WE MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE 2010

Preparation module-1
Module 1: Introduction & history

 United Nations
 Model United Nations

UNITED NATIONS

The United Nations Organization (UNO) or simply United Nations (UN) is an international organization
whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic
development, social progress, human rights, and the achieving of world peace. The UN was founded in
1945 after World War II to replace the League of Nations, to stop wars between countries, and to
provide a platform for dialogue. It contains multiple subsidiary organizations to carry out its missions.

History:

The United Nations was established in 1945 to maintain international peace and promote cooperation in
solving international economic, social and humanitarian problems. The earliest concrete plan for a new
world organization was begun under the aegis of the U.S. State Department in 1939. Franklin D.
Roosevelt first coined the term 'United Nations' as a term to describe the Allied countries. The term was
first officially used on 1 January 1942 when 26 governments signed the Atlantic Charter, pledging to
continue the war effort.

UN officially came into existence on 24 October 1945 upon ratification of the Charter by the five
permanent members of the Security Council—France, the Republic of China, the Soviet Union, the
United Kingdom and the United States—and by a majority of the other 46 signatories.

Organization:

The United Nations system is based on five principal organs

 General Assembly
o The General Assembly is the main deliberative assembly of the United Nations.
Composed of all United Nations member states, the assembly meets in regular yearly
sessions under a president elected from among the member states. Over a two-week
period at the start of each session, all members have the opportunity to address the
assembly.
o When the General Assembly votes on important questions, a two-thirds majority of
those present and voting is required. Examples of important questions include:
recommendations on peace and security; election of members to organs; admission,
suspension, and expulsion of members; and, budgetary matters. All other questions are
decided by majority vote.
 Security Council
o The Security Council is charged with maintaining peace and security among countries.
While other organs of the United Nations can only make 'recommendations' to member
governments, the Security Council has the power to make binding decisions that
member governments have agreed to carry out
o The Security Council is made up of 15 member states, consisting of 5 permanent
members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – and 10
non-permanent members. The five permanent members hold veto power over
substantive but not procedurla resolutions allowing a permanent member to block
adoption but not to block the debate of a resolution unacceptable to it.

 Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

o The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) assists the General Assembly in promoting
international economic and social cooperation and development. ECOSOC has 54
members, all of which are elected by the General Assembly for a three-year term.
o The ECOSOC serves as the central forum for discussing international economic and
social issues, and for formulating policy recommendations addressed to Member States
and the United Nations system. Its main tasks include the promotion of higher standards
of living, full employment, and economic and social progress; the identification of
solutions to international economic, social and health problems; the facilitation of
international cultural and educational cooperation; and the advancement of universal
respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

 Secretariat
o The United Nations Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General, assisted by a staff of
international civil servants worldwide. It provides studies, information, and facilities
needed by United Nations bodies for their meetings. It also carries out tasks as directed
by the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, the UN Economic and Social
Council, and other UN bodies
o The Secretary-General's duties include helping resolve international disputes,
administering peacekeeping operations, organizing international conferences, gathering
information on the implementation of Security Council decisions, and consulting with
member governments regarding various initiatives

 International Court of Justice

o The International Court of Justice (ICJ), located in The Hague, Netherlands, is the
primary judicial organ of the United Nations
o Its main functions are to settle legal disputes submitted to it by states and to give
advisory opinions on legal questions submitted to it by duly authorized international
organs, agencies, and the UN General Assembly
Specialized agencies:

1. Food and Agriculture Organization – FAO

2. International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEE
3. International Civil Aviation Organization – ICAO
4. International Fund for Agricultural Development – IFAD
5. International Labour Organization– ILO
6. International Maritime Organization – IMO
7. International Monetary Fund – IMF
8. International Telecommunications Union – ITO
9. International Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation – UNESCO
10. United Nations International Development Organisation – UNIDO
11. Universal Postal Union – UPO
12. World Bank – WB
13. World Food Programme – WFP
14. World Health Organization – WHO
15. World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO
16. World Meteorological Organization – WMO
17. World Tourism Organization – UNWTO

Membership

There are currently 192 United Nations member states.

The United Nations Charter outlines the rules for membership:

1. Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving states which accept
the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgment of the
Organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations.
2. The admission of any such state to membership in the United Nations will be effected by
a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.

Functions of UN

 Peacekeeping and security

 Human rights and humanitarian assistance
 Social and Economic development
 Mandates
Useful links:

United Nations Bibliographic Information System

http://unbisnet.un.org/

Permanent Missions to the United Nations –

www.un.int/index-en/webs.html

CountryWatch –
www.countrywatch.com/

The Economist Country Briefings –

http://www.economist.com/countries/

Info please –
www.infoplease.com/countries.html

CIA World Factbook-

www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

Nations on-line –
www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/

Political Resources –
www.politicalresources.net/index2.htm

Country Reports –

www.countryreports.org/
MODEL UNITED NATIONS

Model United Nations (also Model UN or MUN) is an academic simulation of the United Nations
that aims to educate participants about civics, current events, effective communication,
globalization and multilateral diplomacy. In standard Model UN, students take on roles as diplomats
and participate in a simulated session of an intergovernmental organization (IGO).

History:

 Model and civic simulation education are older than the United Nations. Records indicate
that as early as the 1920s students in the United States of America were participating in
collegiate simulations of the League of Nations, the predecessor to the United Nations.
 The modern day National Model United Nations in New York City and Harvard Model United
Nations both began as simulations of the League of Nations in the 1920s.
 Harvard Model United Nations is the world's oldest continuous College Model UN
conference, founded in 1955. Berkeley Model United Nations is the world's oldest
continuous High School Model UN conference, founded in 1952. The National Model United
Nations is one of the world's largest conferences with over 5,000 participants and is most
unique with a part of the conference held at the United Nations in New York City.
 As the League of Nations was dismantled and the United Nations was born in 1945,
simulations of the League of Nations were transformed into Model United Nations. Some
conferences still perform historical simulations, however, including League of Nations crisis
situations. These simulations now have grown to over 3000 and 2000 annual participants.

Simulations

In a MUN, participants research a country, take on roles as diplomats, investigate international issues,
debate, deliberate, consult, and then develop solutions to world problems. More recently, simulation of
other deliberative bodies, such as the United States National Security Council, has been included in
Model United Nations, even if they are completely unrelated to the UN or international affairs as a
whole.

During a conference, participants must employ a variety of communication and critical thinking skills in
order to represent the policies of their country. These skills include public speaking, group
communication, research, policy analysis, active listening, negotiating, conflict resolution, note taking,
and technical writing.
Most Model UNs are simulations of a body in the United Nations system, such as:

 The General Assembly in both plenary form and within its functional committees
 Economic and Social Council and its specialized councils and agencies
 Security Council
 International Court of Justice
 United Nations Children's Fund
 United Nations Environment Programme
 United Nations Development Programme
 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO
 Human Rights Council
 Disarmament Committee
 United Nations High Commission for Refugees
 World Food Program
 World Health Organization
 World Trade Organization
 The Advisory Panel

Many conferences also run crisis simulations in which hypothetical real world factors are included in the
simulation, including representatives from various groups such as member states that are not members
of the simulated committee. These can take the place of rapidly-changing Security Council simulations,
historical simulations, hypothetical simulations set in the future, and war games (typically conducted by
War Cabinets, either standing alone or with two Cabinets running in parallel). Some conferences
substitute research topics for a crisis which can span all the committees of the conference.

Model UNs are often run using basic parliamentary procedure. This allows all delegates to be active
participants. Common activities in MUN involve giving speeches to the committee and writing
resolutions concerning a given topic. Additionally, at the end of longer conferences, awards are
commonly given to either individual delegates, delegations, or both.
Basic Knowledge of MUN:
Frameworks:

Flow of Debate under regular committees

Flow of Debate under Euro committees

Example of Committees in different frameworks

EXAMPLE OF A COMMITTEE UNDER REGULAR FRAMEWORK

EXAMPLE OF A COMMITTEE UNDER EURO FRAMEWORK