Here you will find a list of MUN terms you should know before your first MUN committee. If you are not familiar with some of the basic MUN terms then some of the words being used may be a bit foaren. For example some commonly used terms are “delegate”, “motion” and “caucus”. The following guide will teach you the basic terms you need to navigate your first MUN. Below are some of the basic terms, we have a full list of MUN terms if you feel like going into more depth.
Delegate: A participant at a MUN conference who represents a country in a specific MUN committee. Delegates use speeches, lobbying, negotiation and writing to get their country’s interests on a resolution.
Delegate Pack: A bundle of items provided by the conference. Delegate packs usually contain important goodies such as a conference handbook that contains such information like the location of your MUN committee/map of the venue, paper, pens, and other goodies.
Chair: The chair is the room moderator and the person who manages the committee throughout the MUN conference. Some of the MUN Chair roles include things like: calling on delegates to speak, manage speaker time and call for motions. At the end of the conference, the chair is the person who selects witch delegates get awards.
Position Paper: A short document that outlines the countries position on the issues being discussed in committee. Delegates may be required to submit a position paper before a MUN conference. Check out our guide on how to write a position paper.
Study Guide/ Background Guide: A MUN Study Guide is a background guide about the topic you will be discussing. The Study Guide will be provided by the MUN conference before the conference starts for delegates to have information on the topic being discussed.
Opening Speech: The first speech you give to the committee that outlines the delegates position on the topic. Learn how to write an Opening Speech.
Rules of Procedure: The Rules of Procedure (RoP) which govern how a Model United Nations committee is run. We have a full intro to MUN Rules of Procedure you can check out.
the formal language to ask for things, clarify things and, when necessary, appeal them
Motion: A Motion is simplye a formal way to ask for something in MUN. You can motion to have something clarified and, when necessary, appeal things. There is a full list of different types of motions in MUN and it’s good to formusalsy yourself with them.
Moderated Caucus: A caucus where delegates remain seated and the Chair calls on them to speak one at a time. The topic, general time and individual speaker time is offered by a delegate and passed by majority vote.
Unmoderated Caucus: Unmoderated Caucus is when delegates leave their seats and go talk, lobby and negotiate with others freely and informally. This is often when the delegates find other countries to ally with or start writing their draft resolutions.
Draft Resolution: The document a number of delegates work on together. The draft needs to details the writers’ main policies. When completed and if approved by the chair the draft resolution is voted on by the committee. Learn how to write a draft resolution here.
Point of Inquiry: A question from a delegate to the chair about the Rules of Procedure (RoP) or anything else they don’t understand in the committee. Learn more about Points and Motions here.
Majority: A vote that requires a number over half to pass. Most procedural votes require a simple majority of over 50%.
“Honorable Chair, Distinguished Delegates”: How a delegate should start their first MUN speech.
If you want to learn more MUN terminology check out our full MUN Glossary!
