As Session Begins
Chairs introduce themselves - put the delegates at ease all the while staying serious.
'The house will now come to order. We will begin this session with/ conduct the role call. Delegates are reminded to raise their placards up high when their country’s name is called and respond with “present and voting.'
Call out every countries name (delegate of...) in alphabetical order. If there is no answer, call the country once more, then look at the seat and see if the delegate is there or not - roll call must be taken after every break
'Any delegates which did not hear their name called please raise your placards now.'
'Any delegates that arrives hereafter must send a note to the Chair stating their arrival.'
Opening Speeches (for first session only) = Opportunity to explain your country policy, introduce key sub-issues you want the committee to focus on, and determine countries you want to work with during the lobbying and merging session)
'We will now proceed with opening speeches. Delegates will be called up in groups of 3 and will have a speaking time of 1 minute each. The Chair reminds the delegates to: refrain from using personal pronouns/ use the third person.'
Lobbying and merging session - Split the room according to the topics (delegates are free to roam around the committee to work with other delegates and merge their resolutions)
Procedures of the vetting approval panel:
Open Debate (6-7 resolutions, each approximately debated for 1.5 hours)
'We will now proceed with open debate on the topic of.... The chair sets a reading time of 5 minutes for this resolution as a whole. Please use this time wisely to beginning forming points of information, writing speeches and amendments. Reading time starts now.'
Will the main submitter of this resolution please take the floor to read the operative clauses?
Thank you delegate. The Chair fixes an open debate time of 1.5 hours on this entire resolution. ... minutes for, ... minutes against, ... minutes open debate
(Main submitter speech)
'Delegate please come to your closing remarks'
After Delegate Has Finished Speaking
'Thank you delegate. Is the delegate open to any points of information?'
If yes:
'The delegate of ... has opened himself/herself to: number /any and all points of information. (Due to time constraints/ in the interest of debate the delegate will only entertain ... points of information/ yield back) Are there any such points/ POI's on the floor/ in the house at this time?'
Calls upon delegates, if there are none, ask delegate to yield back to the chair)
The delegates of... have been recognized in this order
If no:
'Seeing as the delegate is not open to points of information, how does the delegate wish to yield? Back to the floor or to another delegate?' ...
'That is in order'
To another delegate
'The delegate has yielded his/her time to the delegate of ... The chair calls upon the delegate of ... to take the floor. Does the delegate of ... accept? '
A delegate can't yield twice.
Speaking in Open Debate
'The floor is now open. Are there any delegates wishing to speak for this resolution?
Delegates raise their placards + Chairs call one delegate at a time, note - (if possible create a speaker’s list)
'Delegate of ... you have been recognized. You now have the floor.'
'Time "for" this resolution has elapsed, we will be moving into time "against", are there any delegates wishing to take floor against this resolution...'
... same for open debate ( = speakers can speak for and against)
Amendments - Only choose significant ones, correct the amendments accordingly, show them to the house on a powerpoint, and announce friendly amendments. They can be submitted at all times. When debating amendments it is in closed debate vs whole resolution which is in open debate.
'The delegate of ... has submitted an amendment to the resolution. The amendment reads out ... (type out amendment). The chair sets a closed debate time of ... minutes “for” and ... minutes “against” the amendment. ( Spend a maximum of 10 minutes on the amendment). Delegate, you now have the floor.'
'Delegates wishing to speak “for” this amendment, please raise your placards.'
(Chairs calls upon delegates and may entertain a fixed number, such as 3, rather than imposing a time limit at their discretion).
'Delegate of... you have the floor.'
Time “for” this amendment has elapsed. We will now move into time “against” this amendment. Delegates wishing to speak “against” the amendment, please raise your placards.
'Time “against” this amendment has elapsed. We will now move into voting procedures on the amendment.' (See voting below)
'We will now resume debate on the resolution as a whole with … minutes left'
Amendments to the second degree - Amendments to the second degree can only be entertained during time against the amendment. It is up to the chairs discretion if they wish to entertain them or not. Closed debate starts again when entertaining an amendment to the second degree. (If the amendment fails, the house must vote on the amendment to the first degree as well. If the amendment passes, the house no longer votes on the amendment to the first degree.)
Voting
'Time allocated for debate on the resolution/ amendment as a whole has elapsed. We will now be moving directly into voting procedures/ previous question. Note passing is suspended. Securitaries/ admin staff please secure the doors, suspend note passing, and assist in the counting of votes. All delegates voting for this resolution please raise your placards high. Against. All delegates wishing to abstain from the vote please raise your placards up high.'
(The Chair may call for a role call vote or a re-vote if the numbers do not add up)
If vote is close, large number of abstentions and a motion to divide the house has been called:
'There has been a motion to divide the house, abstentions are not in order and the vote will be retaken.'
Announcing Results
'The results of the vote are as follows: ... votes for ... votes against ... abstentions. With a vote of ... for, ... against, and ... abstentions, this resolution has passed/ failed. Clapping is/ not in order.'
'The next resolution to be debated will be on the question of ...'
Note: That some in some conferences delegates can't abstain when during voting procedures for an amendment.
Chairs introduce themselves - put the delegates at ease all the while staying serious.
'The house will now come to order. We will begin this session with/ conduct the role call. Delegates are reminded to raise their placards up high when their country’s name is called and respond with “present and voting.'
Call out every countries name (delegate of...) in alphabetical order. If there is no answer, call the country once more, then look at the seat and see if the delegate is there or not - roll call must be taken after every break
'Any delegates which did not hear their name called please raise your placards now.'
'Any delegates that arrives hereafter must send a note to the Chair stating their arrival.'
Opening Speeches (for first session only) = Opportunity to explain your country policy, introduce key sub-issues you want the committee to focus on, and determine countries you want to work with during the lobbying and merging session)
'We will now proceed with opening speeches. Delegates will be called up in groups of 3 and will have a speaking time of 1 minute each. The Chair reminds the delegates to: refrain from using personal pronouns/ use the third person.'
Lobbying and merging session - Split the room according to the topics (delegates are free to roam around the committee to work with other delegates and merge their resolutions)
Procedures of the vetting approval panel:
- Chairs check resolution first (structure + coherence)
- The main submitter brings the resolution approved by the Chair to the vetting committee
- The delegate gives the approved resolution to the photocopying room to the Securitary Team
Open Debate (6-7 resolutions, each approximately debated for 1.5 hours)
'We will now proceed with open debate on the topic of.... The chair sets a reading time of 5 minutes for this resolution as a whole. Please use this time wisely to beginning forming points of information, writing speeches and amendments. Reading time starts now.'
Will the main submitter of this resolution please take the floor to read the operative clauses?
Thank you delegate. The Chair fixes an open debate time of 1.5 hours on this entire resolution. ... minutes for, ... minutes against, ... minutes open debate
(Main submitter speech)
'Delegate please come to your closing remarks'
After Delegate Has Finished Speaking
'Thank you delegate. Is the delegate open to any points of information?'
If yes:
'The delegate of ... has opened himself/herself to: number /any and all points of information. (Due to time constraints/ in the interest of debate the delegate will only entertain ... points of information/ yield back) Are there any such points/ POI's on the floor/ in the house at this time?'
Calls upon delegates, if there are none, ask delegate to yield back to the chair)
The delegates of... have been recognized in this order
- There will be no direct dialogue between delegates.
- Are there any further points on the floor?
- Will the delegate please rephrase his question in a more precise manner?
- Will the delegate please repeat/ rephrase his point of information in the form of a question?
- Will the delegate please restate his question/response in a more audible/articulate voice?
If no:
'Seeing as the delegate is not open to points of information, how does the delegate wish to yield? Back to the floor or to another delegate?' ...
'That is in order'
To another delegate
'The delegate has yielded his/her time to the delegate of ... The chair calls upon the delegate of ... to take the floor. Does the delegate of ... accept? '
A delegate can't yield twice.
Speaking in Open Debate
'The floor is now open. Are there any delegates wishing to speak for this resolution?
Delegates raise their placards + Chairs call one delegate at a time, note - (if possible create a speaker’s list)
'Delegate of ... you have been recognized. You now have the floor.'
- Would the speaker please keep to the content of the resolution?
'Time "for" this resolution has elapsed, we will be moving into time "against", are there any delegates wishing to take floor against this resolution...'
... same for open debate ( = speakers can speak for and against)
Amendments - Only choose significant ones, correct the amendments accordingly, show them to the house on a powerpoint, and announce friendly amendments. They can be submitted at all times. When debating amendments it is in closed debate vs whole resolution which is in open debate.
'The delegate of ... has submitted an amendment to the resolution. The amendment reads out ... (type out amendment). The chair sets a closed debate time of ... minutes “for” and ... minutes “against” the amendment. ( Spend a maximum of 10 minutes on the amendment). Delegate, you now have the floor.'
'Delegates wishing to speak “for” this amendment, please raise your placards.'
(Chairs calls upon delegates and may entertain a fixed number, such as 3, rather than imposing a time limit at their discretion).
'Delegate of... you have the floor.'
Time “for” this amendment has elapsed. We will now move into time “against” this amendment. Delegates wishing to speak “against” the amendment, please raise your placards.
'Time “against” this amendment has elapsed. We will now move into voting procedures on the amendment.' (See voting below)
'We will now resume debate on the resolution as a whole with … minutes left'
Amendments to the second degree - Amendments to the second degree can only be entertained during time against the amendment. It is up to the chairs discretion if they wish to entertain them or not. Closed debate starts again when entertaining an amendment to the second degree. (If the amendment fails, the house must vote on the amendment to the first degree as well. If the amendment passes, the house no longer votes on the amendment to the first degree.)
Voting
'Time allocated for debate on the resolution/ amendment as a whole has elapsed. We will now be moving directly into voting procedures/ previous question. Note passing is suspended. Securitaries/ admin staff please secure the doors, suspend note passing, and assist in the counting of votes. All delegates voting for this resolution please raise your placards high. Against. All delegates wishing to abstain from the vote please raise your placards up high.'
(The Chair may call for a role call vote or a re-vote if the numbers do not add up)
If vote is close, large number of abstentions and a motion to divide the house has been called:
'There has been a motion to divide the house, abstentions are not in order and the vote will be retaken.'
Announcing Results
'The results of the vote are as follows: ... votes for ... votes against ... abstentions. With a vote of ... for, ... against, and ... abstentions, this resolution has passed/ failed. Clapping is/ not in order.'
'The next resolution to be debated will be on the question of ...'
Note: That some in some conferences delegates can't abstain when during voting procedures for an amendment.
