Lobbying: How to be Successful

By Allegra Baschiera

Photography by Anna Delmas

THIMUN is a yearly conference where around three thousand students gather to debate and report current and relevant topics. The number of students, together with the impressive World Forum building, can often overwhelm inexperienced delegates, especially in lobbying situations. Therefore, the press team took it upon themselves to interview delegates to understand in what way delegates struggle, and how they may approach lobbying instead.

Most students that are inexperienced at delegating struggle with lobbying, because one must show initiative and confidence by interacting with other delegates, and must persuasively present a carefully-crafted resolution. So delegates voiced their specific struggles, saying that they “are not able to comfortably approach people, as they are shy” or “have difficulty with constructing a stable stance, without being influenced by other delegate’s opinions”.

The tip that came up the most was to be nice, approachable, and smile! Not only will delegates be more open to discussing with you, but the inexperienced delegates will feel more at ease.

Similarly, it is also important that during lobbying, one does not approach delegates with the intent of asserting their opinion, but rather to form a personal bond with each other. As one of the delegates rightfully stated, “We will not remember the resolutions we draft, but the friends we make.” 

However, if you are confused as to who to talk to, always start with the countries in your same region or continent. Many times, shared territory brings shared issues and cultures, so it may be easier to connect with them. Experienced chairs have also noticed that delegates who take notes during opening speeches about the stances of various countries are more likely to propose a successful resolution, as less time is spent trying to gauge which delegations one should talk with, and more time is left to brainstorm clauses for resolutions.

Finally, for those that have come prepared with a resolution to the conference, do not try to dismiss other people’s ideas. Instead, try to incorporate them into other resolutions or co-submit with someone else that shares the same stance as your country.