THIMUN conferences are high school student oriented; unlike UNAUSA conferences, THIMUN conferences have high school students as student officers. THIMUN promote cooperation and negotiation, for there are no official awards such as Best Delegate, Outstanding Delegate, and Honorable Mention. Instead, THIMUN conferences entertain fun superlatives that highlight the quirkiness of each committee. In Taiwan, most conferences that are hosted by international schools follow the THIMUN procedure.

Roll Call

Every committee session begins with Roll Call. When your delegation’s name is being called upon, raise your placard high and say “present” or “present and voting.”

present: can vote “yes,” “no,” or “abstain”

present and voting: can only vote “yes” or “no”

Opening Speeches

Opening speeches are given before lobbying in order to allow delegates to announce their stance to other delegates and to see who to work with during lobbying. Though they may seem trivial, opening speeches often make first impressions, so it is imperative to give a strong and powerful opening speech.

-choose one issue to focus on

-talk about your country’s policy on the issue

-usually 1 minute time limit (around 100-200 words)

-address the house in the beginning of your speech: “Honorable chairs, fellow delegates, and most esteemed guests”

-the Chair would entertain “right of reply” during this time

Lobbying

This is the time to get out of your seat and get to know your fellow delegates! Go talk to the delegates who shared similar stances with you during opening speeches and try to work with them to create a resolution. Lobbying time usually lasts half a day and resolutions are to be finished during this time. The completed resolutions will then be sent to the approval panel and revised until officially approved.

Debate

1) Main submitter reads out operative clauses and delivers speech.

2) Points of Information (fancy word for question)

“Is the delegate open to any points of information?”

-no

-any and all

-specific number

3) Main submitter yields floor to chair or another delegate (no consecutive yields).

4) “The floor is now once again open are there any delegates wishing to take the floor?”

5) Repeat above steps until debate time elapses.

Note passing

Note passing is allowed during debate time but is suspended during voting procedure. The chairs will be screening the notes so delegates should keep the contents appropriate. Once a delegate finishes writing a note, he or she can raise his hand and an admin staff will come by and help pass his or her note. Delegates should remember to clearly include the sender and the recipient of the note.

Amendment Procedure

1) Obtain amendment sheet from chairs.

2) Write down the original clause and your amended clause.

3) Submit the amendment sheet to chairs.

4) Raise placard when floor is open as you would for a normal speech.

5) If recognized, go up to the podium and announce “this delegate has submitted an amendment.” If NOT RECOGNIZED, chairs will ask you to either make a speech or yield the floor back to the chair. If RECOGNIZED, make a speech for the amendment.

6) Chairs will ask for more speakers (first for, then against) and Points of Information.

7) House moves into voting procedure.

Points

Point of Information
- Questions to the speaker
Point of Parliamentary Inquiry
- Questions directed at the chairs regarding parliamentary procedures
Point of Personal Privilege
- Only point that can interrupt the speaker (audibility)
Point of Order
- Questions directed at the chairs regarding possible procedural mistakes made by the chair or by other delegates

*for more points please check out the THIMUN glossary page

Motions

Motion to Move to Previous Question
- Calls for the House to vote on an amendment or resolution being debated at hand.
- Needs seconds in order to pass
Motion to Divide the House
- Suggested when prohibiting abstentions will change outcome of vote
- Not used as often