POLICY STATEMENTS AND SPEECHES FOR MUN
Kofki Annan at UN, courtesy of un.org

Basic Speech rules of thumb

1. Good posture
2. Loud voice
3. Slow down so your enunciation, diction and speech can be understood well
4. Use expression and hand gestures
5. Make eye contact with the other delegates
6. Want to win? Add a visual display (handout, chart or overhead)

Roll Call
State your country and your desire to speak or not
For example: The Delegate from Norway is present and wishes to speak on all issues.

POLICY STATEMENTS

Protocol
When you go up to the podium, take your country placard and place it over the podium so everyone, including judges, can be reminded of your country's name.

Policy Statements
Policy statements are 30 second OR LESS position statements.
1. State something about your country related to the topic.
2. State your country.
3. State your country's policy or position on the proposal issue.

Examples
For Palestinian Recognition: (exactly 30 seconds as practiced)
The United States of America, a country that continues to struggle and evolve through diverse religious and ethnic population contributions, counts itself as a friend to both Israel and Palestine. We continue to support our brothers and sisters in the Middle East in their struggle for both security and autonomous recognition.

Options for endings to this opening-

1. Temporarily abstain from commitment

The US is interested in hearing all sides of the UN community on this proposal today, and wishes to defer a policy position commitment until we have heard and questioned several of the delegates who wish to speak today.

2. Against the proposal

The US, citing Chapter I, Article 2, Section 7 of the UN Charter, maintains that this is a proposal which rejects the tenets of the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We urge our UN community to support us in preserving the UN commitment to national sovereignty.

3. For the proposal (but in US case, really a mask to remain against)

Noting Israel's precedent in proposing ratification of itself as an independent state in 1948, the US will support this proposal if Palestine can prove it can abide by the UN rules of membership as stated in Chapter II of the UN Charter.

SPEECHES

Protocol
1. Let the Moderator know you want to give a speech by submitting a speaker form ASAP to a page.
Have one filled out before you arrive for each proposal or fill one out when you arrive.
2. When you go up, take your country placard and place it over the podium so everyone can be reminded of your country's name.
3. You may get extra time from your speech from any other delegate in the room. See who hasn't been talking. Sometimes the delegates from middle schools will give up their time to you. Make sure you contact them before role call or their policy statement so that they can officially notify the moderator. You may write out the statement for theme that they may read. Otherwise, through a note, see if a delegate will donate you some of his/her speaking time. If so, when you begin your speech you say Thank You to that delegate so that the Timer and Moderator know (or are reminded of) the situation.

Speeches
1. Speeches are 2 minutes long.
2. State something about your country related to the topic, giving justification for your position.
3. State your country
4. State your understanding of the topic
5. State your understanding of your opposition's point of view ( 4 and 5 might be the same)
6. Cite a reference to a document, like the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a specific treat or other agreement or accord to support your point of view
7. Cite any research, statistics or facts you may have. It is sometimes intimidating to be able to hold papers up that you refer to. McCarthy did that during the McCarthy Hearings in the '50's -except his facts were fictitious and his papers were scrap paper. Remember, any delegate may ask you questions and request your sources. If you do not have them or unable to report them, the judges may disregard that portion of your speech, argument, response to question, etc.
8. End strong and full of confidence.