Pre-Conference

PRE-CONFERENCE

Step 1: Decide on a Leadership Structure for the Overall Conference

This step entails choosing a Chair to lead the team that will organize the conference. It also involves setting up a Steering Committee, or group of committees, that will start working on issues to be discussed as well as organizational matters, until the conference leaders are chosen. The following are examples of committees you may wish to set up:

1. Executive Committee, headed by a Chair, which oversees the work of the steering committee(s). The Executive Committee makes basic decisions about the conference duration and the Rules of Procedure. It also decides how many days will be devoted to pre-conference activities, as well as how many days will be devoted to simulating other activities.
2. Programme Committee that recommends which GA Main Committees will be simulated. This committee also decides how many topics will be discussed in each committee, and drafts a Programme for the conference.
3. Communications Committee that develops a communication strategy.
4. Logistics Committee that proposes a venue, and looks at housing and transportation for delegates. It also proposes social events and manages the registration process.
5. Fundraising and Sponsorship Committee that looks for conference sponsors in the private sector and among other groups, such as foundations.
6. Financing and Budget Committee that determines how much the Model UN is going to cost from beginning to end. This committee also manages the budget.

Step 2: Decide Which Leadership Positions are Needed

The number of officials will depend in part on the conference’s size. We recommend the following.

General Assembly

1. PGA.
2. VPs. (This will depend on the conference’s size, but it would be ideal to have at least one VP from each regional group.)
3. Chair. (One per committee.)
4. Vice-Chair. (Up to three per committee, depending on the conference’s size.)
5. Rapporteur. (One per committee.)

Secretariat

1. Secretary-General.
2. Deputy-Secretary-General. (Optional; again, this depends on the conference’s size.)
3. USG for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. (This position is especially important when conducting Security Council simulations.)
4. USG for Economic and Social Affairs. (This position is very important to the work of the Second Committee [Economic & Financial] and the Third Committee [Social, Humanitarian & Cultural] because it makes presentations on substantive issues, such as sustainable development and human rights.)
5. USG for GA Affairs and Conference Management. (This position is critical to the conference’s success because it oversees every logistical aspect of the conference. This includes setting up rooms, creating signage for delegates, overseeing registration, and finding housing for delegates. The work also includes disseminating copies of draft resolutions.)
6. USG for Global Communications. (This USG raises the conference’s visibility by working with the media to cover the conference and conduct interviews. This USG also issues press releases, documents the conference, and publishes a newsletter that keeps the delegates up to date on what is happening.)
7. Secretary. (One per committee. The Secretary is responsible for advising the Chair on matters dealing with the Rules of Procedure. The Secretary also provides scripts of what the Chair needs to say during each committee meeting.)

Other positions can be added, depending on what makes most sense given the conference’s content.

Step 3: Promote the Conference and Set Up a Registration Process

Consider publicizing your Model UN via a dedicated school or club website or social media. If setting up a website, be sure to include information related to the first meeting date, time, location, and e-registration links. You can also try using social media to generate interest in your Model UN. Finally, in most schools and universities, you can ask a department, usually the history, law or political science department, to send your club information along with their regular student emails. This will help get your information to any student involved in that field of study who might be interested in getting involved with a Model UN.

You could place posters with similar information on bulletin boards and in classrooms and ask that news of your Model UN be included in daily or weekly school announcements.

Step 4: Select and Train the Leaders

The selection of leaders should occur in a fair and transparent manner. This will help ensure that the leaders represent as many of the regional groups as possible, and that there is gender balance.

Once the leaders are selected and the GA and Secretariat officials chosen, training should be provided to make sure they become familiar with the Rules of Procedure as well as their roles and responsibilities.

Step 5: Set a Timeline for Drafting and Sharing Important GA and Secretariat Documentation

These documents should include the following:

1. Memorandum of the Secretary-General on the Organization of the xxth regular session of the [insert name of Model UN] General Assembly
2. Annotated version of the preliminary list of items to be included in the provisional agenda of the [insert name of Model UN] General Assembly
3. General Committee Report
4. Secretary-General Reports on each topic for discussion. These reports should give the delegates an overview of the issue, the challenges that need to be faced, what the UN has done so far, and what still needs to be done.
5. Scripts for the Chair of each Committee. These need to be completed in advance of the conference to guide the Chair on what to say when managing each phase of the Committee’s work. These scripts also need to be objectively written in order to address any situation that might come up.
6. A Delegate’s Guide that contains information about:
7. The conference’s organization,
8. Topics to be debated,
9. Guidelines on writing and submitting position papers,
10. What will take place during Plenary and Committee meetings,
11. How to inscribe on the list of speakers,
12. Digital tools to help delegates communicate prior to the conference and documents they will need to prepare,
13. Important details about the Rules of Procedure. and how they may differ from other conferences delegates have participated in,
14. A description of what is meant by consensus,
15. Information about regional groups,
16. An overview of the process for tabling resolutions and amendments,
17. A description of the awards policy, and
18. Information about the selection and role of head delegates
1. The Programme of Work for each Committee that will be distributed at the beginning of the first meeting.

Step 6: Assign Countries and Topics to Conference Participants

This crucial step requires careful thought. In many Model UN conferences, schools send teams of delegates that work together. In these cases, a country and topic is assigned to a team of students who attend the same school.

An alternate way of organizing delegations is to put together delegations comprised of students from different locations. In other words, no two students in any delegation are from the same school. This requires more work, but is more rewarding. The experience of having students from different schools working together to represent the same country is a very enriching one.

When choosing the composition of a delegation, consider the following factors:

1. The geographical distribution of the delegates who are working together
2. The gender balance of the delegation
3. The number of Model UN conferences delegates have attended

Aim for delegations that are geographically diverse and gender balanced. Delegations should also include delegates with a range of Model UN conference experience. This way, the more experienced delegates can mentor the less experienced ones. The most experienced Model UN delegate should be the head delegate.

Set a deadline for submitting position papers to the committee Chairs, and make sure the guidelines for writing these papers are available to all participants. Chairs should review each position paper and return them with feedback prior to the conference.

Step 7: Create an Online Space or Website Where Delegates Can Work Together Prior to the Conference

An online space or website can allow delegates to access information about when the conference will take place, and how they can apply. It can also help delegates to communicate with each other.

Step 8: Engage with Future Participants

Have live video chats or some other format with experts on the topics to be discussed and important conference aspects, such as how to write a resolution, the Rules of Procedure, or discussions on which regional or political groups are most likely to table resolutions in each committee.

Step 9: Distribute the Conference Programme

Distribute the conference programme as soon as possible prior to the conference.

Step 10: Assemble Model UN Officials Before the Conference

Assemble Model UN officials several days before the conference and provide them time to complete their preparations. These preparations should include—but not be limited to—writing speeches, creating scripts for Chairs, and preparing the venue.

Step 11: Recruit Volunteers

Recruit volunteers to assist in as many conference aspects as needed and organize training before the conference begins. In addition, create a manual that details what volunteers need to do.

You can never underestimate the importance of volunteers in helping a conference run smoothly. Make a list of all the tasks that require additional assistance. Then, organize a training session for volunteers prior to the conference so that they are clear about what is required of them.

Step 12: Organize Workshops

Set aside one or two days before the conference to organize workshops at the conference venue. (See the sample programme.)

Sample Model UN Workshop Programme

[Location]

[Dates]

The workshop is organized by ____________. It targets students and Model UN advisors who are responsible for or interested in organizing a Model UN conference.

The aim of the workshop is to examine how Model UN simulations can more accurately capture the decision making process as it commonly occurs at the UN.

The workshop will provide participants with in-depth information on:

1. The scope of work of the UN General Assembly (GA) and UN Security Council (SC)
2. The proper leadership structure needed to simulate the relationship between the UN General Assembly and UN Secretariat.
3. The three components of the decision making process: General Debate, Informal Consultations, and Taking Action and how to chair meetings during each of these phases
4. The Rules of Procedure used at the UN and how they may differ from rules used by other Model UN programmes
5. How the negotiation process at the UN has shifted towards an emphasis on reaching consensus and what it really means
6. How to organize simulations of the GA plenary, committee and SC meetings to maximize support for consensus on all agenda items under discussion.
7. The role of facilitators in supporting the drive for consensus The role of reviewing each draft resolution line by line in building consensus
8. How to create a compilation text to guide informal consultations
9. Role of the President of the General Assembly (PGA), Secretary-General (SG) and President of the SC in the negotiation process
10. The role of political groups
11. Drafting of General Assembly resolutions, scripts for Plenary and Committee meetings, and other GA documents
12. Position papers and country assignments
13. Drafting of SC resolutions and other outcome documents

In addition, the workshop will provide participants an opportunity to learn key concepts through hands-on activities.

Workshops should include training on the Rules of Procedure and briefings on topics of interest to the delegates. The workshops can focus on substantive issues related to conference discussion items. However, they can also focus on issues of general interest, such as information about the work of the UN Secretariat, and the Organization’s specialized agencies, funds, programmes, institutes and entities as well as employment at the UN.