THIMUN Decoded

Is this your first conference and you couldn’t find any resources for training? Fear no more, this article will walk you through the majority of procedures and terminology you should brush upon to be a great delegate.

At its core, THIMUN procedure is not about memorization of rules; it is about understanding the structure. Every speech, clause, motion, and amendment exists to channel disagreement into progress. Once this structure is understood, MUN stops being intimidating and becomes enjoyable as you share different perspectives with your fellow delegates. 

A resolution is not merely a list of wishes. It is a single, carefully engineered sentence composed of two conceptual layers:

• Preambulatory clauses diagnose the problem. They establish context, urgency, and stance.
• Operative clauses prescribe action. They define who does what, how, and under what constraints.

The strength of a resolution lies in balance. An operative clause must be neither vacuous nor labyrinthine. It must be specific enough to be enforceable, yet abstract enough to remain within mandate. Sub-clauses and sub-sub-clauses are not decorative, they should be meaningful and provide necessary details. A well-written clause answers, implicitly:

• What institution acts?

• By what mechanism?

• With which actors?

• Under which limits?

THIMUN debate is not a contest of volume; it should be carefully crafted with reason and meaning. 

Open debate is structured as follows:

• A delegate speaks.
• The house interrogates through Points of Information (if permitted by the chair).
• The floor is yielded.
• The cycle repeats. 

Closed debate on an amendment, 2nd degree amendment or clause is structured as follows: 

• A delegate speaks (either for or against the clause/amendment as specified by the chair at that time).
• The house interrogates through Points of Information (if permitted by the chair).
• The floor is yielded.
• A delegate speaks (either for or against the clause/amendment as specified by the chair at that time).
• The cycle repeats.

Additionally, a “motion to move the previous question” is, in essence, a signal that asks to move to the next step of procedure; for moving to the time for against speeches from in favour speeches or directly to the voting time. The meaning of this motion often goes unknown to most delegates, making it significant to note. It is also important to keep in mind that these procedures might be slightly altered depending on the committee and additional rules might be added for specific committees. 

To master THIMUN is not to dominate debate—it is to understand how structure transforms conflict into consensus. And you, delegates, are the key to diplomacy.