Lobbying
Lobbying is a crucial part of MUN where delegates get to meet other delegates from their committee and then discuss with them the views of the country they are representing on the topics. In real life the lobbying process is what takes up the vast majority of any resolution preparation time and the actual debate is often a formality. In MUN we do not have the time to allow for such extended lobbying so it is important that we use the time provided to our advantage. The United Nations is not about confrontation or competition rather it is about consensus, collaboration and diplomacy.
In SAIMUN there are four topics in each committee. Lobbying takes place in the committee rooms and the room is divided into four, one each topic. A chair has been assigned to each topic and their role on Monday is to manage the lobbying on that topic. There is only time for each topic to be debated twice in each committee so it is not ideal to have more than two resolutions submitted on each topic. The chair will indicate to the Secretariat which resolutions have had the best lobbying. Resolutions, which are well lobbied, will be viewed to generate better debate than a poorly lobbied resolution.
HOW TO LOBBY
By now you have chosen a topic to be your topic in each committee (some delegates may prepare resolutions on each topic but the time allocated only allows them to lobby one topic properly).
Rules of Procedure
Lobbying & Approval of Resolutions
• The submitter(s) of a resolution are those who have written the resolution, the co-submitters are those who sign the resolution, as they want to see it debated. They do not necessarily support the resolution.
• Each resolution must be co-submitted by at least 12 delegations and no more than 15.
• There may be no more than two co-submitters from the same school on one resolution, although the main submitter may be from the same school as up to two of the co-submitters.
• Each delegation may only submit or co-submit one resolution on each topic on the agenda.
• The main submitter will upload the resolution in their committee room following initial approval by the Chair.
• The approval panel follows the THIMUN guidelines for the layout and punctuation of a resolution which are available on our website.
• The Approval Panel will read the resolution ensuring it meets the criteria with regard to format and language. The approval panel may rework clauses but they will never change the aim of clauses or resolutions.
• Resolutions will be either approved (they may be selected for debate in the committee) or rejected (there are problems which means that they will need reworking before going to committee).
• If your resolution is rejected by the approval panel, the alterations proposed by the approval panel must be made before the resolution can be resubmitted to the approval panel.
• A resolution may be directly approved by the Secretariat.
Rules for Formal Debate
Each delegate must:
• Respect the Chair and their fellow delegates at all times
• Obtain the floor in order to speak
• Stand when speaking
• Yield the floor when requested to do so by the Chair
• Be courteous at all times
• Refrain from the use of insulting or abusive language
• Delegations must, at all times, act in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and their country’s major policies.
• Delegations may not wear costumes, military uniforms or use advertising campaigns, slogans or policies which would cause offence to the country they are representing, any other country or individual. Delegations failing to comply with these general guidelines, to the detriment of other delegates’ enjoyment of the conference, face the prospect of certain disciplinary actions at the discretion of the Secretariat and, if necessary the SAIMUN Director.
• A simple majority of member nations will constitute a quorum in General Assembly whilst in committee a two-thirds majority must be present for a quorum. A roll-call will be taken on the first day of committee to establish these numbers and thereafter voting numbers will be checked to ensure that at least the quorum number voted on the motion.
Opening Speeches
• Each delegation will be called upon to make an opening speech in General Assembly
• The official language of SAIMUN is English and all speeches must be made in English although greetings and limited sayings in native tongues are permitted.
• Opening speeches are to be made in the General Assembly, and shall not exceed one minute. The first country to speak will be decided beforehand by the conference organisers and all other countries will follow alphabetically.
• Applications for the right of reply to an opening speech will be made by the raising of placards and at the end of each block of speeches (usually seven). A number of rights of reply will be selected and allowed a maximum of thirty seconds to make their right of reply.
• Each delegate will be also be called upon to make a short policy statement/opening speech in their committee. This will take place before lobbying begins.
Timing of Debates
• At the beginning of debate in both Committees and General Assembly the Chair will propose the limitations of debate time.
• For a Main Motion it will generally be: 40 minutes of open debate (the Chair will have discretion on this).
• A GUILLOTINE TIME of one hour
• If open debate has elapsed but there is still time for debate available the Chair may propose an extension of debate time (usually five minutes for and five minutes against)
• Once Guillotine time has been reached the resolution must be voted upon.
Debate
• Debate at SAIMUN in all forums is open except for debate on amendments which will be given time for the amendment and time against the amendment.
• A maximum of one consecutive yield after which the floor must be yielded to the Chair. No two delegations from the same school may yield to each other.
• There will be a limit of one minute on all speeches. After a speech, a Chair will invite the delegate to open themselves to Points of Information to the Speaker after which the delegate will yield the floor to the Chair or another delegation.
• A Point of Information to the Speaker is a single concise question that refers to the topic.
• The Secretariat has discretion over the order in which resolutions will be debated in all fora. If a situation arises where there are a number of resolutions on the same issue that have been passed by the Approval Panel and are available for debate in committee, the Secretariat will decide which shall be debated. The following shall be taken into account when deciding this:
Resolutions in General Assembly
• Any resolution passed by a committee is eligible for debate in the General Assembly. A maximum of one resolution per committee will be debated in the General Assembly.
• If a committee passes no resolutions, their topics may not be represented in General Assembly.
• Each committee will take a vote on the Wednesday afternoon to decide which resolutions should be submitted for consideration for the General Assembly.
• The Secretariat, will decide which resolutions will be debated in General Assembly.
• It is anticipated that each committee will get to debate one resolution in General Assembly.
• There will be no amendments to a resolution in General Assembly.
Points
The following are the only points/motions which are acceptable at SAIMUN.
Technology
• Technology is allowed in all fora in SAIMUN. It should be used to aid constructive debate and this is at the discretion of the Chair.
Amendments
• Amendments must be submitted to the Chair on amendment sheet. Separate sheets must be sent for each amendment proposed.
• Amendments must state clearly:
o The clauses affected by the amendment
o The type of amendment, i.e. strike, add, insert
o The text of the amendment (if applicable) and exactly where it would be inserted
o A friendly amendment is one that corrects spelling or grammar only.
• The Chairs may exercise their discretion as to which amendments they will allow to be proposed and how much debate time should be given over to them.
• When voting on amendments delegates may vote for, against or abstain.
• In the event of a tie on an amendment the proposal automatically fails.
• Amendment to the second degree. This is an amendment to an amendment. These will only be entertained in time against an amendment. If an amendment to the second degree passes, the entire amendment will pass. If an amendment to the second degree fails, debate will continue on the original amendment.
Voting
• When voting on a resolution delegations may vote for or against it or they may abstain from voting.
• The resolution will pass providing the number of delegations voting for it exceeds the number voting against it without exception.
• In the event of a tie on a resolution, the proposal automatically fails.
Note Paper
• Each delegation will design and produce their own notepaper. They must include the country name on each sheet on notepaper. They may include the names of the delegation. A5 paper is a good size for notepaper.
• This notepaper must be in English and must not contain any inappropriate phrases or images.
• The conference management reserve the right to decide on the appropriateness of notepaper.
• All notes passed must be on headed note paper.
• Note passing will be intra-committee only, there will be no inter-committee note passing.
Resolution Process
Present your ideas in your policy statement in committee.
• Co-submitter sheets will be available from approximately 15.30 in the committee rooms.
• Each resolution must be co-submitted by at least 12 delegations and no more than 15.
• There may be no more than two co-submitters from the same school on one resolution, although the main submitter may be from the same school as up to two of the co-submitters.
• Resolutions must include a minimum of 10 and no more than 20 clauses, including sub-clauses.
Lobbying is a crucial part of MUN where delegates get to meet other delegates from their committee and then discuss with them the views of the country they are representing on the topics. In real life the lobbying process is what takes up the vast majority of any resolution preparation time and the actual debate is often a formality. In MUN we do not have the time to allow for such extended lobbying so it is important that we use the time provided to our advantage. The United Nations is not about confrontation or competition rather it is about consensus, collaboration and diplomacy.
In SAIMUN there are four topics in each committee. Lobbying takes place in the committee rooms and the room is divided into four, one each topic. A chair has been assigned to each topic and their role on Monday is to manage the lobbying on that topic. There is only time for each topic to be debated twice in each committee so it is not ideal to have more than two resolutions submitted on each topic. The chair will indicate to the Secretariat which resolutions have had the best lobbying. Resolutions, which are well lobbied, will be viewed to generate better debate than a poorly lobbied resolution.
HOW TO LOBBY
By now you have chosen a topic to be your topic in each committee (some delegates may prepare resolutions on each topic but the time allocated only allows them to lobby one topic properly).
- Lobbying begins at 12.30pm. All delegates will give their policy statement at the beginning of lobbying. The speeches are a maximum of one minute and are effectively a lobbying proposal by each delegate. The speeches will serve as a roll call. Delegates who miss these speeches will be given an opportunity to make their policy statement at the beginning of committee on Tuesday morning.
- Delegates should be mindful of who are your allies, what countries do you have good political relations with. Are there countries you would be cautious of established ties with? Discuss with your allies your ideas for the resolution.
- Groups of delegates will form together to write a resolution on the topic. Everyone in the group will have their own resolution or at least clauses or ideas for a resolution.
- Preambulatory clauses will define the topic to be discussed and will also include any previous UN resolutions and state any UN bodies already involved in this topic. The preambulatory clauses are not debated. The operative clauses state the action planned to be taken.
- Please note you must use the stipulated clause phrases.
- Discuss the main ideas each person in the group has. Decide which ones should form the backbone of the resolution. Delegates should be aware that even though you may feel you have better clauses then someone else that you should allow them to include their ideas. This is in the spirit of consensus and diplomacy. Lobbying is not about getting delegates their own way, it is about including others and persuading them that the resolution as whole is a product of the entire group.
- A co-submitter sheet must be completed. These will be available by the chair at a certain time.
- Each resolution must be co-submitted by at least 12 delegations and no more than 15.
- There may be no more than two co-submitters from the same school on one resolution, although the main submitter may be from the same school as up to two of the co-submitters.
- Each delegation may only submit or co-submit one resolution on each topic on the agenda.
- At the end of this process the group must decide upon who they feel is the best person to present the resolution (if it is selected for debate). The fact that some students may be awarded grades for being a main submitter is not a reason for them to be selected as main submitter.
- It is important to note that when resolutions are selected for debate that several criteria are applied. The chief criteria this year will be the quality of lobbying by the group. Other criteria include the number of resolutions selected by a school or country. So for a group to have their resolution debated they may decide to select a good first speaker who will not be disadvantaged by these criteria.
Rules of Procedure
Lobbying & Approval of Resolutions
• The submitter(s) of a resolution are those who have written the resolution, the co-submitters are those who sign the resolution, as they want to see it debated. They do not necessarily support the resolution.
• Each resolution must be co-submitted by at least 12 delegations and no more than 15.
• There may be no more than two co-submitters from the same school on one resolution, although the main submitter may be from the same school as up to two of the co-submitters.
• Each delegation may only submit or co-submit one resolution on each topic on the agenda.
• The main submitter will upload the resolution in their committee room following initial approval by the Chair.
• The approval panel follows the THIMUN guidelines for the layout and punctuation of a resolution which are available on our website.
• The Approval Panel will read the resolution ensuring it meets the criteria with regard to format and language. The approval panel may rework clauses but they will never change the aim of clauses or resolutions.
• Resolutions will be either approved (they may be selected for debate in the committee) or rejected (there are problems which means that they will need reworking before going to committee).
• If your resolution is rejected by the approval panel, the alterations proposed by the approval panel must be made before the resolution can be resubmitted to the approval panel.
• A resolution may be directly approved by the Secretariat.
Rules for Formal Debate
Each delegate must:
• Respect the Chair and their fellow delegates at all times
• Obtain the floor in order to speak
• Stand when speaking
• Yield the floor when requested to do so by the Chair
• Be courteous at all times
• Refrain from the use of insulting or abusive language
• Delegations must, at all times, act in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and their country’s major policies.
• Delegations may not wear costumes, military uniforms or use advertising campaigns, slogans or policies which would cause offence to the country they are representing, any other country or individual. Delegations failing to comply with these general guidelines, to the detriment of other delegates’ enjoyment of the conference, face the prospect of certain disciplinary actions at the discretion of the Secretariat and, if necessary the SAIMUN Director.
• A simple majority of member nations will constitute a quorum in General Assembly whilst in committee a two-thirds majority must be present for a quorum. A roll-call will be taken on the first day of committee to establish these numbers and thereafter voting numbers will be checked to ensure that at least the quorum number voted on the motion.
Opening Speeches
• Each delegation will be called upon to make an opening speech in General Assembly
• The official language of SAIMUN is English and all speeches must be made in English although greetings and limited sayings in native tongues are permitted.
• Opening speeches are to be made in the General Assembly, and shall not exceed one minute. The first country to speak will be decided beforehand by the conference organisers and all other countries will follow alphabetically.
• Applications for the right of reply to an opening speech will be made by the raising of placards and at the end of each block of speeches (usually seven). A number of rights of reply will be selected and allowed a maximum of thirty seconds to make their right of reply.
• Each delegate will be also be called upon to make a short policy statement/opening speech in their committee. This will take place before lobbying begins.
Timing of Debates
• At the beginning of debate in both Committees and General Assembly the Chair will propose the limitations of debate time.
• For a Main Motion it will generally be: 40 minutes of open debate (the Chair will have discretion on this).
• A GUILLOTINE TIME of one hour
• If open debate has elapsed but there is still time for debate available the Chair may propose an extension of debate time (usually five minutes for and five minutes against)
• Once Guillotine time has been reached the resolution must be voted upon.
Debate
• Debate at SAIMUN in all forums is open except for debate on amendments which will be given time for the amendment and time against the amendment.
• A maximum of one consecutive yield after which the floor must be yielded to the Chair. No two delegations from the same school may yield to each other.
• There will be a limit of one minute on all speeches. After a speech, a Chair will invite the delegate to open themselves to Points of Information to the Speaker after which the delegate will yield the floor to the Chair or another delegation.
• A Point of Information to the Speaker is a single concise question that refers to the topic.
• The Secretariat has discretion over the order in which resolutions will be debated in all fora. If a situation arises where there are a number of resolutions on the same issue that have been passed by the Approval Panel and are available for debate in committee, the Secretariat will decide which shall be debated. The following shall be taken into account when deciding this:
- The quality of debate that will ensue from the resolution
- The degree and quality of merging
- The number of resolutions the country/school has had debated in other committees.
Resolutions in General Assembly
• Any resolution passed by a committee is eligible for debate in the General Assembly. A maximum of one resolution per committee will be debated in the General Assembly.
• If a committee passes no resolutions, their topics may not be represented in General Assembly.
• Each committee will take a vote on the Wednesday afternoon to decide which resolutions should be submitted for consideration for the General Assembly.
• The Secretariat, will decide which resolutions will be debated in General Assembly.
• It is anticipated that each committee will get to debate one resolution in General Assembly.
• There will be no amendments to a resolution in General Assembly.
Points
The following are the only points/motions which are acceptable at SAIMUN.
- Point of Personal Privilege: Must refer to audibility of a speaker if used during a speech or to some aspect of the conditions in the committee room if used at other times. This is the only point which may interrupt a speaker.
- Point of Information to the Chair: A question asking for a statement by the Chair or a clarification on the issue.
- Point of Order: Must relate to the legality of an action of a delegate or a Chair within the rules of formal debate or the UN Charter.
- Point of Parliamentary Procedure: This is a question regarding the rules of procedure and should be directed to the Chair.
- Rights to Reply: Entertained solely at the discretion of the Chair who decides what is in the best interest of the debate.
- Motion to Move to the Previous Question: This a motion to move to the next stage of debate this would include the motion to move to voting procedure.
- Motions to Divide the House or Motions to Table a resolution will not be in order at SAIMUN
Technology
• Technology is allowed in all fora in SAIMUN. It should be used to aid constructive debate and this is at the discretion of the Chair.
Amendments
• Amendments must be submitted to the Chair on amendment sheet. Separate sheets must be sent for each amendment proposed.
• Amendments must state clearly:
o The clauses affected by the amendment
o The type of amendment, i.e. strike, add, insert
o The text of the amendment (if applicable) and exactly where it would be inserted
o A friendly amendment is one that corrects spelling or grammar only.
• The Chairs may exercise their discretion as to which amendments they will allow to be proposed and how much debate time should be given over to them.
• When voting on amendments delegates may vote for, against or abstain.
• In the event of a tie on an amendment the proposal automatically fails.
• Amendment to the second degree. This is an amendment to an amendment. These will only be entertained in time against an amendment. If an amendment to the second degree passes, the entire amendment will pass. If an amendment to the second degree fails, debate will continue on the original amendment.
Voting
• When voting on a resolution delegations may vote for or against it or they may abstain from voting.
• The resolution will pass providing the number of delegations voting for it exceeds the number voting against it without exception.
• In the event of a tie on a resolution, the proposal automatically fails.
Note Paper
• Each delegation will design and produce their own notepaper. They must include the country name on each sheet on notepaper. They may include the names of the delegation. A5 paper is a good size for notepaper.
• This notepaper must be in English and must not contain any inappropriate phrases or images.
• The conference management reserve the right to decide on the appropriateness of notepaper.
• All notes passed must be on headed note paper.
• Note passing will be intra-committee only, there will be no inter-committee note passing.
Resolution Process
Present your ideas in your policy statement in committee.
- Lobby your resolution.
- Get your co-submitters to sign the sheet.
• Co-submitter sheets will be available from approximately 15.30 in the committee rooms.
• Each resolution must be co-submitted by at least 12 delegations and no more than 15.
• There may be no more than two co-submitters from the same school on one resolution, although the main submitter may be from the same school as up to two of the co-submitters.
• Resolutions must include a minimum of 10 and no more than 20 clauses, including sub-clauses.
