred students

from schools located not only in Sri Lanka, but also South-east Asia participated. This very firmly

maintained CO-MUN’s position as the fifth largest student run MUN conference in the world.

2.2 PARTICIPATION AND PARTICIPANT IDENTIFICATION CO-MUN is open to all students between the ages of 13 and 19 from schools anywhere in the world. These students must be motivated to understand the challenges facing the world, and have strong opinions and desires with relation to facing them. Most students at CO-MUN will be participating as delegates, each representing one country’s stance within their committee. They will need to practice diplomacy towards all of the other delegates to achieve an outcome that is favourable to their country as well as the international community.

The Organizing Committee is also run by students; twelve of these will be chairs. These individuals

will be responsible for presiding over caucuses and debates, creating a cordial atmosphere while

encouraging productive competition, and helping every single delegate achieve his or her full

potential. The rest of the organizing committee is made up of Administrative Staff, or admin, as they

more commonly known. These students provide the backbone of every CO-MUN conference.

They are responsible for such tasks as organizing IT resources, reserving and setting up of venues,

printing and distributing resolutions and other tasks, without which the conference would not run.

2.3 BENEFITS CO-MUN tests several aspects of a student’s personality and skills. In caucusing, students will need to be patient with views contrary to their own, and be prepared to make small concessions while identifying and striving for the greater goal. They must also be prepared to draw other delegates together, and mediate disputes. After caucusing, they will produce a


resolution. This process tests their knowledge of current affairs, how they fit that knowledge into a particular viewpoint, and the way they think in coming up with a solution. When debating these

resolutions, delegates will be tested on their skills of public speaking, intelligent use of questions to gain advantages in their positions, and their pace of thinking in responding to these questions. These tests, once faced, greatly benefit an individual’s aspirations towards becoming a diplomat. However, CO-MUN also prepares students for all walks of life by giving them greater confidence in themselves, and a broader outlook of the world they live in.

2.4. EXPECTATIONS All delegates at COMUN are expected to be well-versed in current affairs, be good public speakers, excellent negotiators, display exemplary concern for others, and above all, be enthusiastic in their participation. Over the course of the next few pages, you will find essential information and advice that, if taken to heart, will help give you the best opportunity to perform at the highest possible level in your capacity at COMUN.


3. KEY SKILLS

3.1: Research

Importance The importance of research stems from the fact that it provides delegates with their source of information for a particular committee topic, let it be the situation in the Korean Peninsula or the role of sustainable development. Research is a fundamental key in writing a brilliant Foreign Policy Statement and assists delegates when creating resolutions.

What to research

Primarily delegates should gather information based on their given country, therefore there is a

wide range of topics delegates should consider when doing research. This includes:

Geography: Size, location, natural resources, region and neighboring states.

Statistics: Population, population density, growth rates Society: Ethnicities and their representation, religious groups and influences, languages, customs and traditions Economy: Type and size of economy (planned, mixed or free market economy), imports/exports, trading partners and views on trade. Government: Type of government (religious, secular, monarchy etc.), leaders’ stance on important issues

History: Significant historical events, disputes and conflicts, whether internal or external

International relations: Historical allies and enemies, membership of international

organizations (e.g: WTO, EU etc. )

Delegates will have to prepare and build a keen intellect on the topics being discussed. They should also infer how influential or neighboring states ought to react to a particular or sudden situation, as this will be a prominent factor when forming alliances during resolution writing.


Useful sources of information The internet is not the only domain for information. There are other numerous sources of information which provide a valuable amount of knowledge to the delegate for his/her research. This includes:

Books: Libraries can house useful information relating to the delegates country. The United Nations information centre library in Colombo contains copies of past UN resolutions.

Foreign newspapers: These can often be accessed online if you cannot find hard copies. These are excellent sources of information, and the bias towards a certain side of an issue can give a delegate an insight into the national “mood” of the delegate’s country.

Embassies: Foreign Embassies can be extremely useful in providing information about their countries’ position on the issues you are researching and discussing about. The executive committee recommends delegates to visit these embassies as a delegation. In the past, delegations have had very productive meetings with embassy officials and have received valuable information from them.

News broadcasts: It is recommended that delegates watch at least a few minutes of international news everyday to keep levels of general knowledge up to mark. Media sources such as BBC and CNN have excellent reputations in providing an in depth coverage of daily events.

Web sites:

Certain web sites should be approached with caution as they may or may not be credible. It is advisable to visit official websites; examples of these are:

UN Home page http://www.un.org/en/ Worldwide news agencies such as http://www.reuters.com/

Regional Organizations : http://europa.eu/index_en.htm

Government Websites: http://www.priu.gov.lk/

Business and Financial News Websites should often be compared with each other for more accurate information. It is also important to remember that not all websites are 100% reliable in their information (general information may be biased) therefore it is advised that delegates should be quite cautious when researching about a particular issue or topic. Websites such as Wikipedia are not always reliable.


It is possible that a country assigned to a particular delegate is not likely to have heavy involvement or relevance in the topic. However, research would allow a delegate to remain involved in the discussion of the topic throughout the conference. To maximize your involvement in the topic beyond merely using your countries relevance research in the following areas:

1. Problems posed by the topic 2. Solutions to those problems 3. Rival approaches to solving the problem 4. Pros and cons of each approach 5. Countries which advocate for the each approach

6. Countries with past controversies with regards to the topic 7. How those past controversies played out and their standing with regards to international law.

Additional Research resources:

1. CIA Fact Book 2. Google scholar 3. Microsoft Academic

4. Reuters


3.2. FOREIGN POLICY STATEMENT (FPS)

Introduction A document that each participating delegate must prepare and submit to the chairs of their committees is called the Foreign Policy Statement (FPS). This document presents the delegate’s country’s current stance on the topic of discussion, the actions that have been taken for or against the topic, as well as any future plans the country has made. The FPS is extremely important as the delegate must adopt his/her country’s stance throughout the entire conference.

The FPS conveys only the country’s position on the topic at hand, and should not contain any of the delegate’s personal opinions or notions. It is vital that the delegate sticks to their country’s position on the topic during the conference, as the chairs will constantly be verifying all the information provided by the delegate with the submitted FPS, to make sure the delegate is in accordance with the government he/she represents.

The FPS is written in a precise format, and must be submitted to the chairs of each delegate’s committee by the set deadline. Each FPS is graded by the chairs, and they shall decide on the best FPS written in their committee. An award is presented at the end of the conference in each committee, to the delegate who submits the best FPS.

Guidelines for FPS Preparation The FPS focuses on three key areas in relation to a topic:

The country’s stance on the stated topic The actions already implemented by the country in relation to the topic

The future actions the country is planning on implementing in relation to the topic

An ideal FPS is not one that is filled with facts and statistics. For a truly excellent FPS, the delegate

must address each of the mentioned criteria in a very concise, methodical and informative manner

that is logical in its structure and information presentation. In addition to all of this, a high standard

of research must be evident as well. Listed below, are some ways in improving an FPS:

+ Excellent Research: An effective FPS is one that informs its reader of exactly what is relevant. The key to this, is research. The delegate must provide accurate and precise information, and this can be done by researching in depth about their topic in general, as well as their country’s position. Delegates may use books, newspapers, the internet and any other means to obtain their information but it must be certain that the gathered information is current, as well as completely accurate. Also all the information included in the FPS must be relevant to the topic. It is important that delegates do not simply copy information from their sources, as this is plagiarism. As a representative of a nation, it is up to you to make sure that your FPS does not include directly


copied information unless you may be quoting facts or statistics or statements made by public figures, in which case it must be stated explicitly. If plagiarism is observed, it reflects very

poorly on the delegate, and represents laziness and disinterest, and will not impress the chairs.

+ Concise, Logical Presentation: The presentation of the research is also a very important aspect of the FPS. It should not be a simple regurgitation of facts and research; instead it must be structured in a clear and comprehensive manner. The three main questions should be clearly answered, with sufficient information and presented systematically. This is in fact, a very important criterion, because in essence, a good FPS will display logical presentation, an accurate and a comprehensive presentation of required information in a clear and understandable manner.

+ Good Language Skills: Many delegates try to hide their lack of research and information with complex and obscure language. This in many cases is quite clear and does not impress the chairs at all. Good language refers to the effectiveness of communicating the information, in the clear and logical manner as mentioned above, in an official and engaging tone. It is not supposed to be poetic or overly descriptive in any way, and must maintain formality in its entirety. It must present all the information the delegate decides to include efficiently and must be grammatically accurate.

If these criteria are adhered to and are observable in an FPS, the document will impress the chairs.

SAMPLE FOREIGN POLICY STATEMENT


Committee: General Assembly 2 Delegation: Pakistan

Name of delegate: xxx Date: xxth February 2010

School: xxx

Questions

1. External debt sustainability and development 2. Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory,

including East-Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources.

1 a) Does my country support question one?

Yes

b) What has my country done to support or condemn question one? Debt sustainability is generally defined by IMF and World Bank as the ability of a country to meet its

current and future debt provision obligations without resorting to debt deferment or accumulation of

debts and without compromising growth. Consequently Pakistan is barely able to meet the said

conditions of debt sustainability. It has been concluded that the primary fiscal and current account

imbalances were the main causes of public debt sustainability issues. Both the public and external

debt ratios have remained far from the sustainable levels during 1970s to 2000s. The steadily rising

growth rate in the early 2000s i.e. the year 2000 to the year 2007 from 3.1% to 6.6% indicated that the external debt sustainability conditions had been met to a certain extent with a reasonable growth

rate, however these conditions did not hold for long and growth rates fell to 2.7% in the year 2009,

nevertheless as of recent growth rates are gaining and currently stand at a 4.8%. Regardless of the constantly fluctuating growth rates which may be considered a cause of concern it should be noted that the GDP growth rate in Pakistan never fell to below 0% indicating that Pakistan was not affected adversely by the credit crunch or the global recession and that there always has been a certain degree of growth and development.

There are several indicators as to the fact that the external assistance offered to Pakistan has been

used for the purpose of development, there have been improvements in the literacy rate, life

expectancy, reserves of gold and such, and a reduction in infant mortality, deaths due to HIV and so

on. However pressing problems seem to be the continued and drastic increase in both unemployment

and inflation. Although the problem of inflation could be attributed to the rising prices of oil and the

rise in global food prices and therefore having a direct effect on the rates of unemployment due to the

falling levels of demand for both goods and labour due to higher prices, the Pakistani government are

making an effort to address this problem through subsidization of

local industries and encouragement of Foreign Direct Investment with incentives for Multinational Companies to relocate in Pakistan.

c) What does my country plan to do in the future to condemn or support question one?


Pakistan being a rather small but open economy has always borrowed externally to finance its savings and foreign exchange gap. Pakistan further recognizes the importance of using aid to fund the savings gap which would directly result in increased levels of investment and fund the foreign exchange gap which would mean that now capital goods can be purchased from abroad to increase the amount of consumer goods in the long run. However the expected level of growth and development are harder to achieve with Pakistan’s rising debt servicing costs. 67% of the net revenue receipts of the federal government are allocated to foreign debt repayment and debt servicing costs. According to the a statement released by the government recently the danger of debt default continues to increase as foreign exchange reserves fell by over 70% due to rising oil prices. Nevertheless the government of Pakistan is doing all it can to prevent defaulting from the debt owed by trying to increase its sources of revenue by promoting exports and encouraging Foreign Direct Investment. Pakistan further only calls for debt relief in dire and drastic circumstances and stresses that it does not recommend debt relief as a primary option. Pakistan has been in the past struggling with the issue of debt sustainability and will do all within its power to continue to pay its debts however also calls upon for emergency debt relief in the face of a natural disaster as with the floods of 2010.

1 a) Does my country support question two?

Yes

b) What has my country done to support or condemn question two? The Israeli – Palestinian conflict and the Israeli- Arab war has been one of great concern to the government of Pakistan over a long period of time and as per a statement made by the President of Pakistan, Pakistan will not recognize the state of Israel until an independent Palestinian state has been established. The Pakistani government has always strongly believed that the Palestinians be given permanent sovereignty of the currently occupied Palestinian territory. Although many have attributed this support rendered to Palestine to the lack of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Israel, the Pakistani government like the rest of the Arab world have far more profound reasons for this support. The government of Pakistan deems it unfair that the Israelis have been exploiting, damaging and depleting the natural resources of Palestine namely oil, causing the country to fall into stark levels of poverty with extremely low levels of growth. Moreover Pakistan believes that as a nation the Palestinians have the constitutional right to the resources and wealth of the state therefore proving that by harming the environment, including dumping of waste materials in the occupied Palestinian and Syrian territories, and by destroying vital infrastructure, including water pipelines and sewage networks and by constructing a wall in

The Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem, Israel has violated international law and critically deprived the Palestinian people of their natural resources. The Pakistani government in the past has always shown its support for Palestine concerning the issue, adding to the refusal of Pakistan to recognize the state of Israel, Pakistan also sent in pilots to aid the Arab forces in the Arab-Israeli war. Although many negotiations have been attempted over the years in between Pakistan and Israel, Pakistan has always stood its ground and continues to support Palestine in the situation. Pakistan further approves the advancement of the negotiations of the peace process in the Middle East as endorsed by the


Security Council in the past. Pakistan further believes that the Israelis should withdraw from the Gaza Strip and dismantles all strongholds and settlements within the aforementioned territory. This continued territorial dispute will only lead to the further exploitation of Palestine for its oil, especially given the rising prices of oil and therefore Pakistan believes that the Palestinians have the right to claim restitution due to the illegal measures taken upon by the occupying Power which has not only caused damage and depletion to the natural resources of Palestine but the acts of terror and prolonged battles have left its mark upon the citizens of both countries.

c) What does my country plan to do in the future to support to condemn question two?

Pakistan believes that if Palestine is given control of its resources and sovereignty the nation could flourish provided that it is given sufficient aid as it would be emerging from dire circumstances. This would be in the best interests of Pakistan and other nations as now diplomatic relations can be established with Israel and peace in Palestine would mean an increase in the level of trade having a sound impact on Pakistan’s economy. This would increase exports for Pakistan which means that the Balance of Payments will improve and increase our stocks of foreign exchange. Pakistan believes that a settling of this conflict and providing the Palestinian people the constitutional right to their wealth and resources will encourage growth in the Middle East, as a growing nation always has positive spill over effects on its neighbours and trade partners. The settling of this war could also mend ties between other nations which have taken opposite sides on this issue. The end to the conflict also means that now money used in the past for defence could be funnelled into more productive channels such as health and education causing growth and development and therefore the government of Pakistan believes that they are justified in their support of Palestine.

3.3. FORMAL DEBATING


Speeches Formal debating can take place at the beginning of a session where delegates express the views, explain the stance of their country regarding the topic and bring forth solutions to solve the topic being discussed. This is done using moderated caucus topics during the speakers list and during the discussion of resolutions and amendments.

Prepared Speeches Prepared speeches are those that are delivered during the opening statements at conference. A good prepared speech contains:

An introduction explaining your country’s interest in solving the problem Specific suggestions on how to solve the problem Supporting arguments

A conclusion

Impromptu Speeches Making an Impromptu speech might seem like a daunting task but it doesn’t have to be. Follow this guide in order to become a good impromptu speaker;

Make quick notes to remind you of your points and the flow of your speech. Pay attention to the speeches made by other delegates, it can help you avoid repeating topics, and can add more content to your own speech.

Address specific clauses from resolutions and explain why you support or oppose it.

Speech Presentation Good public speaking skills are essential at the United Nations. A good Orator will capture the attention of the house and deliver the necessary content with the required effect. Here are some tips to help with speech presentation:

The Golden Rule: Display character in your

speech Plan your speech Project and articulate Make eye contact with the audience

Content is key. So deliver the necessary content with effect.

Be Courteous and diplomatic in your delivery.

You represent the national interest of your delegation. Therefore ensure that it is the opinion of your delegation that is conveyed in your speech and not your own.


3.4. NEGOTIATING

The art of negotiation is one aspect which COMUN aims to promote in all its delegates. Debating on political issues at an international scale, delegates must understand that each country cannot get what they want. A give or take relationship must be established amongst countries which will be facilitated through negotiation.

Objectives, Strategies and Tactics Comprehending your country’s stance will allow you to easily understand its objectives too. Delegates must question what their country’s stance is on an issue, what action they would like taken and how it is to be executed. Understanding and asking these questions on every issue will help you understand your country better. There are certain strategies and tactic delegates may employ during caucusing and debating to strengthen their position.

Aggression: This can be done by pin pointing out errors in other delegates speeches. This may be

done if a country goes against its foreign policy or falsely condemns another country.

Surrendering: This may seem as a weak approach but do not undermine its capability of setting your

reputation. If a fellow delegate points out a mistake in your argument accept it and move on, it’s a

more dignified way of dealing with the situation. However, since they have pointed out an error in

your argument they may try to further point out alternative fallacies in your points raised.

Tactics that can be used are as follows:

Dividing the issue: Sometimes countries are more divided on a matter than you actually think they are. It would be beneficial to find points of agreements with other delegates and work towards those. You should try to negotiate on disagreements.

Horse-trading: When delegates disagree on more than one issue it is advisable that one

delegate gets to have his or her way on one issue and the other on another issue. This will be considered a win-win situation.

Negotiating in COMUN: Caucusing Caucusing is the phase of negotiation during conference. This is an informal debate between delegates and during this time delegates will form a consensus on one side of the argument. Normally delegates will form two or more group centred behind one side of the argument. These groups may decide to either produce resolutions supporting their views or launch a series of attacks on other resolutions during debates. Alongside this, delegates may form voting blocs where they agree to vote on the same resolution.


The Presence of Chairs Chairs are present to keep order of the debate that takes place, ensuring that things do not go out of hand and the formal register is maintained. In addition to this, they monitor the quality of debate amongst delegates. Also, they are there to help delegates out so if any problems arise, do not hesitate to ask them!

3.5: Pre-ambulatory clauses

Describe the recent history of the issue.

Reference past UN actions and UN resolutions passed concerning the topic where relevant.

Image source: http://bestdelegate.com/

3.6: Operative Clauses

Include solutions to the problem rather than restating the problem. Given that every committee functions to reach a consensus on an issue, do not be blatantly political. Ensure that co-submitting nations are not going against their foreign policy statement by supporting your resolution. Write a resolution with an international point of view as opposed to a single country’s wishes.

Refer issues which need further discussion to appropriate existing bodies. Do not create new commissions, committees or bodies without considering the funding available for these entities.

Ensure that the resolution caters to the requirements of the committee you are in. Always reference previous UN resolutions if clauses are being adopted from them, if not it will be considered plagiarism. If there are two opposing sides to an issue, always include clauses in your resolution with maybe a more neutral stance. This will display your level of diplomacy.


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4. Rules and Procedure

This section of the manual contains information delegates, chairs, and admins. The major part of delegates at CO-MUN.

that should be understood thoroughly by

this section contains rules that apply to all

4.1. Patterns of Formality

Delegates should:

-Address the chair as “Mister/Madam Chairman”.

-Address the chairpersons as a whole as “The Chair,” or “The Head Table”. -Address a person with a title of office if present in the room, e.g. “Mister/Madam, etc.” -Address the chair before speaking. -Respect and accept the chair’s decisions at all times. -Speak through the chair when addressing another delegate. -Do not speak without first obtaining the floor. -Do not use the pronoun “you” when addressing the chair or other delegates. -Speak in third person. -Do not speak when another delegate is on the floor.

4.2. Call to Order This procedure is carried out by the chairpersons at the opening of any meeting or debate. The chair opens a meeting by standing, waiting or signaling for silence, and then announcing: “The meeting shall now come to order”. The admin by order of the Chair will then take a roll call if necessary.

The following was adopted from the COMUN Constitution, from page 12 onwards

http://osc.lk/comun/assets/comun-constitution.pdf


Delegates cannot change committees after the second Practice Debate. Those who do want to change after PD2 will have to seek permission of their school Faculty Advisor and the COMUN

faculty Advisor. The EXCO do not have the authority to grant permission.

1. Scope: These rules apply to all Committees in COMUN, except for modifications provided by

the Secretariat, and will have to be publicly adopted before the day after the Faculty Advisor Meeting.

2. Language: English will be the official and working language of the conference.

3. Delegations: Each member state will be represented by one to three delegates (as set out by the Secretary General) and shall have one vote on each committee. Representatives of accredited observers will have the same rights as those of full member states, except that they may not sign or vote on resolutions or amendments (unless voted on between the Secretariat and the Chairs of that Committee). The Secretariat will provide a list of member states and accredited observers for each committee.

4. Participation of Non-Members: A guest speaker, expert witness, or representative of an

entity that is neither a member of the committee nor an accredited observer may address a committee only with the prior approval of the Secretariat.

5. Credentials: The credentials of all delegations have been accepted upon registration. The SG

shall be the final arbiter of the validity of all credentials. Any representative to whose admission an EXCO member objects will provisionally be seated with the same rights as other representatives, pending a decision from the SG.

6. Statements by the Secretariat: Any member of the Secretariat may at any time make either

written or oral statements to the committee.

7. General Powers of the EXCO in relation to the running of debate: The Secretariat will declare the opening and closing of each meeting and may propose the adoption of any procedural motion to which there is no significant objection. Subject to these rules, the Secretariat will have complete control of the proceedings at any meeting. The President will direct discussions, accord the right to speak, put questions, announce decisions, rule on points of order, and ensure and enforce the observance of these rules. The President may temporarily transfer his duties to another member of the Head Table. EXCO members may also advise delegations on the course of debate. In the exercise of these functions, the EXCO will be at all times subject to these rules and responsible to that President.

8. Appeal: Any decision of the President, with the exception of those matters for which the

Committee Rules of Procedure explicitly prohibit appeal, may be appealed immediately by a delegate. The President may speak briefly in defense of the ruling. The appeal will then be put


to a vote, and the decision of the President will stand unless overruled by a two-thirds majority of

the Secretariat.

9. Quorum: The Secretariat may declare a Committee open and permit debate to proceed when at

least one fourth of the voting members of the Committee is present. A member of the Committee is

considered present if at least one delegate representing that member is in the Committee chamber.

The presence of a majority of the members will be required to vote on any substantive motion. A

quorum will be assumed to be present unless specifically challenged by a Point of Order and shown

to be absent. A roll call is never required to determine the presence of a quorum.

10. Courtesy: Delegates will show courtesy and respect to the EXCO and to other delegates. The

President will immediately call to order any delegate who fails to comply with this rule. The Offendor shall be dealt with either by the President or the Secretariat according to the Rules & Guidelines of COMUN.

11. Electronic Devices: No laptops, tablets, cell phones, or other electronic devices may be used

in the Committee room during formal debate or moderated caucus, without authority from a successful Secretariat vote. Computers may be used outside the Committee room at any time, or in the Committee room during unmoderated caucus at the discretion of the Secretariat.

4.3. Agenda

12. Agenda: The first order of business for the Committee, if the Committee has more than one

Topic Area to discuss, will be the consideration of the agenda. If the committee has only one Topic Area, the agenda is automatically adopted. To set the agenda:

A motion should be made to set the agenda to one of the Committee’s Topic Areas as stated by the President in the committee background guide. Two speakers lists will be established, one in favor of the motion, and one opposed to the motion and in favor of the other topic. The Committee will hear alternating speakers from these lists. No motions for moderated or unmoderated caucuses are permitted during this time.

A motion to close debate will be in order after the Committee has heard at least one speaker for the

motion and one against, or when one of the speakers lists is exhausted. In accordance with the normal

procedure described in Rule 16, the President will recognize the speaker(s) against the motion to

close debate, and a two-thirds majority is required for closure of debate on the agenda.

When debate is closed, the Committee will proceed to an immediate vote on the motion. A simple majority is required for passage. If the motion fails, the other Topic Area will automatically be placed before the Committee. When voting procedure is complete on the first Topic Area, the second Topic Area is automatically placed before the Committee.


In the event of an international crisis or emergency, the President may call upon a Committee to table

debate on the current Topic Area so that the more urgent matter may be attended to immediately.

Under such circumstances, a delegate may motion to table the topic and temporarily set the agenda to

the crisis situation. After a resolution has been passed on the crisis, the Committee will return to

debate on the tabled topic. Until a resolution has passed, the Committee may return to debate on the

tabled Topic Area only at the discretion of the Secretariat.

13. Debate: After the Agenda has been determined, one continuously open speakers list will be

established for the duration of the Topic Area, except as interrupted by procedural points or motions, caucuses, discussion of amendments, and introduction of draft resolutions. Speakers may speak generally on the Topic Area being considered and may address any working paper or any draft resolution currently on the floor. A draft resolution can only be referred to as such once it has been introduced to the committee.

14. Unmoderated Caucus: An unmoderated caucus temporarily suspends formal debate and allows members to discuss ideas informally in the committee room. A motion for an unmoderated caucus is in order at any time when the floor is open, prior to closure of debate. The delegate making the motion must briefly explain the purpose of the motion and specify a time limit for the caucus, not to exceed twenty minutes (subject to the President's approval) . The motion will be put to a vote immediately, and a simple majority is required for passage or the President can introduce and rule on having Unmoderated Caucus. The President may rule the motion dilatory and his or her decision is not subject to appeal. The President may prematurely end an unmoderated caucus if the President feels that the caucus has ceased to be productive, and this decision is not subject to appeal.

15. Moderated Caucus: The purpose of the moderated caucus is to facilitate substantive debate at critical junctures in the discussion. A motion for a moderated caucus is in order at any time when the floor is open, prior to closure of debate. The delegate making the motion must briefly specify a topic, a speaking time, and an overall time limit, not to exceed twenty minutes, for the caucus (subject to the President's approval). Once raised, the motion will be voted on immediately, with a simple majority required for passage or the President can introduce and rule on having Moderated Caucus.

The President may rule the motion dilatory and his or her decision is not subject to appeal. If the motion passes, the President will call on delegates to speak at his or her discretion for the stipulated time. Only speeches will be counted against the overall time of the caucus, and each speech will be counted as taking up the full duration of the speaking time. If no delegates wish to speak, the moderated caucus will immediately conclude, even if time remains in the caucus. The President may also decide, subject to appeal, to suspend the caucus early.


16. Closure of Debate: When the floor is open, a delegate may move to close debate on the

substantive or procedural matter under discussion. The President may rule such a motion dilatory. When closure of debate is moved, the President may recognize up to two speakers against the motion. No speaker in favor of the motion will be recognized. Closure of debate requires a two-thirds majority to pass or the President will declare the closure of debate, and the resolutions or amendment on the floor will be brought to an immediate vote. If the speakers list is exhausted, debate on the topic at hand is immediately closed.

17. Suspension or Adjournment of the Meeting: Whenever the floor is open, the President may

move for the suspension of the meeting, to suspend all Committee functions until the next meeting, or for the adjournment of the meeting, to suspend all Committee functions for the duration of the Conference. The President may rule such motions dilatory; this decision is not subject to appeal. When in order, such a motion will not be debated but will be immediately put to a vote and will require a simple majority to pass.

18. Postponement and Resumption of Debate: Whenever the floor is open, a delegate may

move for the postponement of debate on a resolution or amendment currently on the floor. The motion, otherwise known as “tabling,” will require a two-thirds majority to pass and will be debated by two speakers in favor and two opposed. No debate or action will be allowed on any resolution or amendment on which debate has been postponed, and if debate on a resolution or amendment has not been resumed before debate is closed, that resolution or amendment may not be voted upon. A motion to resume debate on an amendment or resolution on which debate has been postponed will require a simple majority to pass and will be debated by two speakers in favor and two opposed. Resumption of debate will cancel the effects of postponement of debate. A motion may also be tabled at the discretion of the President.

19. Speakers List: The Committee will have a limited speakers list for the Topic Area being

discussed. Separate speakers lists will be established as needed for motions to set the agenda and

debate on amendments. At his or her discretion (usually only when a new speakers list is opened) the

President may solicit nations to be added to the speakers list by raising their placard. The President

may also place or remove a nation from the Speakers List at his discretion. The speakers list for the

second Topic Area will not be open until the Committee has proceeded to that topic.

20. Speeches: No delegate may address a session without having previously obtained the

permission of the President. The President may call a speaker to order if his or her remarks are not relevant to the subject under discussion, or offensive to committee members or staff. Delegates who are absent when recognized by the dais automatically forfeit their time, and debate will continue.

21. Speaking Time: When any speakers list is opened, the speaking time is automatically set to

one minute. Delegates may also make a motion to set a new speaking time at any time when points or motions are in order during formal debate. This motion requires the authority of the President to be passed.


22. Yields: A delegate granted the right to speak from a speakers list may, after speaking, yield

in one of three ways: to another delegate, to questions, or to the dais. • Yield to another delegate: Any remaining time will be given to that delegate, who may not, however, then yield any remaining time to a third delegate. To turn the floor over to a co-delegate is not considered a yield.

• Yield to questions: Questioners will be selected by the President and limited to one question each. Follow-up questions will be allowed only at the discretion of the President. Only the

speaker’s answers to questions will be deducted from the speaker’s remaining time.

• Yield to the Chair: Such a yield should be made if the delegate has finished speaking and does not wish to yield to another delegate or to questions, and further does not wish his or her speech

to be subject to comments. The President will move to the next speaker at his discretion. A yield to the Chair is in order, but not automatic, when a speaker’s time has elapsed. • Yields are in order only on substantive speeches and not during moderated caucus.

23. Comments: If a substantive speech is followed by no yields, the President may recognize two delegations, other than the initial speaker, to comment for thirty seconds each on the specific content of the speech just completed. Commentors may not yield. No comments will be in order during debate on procedural motions, moderated caucus, or debate on amendments.

24. Right of Reply: A delegate whose personal or national integrity has been impugned by

another, a factual error made by a Speaker or a response to a question. A Delegate may request a Right of Reply either in writing or by raising his placard.

25. Point of Personal Privilege: Whenever a delegate experiences personal discomfort which

impairs his or her ability to participate in the proceedings, he or she may rise to a Point of Personal Privilege to request that the discomfort be corrected. While a Point of Personal Privilege may interrupt a speaker, delegates should use this power with the utmost discretion.

26. Point of Order: During the discussion of any matter, a delegate may rise to a Point of Order to indicate an instance of improper use of parliamentary procedure. The Point of Order will be immediately ruled upon by the President in accordance with these rules of procedure. The President may rule out of order those points that are dilatory or improper; such a decision can be appealed. A representative rising to a Point of Order may not speak on the substance of the matter under discussion. A Point of Order may only interrupt a speaker when the speech itself is not following proper parliamentary procedure.

27. Point of Parliamentary Inquiry: When the floor is open, a delegate may rise to a Point of

Parliamentary Inquiry to ask the President a question regarding the Rules of Procedure. A Point


of Parliamentary Inquiry may never interrupt a speaker. Delegates with substantive questions

should not rise to this Point, but should rather approach the EXCO at an appropriate time.

28. Working Papers: Delegates may propose working papers for Committee consideration. Working papers are intended to aid the Committee in its discussion and formulation of resolutions and need not be written in resolution format. Working papers are not official documents, and do not require formal introduction, but do require the signature of the President to be copied and distributed.

29. Resolutions: A resolution may be introduced when it receives the approval of the President and is sponsored by 3 members in General Assembly committees, 3 members in the Economic and Social Council committees and Regional Bodies, and a minimum of 1 member in the Security Council and derivative committees of the aforementioned committees. Concerning any other Committees, it would require a vote between the Chairs and the Secretariat. Signing a resolution need not indicate support of the resolution, and the signatory has no further rights or obligations and may sign more than one draft resolution. Resolutions require a simple majority to pass unless otherwise stated in specific Committee rules. More than one resolution may be on the floor at any one time, but at most one resolution may be passed per Topic Area. For a resolution to be passed; there must be no more than 5 delegates absent from a GA (or derivative), 2 delegates from a Specialised committee.

30. Introducing Resolutions: Once a resolution has been approved as stipulated above and has been copied and distributed, a delegate may make a motion to introduce the resolution. This motion requires only authorization by the President and does not require a substantive vote. The Administrative staff, time permitting, may choose to read the operative clauses of the resolution. Immediately after a draft resolution has been introduced and distributed, the President may entertain non-substantive clarification points, typically used to address typographical, spelling, or punctuation errors. A resolution will remain on the floor until debate is postponed or a resolution on that Topic Area has been passed.

31. Amendments: Delegates may amend any resolution that has been introduced. An amendment

must have the approval of the President to be brought to the floor. Amendments to amendments are

out of order; however, an amended part of a resolution may be further amended. There are official

sponsors of amendments and all amendments on the floor must be debated and voted upon:

An approved amendment may be introduced when the floor is open. General debate will be

suspended and two speakers lists will be established, a minimum of one for and one against the amendment. Debate will alternate between each list.

A motion to close debate will be in order after the Committee has heard two speakers for the motion and two against, or when one of the speakers lists is exhausted. In accordance with the normal procedure described in Rule 16, the President will recognize two speakers against the motion to close debate, and a 2/3 majority is required for closure of debate on the agenda.


When debate is closed on the amendment, the Committee will move to an immediate vote. Votes on amendments are substantive votes. After the vote, debate will return to the next amendment or

the present resolution.

32. Division of the Question: After debate on a Topic Area or amendment has been closed, a delegate may move to divide the question on any item which is about to be voted on. Division of the question means that a specified set of operative clauses may be voted on separately from the rest. Pre-ambulatory clauses may not be removed by division of the question. The motion may be debated to the extent of two speakers for and two speakers against. This motion requires a simple majority to pass:

If the motion passes, the President will accept proposals on how to divide the question. Such proposals may divide the question into two or more parts. After all proposals have been accepted, the President will arrange them from most severe to least, and each will be voted on, in that order. If no division passes, the resolution remains intact.

If any proposal passes, all other proposals are discarded and the resolution or amendment is divided accordingly. A substantive vote must then be taken on each divided part to determine whether or not it is included in the final draft. A simple majority is required for inclusion of each part. After all divided parts have been voted on, those that were voted to be included are recombined into the final draft resolution, which must then be voted upon under regular rules of procedure. If all of the operative parts of the substantive proposal are rejected, the proposal will be considered to have been rejected as a whole.

33. Ordering Resolutions: The default order in which resolutions are voted on is the order in which they were introduced to the Vice-President. After debate on a topic has been closed, a delegate may motion to change the order in which resolutions on the Committee floor will be voted on. Such a motion must specify a desired order. Once such a motion has been made, the Vice-President will accept alternative proposals for ordering. This motion takes precedence over a motion to divide the question on a resolution. Proposals will be voted on in the order in which they were received and require a simple majority to pass; once a proposal has been passed, all others are discarded and resolutions will be voted on in that order.

34. Voting: Once Committee is in voting procedure and all relevant motions have been

entertained, the committee will vote on the resolutions on the floor. Voting occurs on each resolution in succession; once a resolution has been passed, no further resolutions will be voted on. In all matters, both substantive and procedural, each country will have one vote. Each vote may be a “Yes,” “No,” or “Abstain.” All matters will be voted upon by placards, except in the case of a roll call vote. After the President has announced the beginning of voting, no delegate will interrupt the voting except on a Point of Personal Privilege or on a Point of Order in connection with the actual conduct of the voting.


A simple majority requires more “Yes” votes than “No” votes; abstentions are not counted toward

either total. A 2/3 majority vote requires at least twice as many “Yes” votes as “No” votes. A

procedural vote is a vote on any matter besides an amendment or resolution, and requires every

country to vote either “Yes” or “No” on the question. Any other forms of voting will have to be

announced publicly to delegates by the President, three weeks before the date of such a vote.

35. Roll Call Voting: After debate is closed on any Topic Area or amendment, any delegate may

request a roll call vote. A motion for a roll call vote is in order only for substantive motions. The President's decision whether to accept the motion for a roll call vote is subject to appeal. Such a motion may be made from the floor and must be seconded by majority vote. All substantive votes are roll call votes in the Security Council. Voting will be at the discretion of the President in all other Committees.

• In a roll call vote, the President will call all countries noted by the dais to be in attendance in

alphabetical order starting with a randomly selected member.

• In the first sequence, delegates may vote “Yes,” “No,” “Abstain,” “Pass,” “Yes with rights,” or

“No with rights.”

• A delegate who passes during the first sequence of the roll call must vote “Yes” or “No” during the second sequence. The same delegate may not request the right of explanation. • A delegate may only vote with rights if he or she votes “Yes” or “No” in the first round of voting and if his or her vote appears to constitute a divergence from his or her country’s policy. After all delegates have voted, delegates who had requested the right of explanation will be granted 30 seconds each to explain their votes. • The President will then announce the outcome of the vote.

36. Precedence: Motions will be considered in the following order of preference. If a point or

motion is on the floor, points or motions lower on this list are out of order.

In order for any change, substitution/deletion or addition, in the Constitution, Procedure, Rules

& Regulation- a two-third majority vote would have to be passed within all members of the Executive Committee.

5.0. Point System

Points of Information: A total of 5 points per point. For each Point regardless of feasibility a delegate will receive a maximum of 1 point. For a direct question, related to the topic and the speaker on the floor- 1 point.

For a grammatically correct, articulate point- 1 point.

For a Point which is politically motivated/ negotiating/ attacking/ defending- 1point.

1 point may be awarded at the discretion of that delegate's President


Right of Reply: This Point shall carry a maximum of 5 points. If another Speaker's infringement of Sovereignty is properly noted- 1 point should be awarded.

If the speech is articulate and precise- 1 point should be awarded. If the speech is not more than 30 seconds- 1 point should be awarded. (the Point should not be allowed to exceed 1 minute. If the Point is made with a further diplomatic/ political aim- 1 point should be awarded. If

the President believes that a delegate's use of this Point is invalid, he shall receive zero

points. Repeated use of an invalid Point by a delegate may result in expulsion of that delegation from that committee by the President for a maximum of 5 minutes. The number of points deducted from the directee of this Point will be directly in correlation to the points gained by the creator of this Point.

Point of Order: This Point carries a maximum of 4 points. If improper following of Procedure or Rules & Regulations is properly noted- 1 point should be awarded.

If the speech is articulate and precise- 1 point should be awarded. If the speech is not more than 30 seconds- 1 point should be awarded. (the Point should not be allowed to exceed 1 minute. If the President believes that a delegate's use of this Point is invalid, he shall receive zero points. Repeated use of an invalid Point by a delegate may result in expulsion of that delegation from that committee by the President for a maximum of 5 minutes

Point of Personal Privilege: This Point shall carry zero points

Point of Parliamentary Inquiry: This Point shall carry zero points.

Foreign Policy Statements: Shall carry a total of 30 points.

Amendments Friendly Amendments: -This shall carry a maximum of 4 points. A successfully passed Amendment shall carry 2 points. A grammatically correct Amendment shall carry 1 point. The President may appoint 1 point at his discretion Non-friendly Amendment: A successfully passed Amendment shall carry 1

point. A well versed speech shall carry 2 points. If this Amendment proves to make a significant change in the resolution- 1 point shall be given.

The President may appoint 1 point at his discretion


Resolutions Pre-Resolution Writing: If the President observes and believes through such observances that a delegate has lobbied extensively in order to aid the making of his Draft Resolution-6 points shall be allocated.

The Resolution which the Vice-President receives first- shall reserve 4 points. For each minute delayed, in submitting the Resolution to the Vice-President, 2 points shall be deducted. Resolution Writing: For each Operative Clause in the Resolution at the time of it's voting- half a point shall be allocated. If a Resolution is passed by the committee- 30 extra points shall be allocated. If a Resolution is not passed- 15 extra points are allocated.

Resolution Speech: Shall contain a maximum of 25 points. If the speech end 2 minutes before and after the allocated time- 4 points shall be awarded. If the speech is delivered in a commendable manner- 4 points shall be awarded.

If a speech uses statistics- 5 points shall be awarded. If a speech uses quotes from famous/relevant public entities- up to 5 points can be awarded depending on relevance. If a speech is visibly seen to emotionally move the majority of the audience- 4 points shall be awarded. If the speech is relevant to the subject matter of the Resolution- 3 points shall be

awarded.

Speaker's List Speech: Shall contain a maximum of 23 points.

If the speech is delivered in a commendable manner- 3 points shall be awarded.

If a speech uses statistics- 4 points shall be awarded. If a speech uses quotes from famous/relevant public entities that are relevant to the context- up to 4 points can be awarded depending on relevance. If a speech is visibly seen to emotionally move the majority of the audience- 3

points shall be awarded. If the speech is relevant to the subject matter of the Resolution- 3 points shall be awarded.

A committee following this Point System entails that that committee agrees to comply with the Constitution, Rules & Regulation. At the end of the second day of conference, the head table will submit the points list to the Secretariat together with a written justification a delegate nominated for each award. The Secretariat, after reviewing the points and written justification, will ultimately confirm whether the delegate is suitable for the award.

6. Attire


Rules of attire may be enforced by the Chief Supervisor or any member of the Executive Committee. Failure to comply with the Rules of Attire may result in being reprimanded or in suspension of up to a day. Appropriate attire would entail professional garments suited to Sri Lankan norms and values. A participant may wear international standard business attire/ the national attire of Sri Lanka (or his/her home nation)/ the national dress of the body the participant is representing.

International Standard business attire entails wearing a suit, which is made up of trousers, a

matching jacket, a button-down dress shirt, and a tie. Conservative dress shoes and socks are also important. Skirts and dresses may also be worn as long as they fall to a decent length.


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