A Delegate’s Dictionary

Conversations are key to progress, especially during a MUN conference. Every delegate would benefit by familiarizing themselves with the MUN vocabulary. Here’s your quick guide to some of these.

Blocs: It refers to different groups of delegates sharing similar opinions on particular topics of discussion. These blocs generally work together to create a draft resolution.

Caucus: It refers to the format of conversation during the conference

1. Moderated Caucus: In this format, each delegate makes short comments on a specific sub-issue, one at a time.
2. Unmoderated Caucus: In this format, delegates move around the room and engage in informal conversation with other delegates, in order to find allies for their sub-issue and collaborate with them to prepare draft resolutions.

Chairs: Refers to Chairpersons, who are responsible to call speakers, timing speeches, maintain the rules of procedure, call decorum, and evaluate performance.

Motion: It refers to a specific action by delegates to direct a debate in a certain direction.

Points: This refers to a delegate raising a specific issue

1. Point of Inquiry / Point of Information: Used when a delegate has a question about something that is not clearly understood by the committee.
2. Point of Personal Privilege: Used when a personal discomfort hinders participation – i.e. Unable to clearly hear another delegate, moderation of room temperature required, etc.
3. Point of Order / Point of Parliamentary Procedure: Used when a delegate believes that there was a mistake made regarding the rules of procedure.

Yield: This term is used when a speaker gives up the remaining time in their speech and could fall into the below categories:

1. Yield to the Chair: Give up the rest of your allotted time.
2. Yield to another delegate: Give up the rest of your time to another delegate.
3. Yield to questions: Seek questions from other delegates.
4. Yield to comments: Obtain comments on your speech from other delegates.

Resolutions: Each committee needs to pass a resolution at the end of the conference. However, there are various intermediate stages before finalizing a resolution.

1. Working paper: This refers to a list of ideas compiled by the blocs, which needs to be approved by the respective Chairs.
2. Draft Resolution: This refers to approved ideas documented in resolution format and approved by the Chairs before being introduced to the committee for voting.
3. Merging: This refers to combining two or more draft resolutions to make a bigger or new draft resolution.
4. Sponsors: Delegates who contribute ideas for the working paper, prepare the draft resolution, and vote to support the draft resolution.
5. Signatories: Delegates who partially agree with a draft resolution and would like it to be presented forward.

I do hope this ready reference dictionary proves useful in your preparation and participation in the MUN Conference. All the best!!