how to make an mun speech

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3.2 Making Speeches

Back to Handbook Contents page.

Back to Unit 3: Foundational Skills.

Speeches are an integral part of your performance and experience at a Model United Nations conference. They express your policy and introduce your presence to the body. This article explains why we give speeches in Model UN, how to prepare a Model UN speech and how to use diplomatic language.

For a funny look at how to prepare, read our BuzzFeed list here .

a. What is a Speech in Model United Nations?

As discussed in the section on Rules of Procedure , the discussion of your committee topic happens in two ways, formal debate and caucusing. Formal debate is conducted according to clear rules that govern who is able to speak and when. The chair of the committee will ask which countries would like to speak and add them to a “speakers list”, which is usually prominently displayed on a blackboard, flipchart or projector. The chair will invite a representative the country at the top of the list to come to the front of the room, or to a microphone, and deliver a speech outlining their policy on the committee topic. The speech is time-limited – depending on the size of your committee, speeches may be 30 to 90 seconds long. The chair of your committee will probably have a gavel, that s/he will tap when you have 10 or 15 seconds left and bang when your time is up. You must stop speaking once your allotted time has elapsed.

b. Purpose of Speeches

The main purpose of a speech in a Model UN committee is to introduce and talk about your policy ( using your 3PP ), signaling to other delegations where you stand on the committee topic. In a large committee, you may only get one chance to speak before the entire group, so it is important that your speech delivers a concise, compelling and memorable case for your country’s position. In smaller committees you may get more than one chance to speak, which allows you to comment on the progress of the discussion, the ideas that your country agrees with and the direction you think the committee should go. Making multiple good speeches establishes you as a significant player within the committee, so make sure to raise your placard whenever your chair asks if their is anyone who wishes to be added to the speakers list. When you are finished speaking, immediately send a note up the chair asking to be added to the speakers list again. Within reason, you benefit from being in front of the entire committee as much as possible.

Please note that the speech should try to move the discussion forward in a productive manner. Therefore, try to be as clear as possible about where your country would like the discussion to move, while also being diplomatic. Your speech is not an opportunity to try out your comedic material, start a fight or call out another state. At all times, you must conduct yourself with diplomatic decorum .

c. How to Write Your Speech

Students often feel unsure about how to write their speeches. The good news is that by following a structure carefully, and drawing on your position paper , you can write a compelling speech without much difficulty. A good speech — in its most basic form — grabs the audience’s attention, delivers your main point or “ask” and conveys why this is important. This can be represented as a simple “beginning, middle and end” structure:

Beginning of Your Speech

• Grab the audience’s attention, perhaps with a quote from your Head of State or a surprising statistic that dramatizes the main problem or question your committee is considering (perhaps drawn from your position paper ).
• Explain in a sentence how this quote or statistic relates to the global community’s concern for your committee topic.

Middle of Your Speech

• In one or two sentences, provide context and background (using statistics and other evidence) on the problem, showing how responses so far have not adequately dealt with it and why the committee needs to act.
• Introduce your country’s policy recommendations, using a 3PP . This is the most important piece of your speech.

End of Your Speech

• Reinforce why the urgency and importance of the problem
• Briefly restate your policy and hope for a common solution
• Close with a compelling quote from your country’s president or foreign minister (or a UN official) relating to the topic

Note that you can shorten or lengthen your speech around this structure depending on the time available for speeches in your committee. However, you should never cut the policy recommendation (3PP) , since this is the primary purpose of your speech — you want other states to know where your delegation stands and what you are calling on the committee to do.

You should spend some time before the conference preparing your first speech, but once the committee begins you will probably need to writing speeches “on the fly.” These more improvised speeches should address the specific issues that are emerging out of the committees discussions. Again, they should focus on your state’s policy positions on the topics of discussion. To prepare these more extemporaneous speeches rely on the above structure and information from your position paper research.

One of the Pace University New York City head delegates has prepared a useful “cheat sheet” to print out and take to your committee session to help you write speeches quickly. Click here to download it.

d. How to Practice Your Speech

Almost everyone has nerves when it comes to public speaking, but you can manage these by preparing well, memorizing the information in your position paper (perhaps use flash cards) and practicing. Run through your first speech with a timer, perhaps in front of your delegation partner or a head delegate . Ask them to give you gentle and constructive feedback. Practice giving extemporaneous speeches by having your delegation partner come up with a topic and speaking about it for a minute. Support each other and share useful quotes, information and statistics within the class, particularly among those who will be representing the same country as you. Remember that the head delegates , senior delegates and the faculty advisor are also available to meet with you and help if you feel unsure or uncomfortable with public speaking.

e. How to Present Your Speech

The following is a list of things to keep in mind when presenting your speech:

Posture and Gestures

• Stand confidently
• Move around only for dramatic effect
• Feel free to make hand gestures, but avoid pointing with or wagging your finger
• Avoid slouching or fidgeting. If fidgeting helps to manage your anxiety, perhaps hold a pencil behind your back, or move your toes inside your shoes, to keep it out of sight.
• Don’t touch or flip your hair
• Don’t cover your mouth with your hands

Eye Contact

• When you begin, make eye contact with your chair and the committee
• Look up from your notes, don’t simply read them
• If necessary, find a spot to look at in the back of the room

Facial Expressions

• If you look bored, people will tune you out
• You should take your topic seriously and show that through your demeanor and expressions

Speech Aids

• Use note cards if needed, but avoid a piece of paper, which might rattle if your hands are shaking
• Use your notes to enhance your speech, not as a crutch
• Do not read your notes word for word
• Speak clearly, as your audience needs to understand what you are saying
• Maintain diplomatic decorum
• Practice difficult words (Country names, president names, program titles, words with many syllables)
• Speak slowly; don’t try to cram a large amount of information into one speech, as you need to get your point across in 30-90 seconds.
• Practice your volume. Everyone needs to hear you, but don’t yell. You can vary your volume for dramatic effect
• Use variety, pitch, and rate wisely! Don’t start too fast or speed up at the end. When saying a quote or your 3PP, SLOW DOWN!
• Don’t be intimidated by the ten-second tap by the chair
• Be clear on what you are trying to communicate.
• Your goal is to PERSUADE, not to just state your policy or 3PP
• Think carefully about who you are speaking to — who do you need to persuade? You usually don’t need to persuade everyone — focus on those who are undecided, the “maybe” votes
• Think about why your speech matters — this is your moment to speak, don’t waste it. How will the committee be affected by your speech? You will hear hundreds of speeches, make yours stand out.
• Have confidence in your topic and policy
• Make sure you always have sources to back up your information
• Leaving an impression says you are trustworthy, unique, competent and open to negotiation.

Katie James, Elena Marmo, Michael Zona and Matthew Bolton for Pace University, 2013. Version 3.0 BETA. For information, permissions or corrections, contact Dr. Matthew Bolton, [email protected]

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Dos and Don’ts of a Model UN Opening Speech

Written by Michael Dianetti

Mun articles | strategy, april 17, 2018, action | comprehensive | filler words | hook | multifaceted | opening speech | point | speaking | speeches | three-pronged.

Roll Call has been taken, decorum set, placards distributed, seats taken, debate open – it’s time for your first speech. The opening speech is often regarded as one of the most important parts of a Model United Conference. If it’s good it sets you apart. If it’s bad it seals your fate before the first unmod even begins. In some cases this assumption can be correct; however, it is important to remember that the opening speech is a maximum one minute of the conference that will be buried by two dozen hours more of committee. Nevertheless, an opening speech can be a powerful tool for an aspiring delegate to immediately set themselves apart and take control of committee. Below are our tips on how to deliver that perfect opening speech and start on the path to the gavel.

Break the Cadence

At the beginning of your MUN career, you may have been told to begin your opening speech or every speech, with the phrase  “Fellow Delegates, Honorable Chair…..” If you’ve been doing this, I’m here to tell you that it’s wrong. Please stop. Whether your committee has forty people or four-hundred, a boring introduction is the easiest way to put your ”fellow delegates” to sleep and erase yourself from the memory of your “honorable chair.” Opening speeches are all about breaking the mold and standing out. Don’t be the person that gives the same rise and fall speech that follows the same structure, and uses the same words.

Catch Everyone’s Attention

You might be wondering, “If I don’t start my speech with ‘fellow delegates, Honorable chair’ how do I start my speech?’ Easy answer. There is a multitude of ways to open your speech memorable. Many delegates go with a statistic, others use quotes, but the best opening speeches do something a little different. In a huge General Assembly, the same amount of people are going to use quotes and statistics as those who say “Fellow Delegates, Honorable Chair.” Before long every “hook” is lost among the excess of numbers and references to famous humanitarians and leaders. To be different, you have to be a little theatrical, a little sarcastic, and extremely bold. My personal favorite opener involves clapping my hands for ten seconds before explaining what my clapping represents. For example, I might clap and then say “Every time I clap my hands a Syrian refugee is denied refuge because of the isolationist policy of many members of the international community.” A delegate I know begins every opening speech by asking her committee to look at their watches and cleverly telling them that “It’s time for a change.” While these methods may seem a little excessive and silly, they are exactly what is needed to catch the attention of any delegates who have zoned out to the monotony of opening speeches and keep them engaged for the rest of your speech.

Avoid Filler Words and Jargon

“Comprehensive” “Multifaceted” “Three-Pronged” “Quasi” ”Collaborative” You may recognize these as some of the most common Model UN “filler” words that almost every delegate has used at some time in their MUN career. I can’t recount how many times I have heard a delegate give a minute-long speech that effectively accomplishes nothing because all they said was a mixed-up jumble of these words. The use of filler words is the easiest way to disengage from your audience and bury your speech among the hundreds of others that will be given during the conference. The goal of any speech is to set yourself apart from the rest of committee, prove that you are a better orator, and dispense your ideas in a clear and unique manner.

Speak Loud, Clear, and Slow

When you’re giving your opening speech it’s easy to become overwhelmed with nerves and anxiety. If you forget everything else remember that when giving your speech speak loud, clear, and slow. You want everyone in the room to be able to hear and understand what you are saying. You could have the most eloquent beautiful speech but if you botch the delivery it will mean nothing. Conversely, you can have a sub-par speech that becomes invaluable if you deliver it correctly.

Don’t Read

More than eighty percent of your committee will be reading carefully written opening speeches from a piece of paper. This can be intimidating, they know exactly what they are going to say, they have pre-prepared analogies and similes, and if you don’t have the same it may feel as if you are at a disadvantage. You aren’t. On a broad scale, these pre-prepared, written down speeches will all be grouped together in the minds of your committee members, while, if you give a more impromptu speech that addresses committee in a more personal and tangible manner you will stand out among the other delegates.

Even experienced delegates often forget the last, and most important, part of an opening speech – the ending.  A speech that brings attention to a problem or employs attention-grabbing techniques will always fall short if they don’t have an ending that rounds everything out. In the last line, call committee to do something, make a bold statement, share your plan. The last line is going to be what’s left in the ends of your “Fellow Delegates and Honorable Chair” long after your speech.

Up Your MUN Game this Summer The Ad Hoc Academy at Johns Hopkins University will give students plenty of opportunities to practice their speaking skills while taking advantage of professional coaching and guidance. Compete in six simulations in six days for over $6,000 in prizes. Apply today!  

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GSL Speech For MUN

Writing a perfect MUN GSL Speech is a skill set you will learn over time. There are a few different ways you can approach writing your Model UN GSL speech that we will talk about in this guide.

Think about breaking your GSL speech into 3 parts:

• Hook – Grab the attention of your fellow delegates in the committee
• Point – Get your policy across that you may want to see in the draft resolution
• Call to Action – Mention Action step based on your hook and point This is simple yet effective time

Make sure you are on the General Speakers List (GSL) as much as possible during the MUN Conference.

It’s not just about having ample speakers tine in GSL rather about bringing your points and ideas across your fellow delegates in the committee and show the Chair you are playing a key role in shaping the debate.

While delivering your GSL Speech:

Remember the importance of Body Language, to matter if your topic is discussing nuclear weapons or human rights, make to have your body language in line with the words you say in your speech.

What is a good way to start a General Speakers List speech in MUN?

Good general tip for a MUN speech is to try to be  be dramatic as well as informative. Remember that you can’t just read what’s written on the page of your speech.

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How does MUN work?

The model un masterclass.

By award winning MUNers. For you. For free. Because MUN is about learning.

The basics. So you always know what's going on.

• Find definitions of all important terms in our MUN Cheat Sheet
• Read some real world UN Resolutions here .
• Read the rules of procedure of one of our partner conferences Karlsruhe Model United Nations (KAMUN) here .
• Deliver a 1-minute speech in front of a mirror on the topic Pizza vs. Burgers. Take into account the three essential speech guidelines of the General Speaker's List.
• What's the difference between being "present" and being "present and voting"? Show Answer
• What is a moderated caucus? Show Answer
• How can I ask the chair about how the rules of procedure work when in session? Show Answer
• What's the most important thing to know about MUN? Show Answer

How to prepare for your next conference without wasting time.

• Read some actual Security Council resolutions .
• Find country facts in the CIA World Factbook .
• Discover more about your country using the Freedom House Index .
• Discover background information on the topic of your next conference. If you're just practicing search for the current agenda of the UNGA Security Council resolutions and pick the first topic they are going to discuss.
• Discover who your allies are. If you are preparing for a specific conference search for allies of the country assigned to you, else find a random country here .
• Figure out your country's (approximate) policy on the issue and write a 300 word abstract about it.

How to overcome anxiety and deliver award-winning speeches.

• Our friends from Wisemee assembled a clever list of 20 tips for delivering speeches in Model UN here .
• On the UN Web TV page for the General Assembly you can find an archive of speeches. Finding one of the country you're representing can give you a great idea of what tone you might want to strike during your speeches too. UN Web TV .
• Watch this speech this speech by Barack Obama, by some considered the speech that made him president.
• Which elements can you use to deliver a great speech in MUN? Show Answer
• To get a sense for the time limit start by scripting and delivering in front of a mirror a 60s speech on why weekends should be three days instead of two.
• Deliver a 60s speech in front of a mirror on the topic of why coffee and tea should be drank out of mugs instead of glass cups. Give yourself no more than 90s to prepare and only note bullet points.
• Deliver a 90s speech on why it should be international law that every person in the world should have your favorite food at least once a week. Prepare for no more than 60s and only note bullet points.

How to write working papers and resolutions that hold up in committee.

• Find a list of operators used in UN resolutions here .
• A guide by the United Nations for drafting resolutions can be found here .
• The Security Council resolution Alex is looking at in the video can be found here
• What's the purpose of a position paper? Show Answer
• What is the difference between operative clauses and preambulatory clauses in a draft resolution? Show Answer
• In which three kinds of ways can amendments change operative clauses of a draft resolution? Show Answer
• Which questions should any operative clause answer? Show Answer
• Write an operative clause with the goal of trying to get member states to ensure that every fast food restaurant also has broccoli on the menu. It should answer all questions every operative clause should answer. Remember, no full stops are allowed in clauses. Example Solution

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10 Steps to prepare for your first MUN conference

Many of you ask us, “How should I prepare for a MUN if it’s my first time?” Your first MUN conference can seem overwhelming. There are lots of things to read and research to do be done and you might not know much about the UN. We are happy to let you know that Model UN is not that complicated once you get the hang of it. These 10 steps will help you give you will give you what you need to survive, and thrive at your first Model United Nations conference.

Understand What is MUN?

• Before you start researching, reading and preparing you need to do is understand how MUN works.
• Each delegate represents a country in a UN committee to discuss an important global issue. Information about the said issue is provided by the conference in a Study Guide.
• Debate your ideas and practical solutions together with the other delegates in the committee.
• Combine your ideas with others in a document called a Draft Resolutions. Multiple drafts can be created by different groupings (blocks) of countries.
• Vote on the Draft Resolutions in the committee. A resolution needs a majority to be passed.

Learn the Basics About Your Country

Before you read the Study Guide / Background Guide the conference provides, it’s best to learn a bit about the country you will be representing to get over any natural biases you might have. Try to keep an open your mind towards the country you will be representing.

Things you should look up about your country:

• Land  – Find your country on a map. Check out your size, terrain and neighbors.
• Politics  – Check if you’re a democracy, a pseudo-democracy or an authoritarian power. If a democracy, check with party is in power.
• Data  – Population size, main languages, demographic breakdown and wealth, usually by looking at the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• News  – Glance at the news and see what your country has been up to most recently.

Doing this research will help you come up with valuable ideas when you read the Study Guide.

Read the Study Guide

The Study Guide (sometimes referred to as a Background Guide or Issue Summary) is where you will get the basic important information about the topic your MUN committee will be discussing. When you finish reading the guide you should have a basic understanding of the topic and what you are expected to debate. (If your guide sucks, check out our guide on what to do with your MUN study guide sucks).

The Study Guide should give you:

• General background about the topic
• Current issues relating to the topic
• Relevant numbers and data  (in good guides at least)
• Information about your UN committee
• Block positions  (not in every guide)
• Guiding questions  (not in every guide)
• Further reading  (not in every guide)

Study Guides are also important because they help you understand where the chairs want the debate to go. Now that you understand the topic you will be discussing, it’s time to fill in the blanks about your country.

Learn About your Committee

This should be covered in your Study Guide. If it wasn’t, now is the time to learn about your committee. A quick glance at the Wikipedia page should give you context.

You want to get a basic idea of:

• Objectives of the committee
• Current committee activities
• Past actions of the committee

Knowing your MUN committee mandate will help you understand what your committee can do and what it cannot. This will be helpful when the time comes to write practical ideas

Research your Countries Position

To understand your countries position, you will need to look at the news to get an idea of what policies your country would implement. For example, if you are representing Spain, you may what to look into things like… Did Spain ever send aid workers to natural disasters? Does Spain contribute to global anti-virus efforts? The answers to those questions will help you know where your country stands, even if there is nothing directly written about your countries connection to the topic you will be discussing.

The reason you should search like this is due to the fact you will not always find exactly what you’re looking for when you Google your country + topic. For example, if you search for “Spain policy on the flooding in Sri Lanka” or “Spain Zika Virus” you’re likely to come up with nothing.

There are three reasons for this:

• Most countries don’t publish their information in English
• Politicians don’t like to make committing statements
• Your country has no direct relation to the topic

This is why you should broaden your search terms and try to get a richer overview of your country so you will have a more well-rounded pool of information to work from.

If after all this you still find nothing about yourself, look at your neighboring countries, or countries similar to you. See how they deal with the issue. Sometimes a well-educated guess is all you will get if your country seems to be unrelated to the topic being discussed. Luckily, when there is little information, it is often more than enough.

Find The Opening Speech Speaker Time

Now it’s time to get ready to write our first speech. Most conferences require a mandatory Opening Speech for every delegate. At conferences without opening speeches, the first speech you give will serve a similar function.

The opening speech is usually 60 seconds. To make sure, take a look at the Rules of Procedure to see what the opening speaker time is at the conference you will be attending sometimes it could be a bit tricky since the conference may let the chairs decide how long the opening speech will be. It is usually between 60-90 seconds but can go as low as 30 and as high as 120.

If you can’t find a clear-cut answer its a good idea to email the MUN conference directly and ask them how long you will have for opening speeches.

Write Your Opening Speech

Your first speech should give a general impression of your countries view of the topic and ideas to solve the problems your committee is discussing. In your speech should include facts and practical policies to solve the problem. Your solution should be in line with your countries interests.

To take your opening speech to the next level check out our How to Write a MUN speech bible. In the MUN speech Bible, we teach the Clash, Information, Call to Action (CIA) method of speechwriting, a serious game changer when it comes to MUN speechwriting.

Learn the Rules of Procedure

When it comes to flow the flow of a MUN simulation, here is what you need to know.

3 Modes of a MUN Debate Simplified General Speaker’s List  – Default speech platform. Anyone can talk about anything and can yield time. Moderated Caucus  – Faster discussion on a subtopic voted to be discussed by a majority of the committee. Unmoderated Caucus  – Lobbying time. Everyone gets out of their seats and speaks one on one / in a group. Resolutions are written during this time as well.

This should be enough to get you started but to learn more check out our article on MUN Rule of Procedures.

How to Write a Resolution

MUN Draft Resolution Clauses Simplified Preambulatory Clause  – Clauses explaining why we are doing it. Operative Clause  – Clauses explaining what we plan to do. Operative clauses are instructions which should be clear, concise and written using emotionless language.

You can check out more about how this should be done in our article about how to write a MUN Resolution

Have an Open Mind

If it’s your first MUN, I am happy to let you know that after reading this short guide (and followed the steps we laid out) you probably did more research and preparation than most other first-time MUNers : ) and one significant step closer to winning Best Delegate.

MUN is a lot of fun and when you come prepared you are setting yourself up to enjoy the conference that much more. This is because you will have an idea where things are going and how to achieve your desired result. Go out and enjoy your first MUN conference to the fullest. You should also enjoy the sites, the socials and make new friends.

There you have it. Once you finish your first conference your eyes will be open to the world of MUN. Moving forward, know that all aspects of our 10 points are just scratching the surface and all of them can be improved upon.

If you have any MUN questions along the way feel free to reach out to the HelpMyMUN team to help you take your MUN to the next level.

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