I.

General Rules
1. Language: English is the only official language during the conference.

2. Decorum: Participants of MUNatDFLHS should follow the rules of the

conference and show their respect towards their fellow delegates, the
Secretariats, Chairs and conference staffs. Delegates shall present
themselves in school uniform during the whole sessions. The use of
electronic devices without the approval of Chairs or the Secretariats will
not be allowed during the session. Participants must be present at every
formal session to receive a certificate of participation.

3. Quorum: A quorum is the minimum number of delegates required to be

present for the committee to start the session. When two-thirds of the
committee members present, the quorum shall be met.

4. Entry and Exit: Delegates may leave the committee room during the
session by informing the administrative staffs. No one is allowed to
enter or exit the conference room during the voting procedure and
delegates outside the conference room during voting procedure cannot
vote.
II. Committee Proceedings

1 Roll Call
Each session begins with a roll call. If chair calls out the delegation in the alphabetical
order, delegates must raise their placard and say ‘Present’. Delegate who do not say
‘Present’ during the roll call cannot participate in the conference. However, delegates that
come late should notify the chairs that they are present by sending a note. When the
committee meets the quorum, the committee may start the official session.

2 Establishment of the General Speakers’ List (Formal Debate)

Once the session starts and if there are no points or motions on the floor, chairs will open
the General Speakers’ List. When the chairs ask if there is any delegate wishing to speak,
delegates may raise their placard high. Chair will call out their representing country and
add them on the list. The names of the delegates who were absent from the committee,
when recognized by the chairs, will be moved to the end of the list. Delegates may freely
add or remove their name from the list by sending a note to the chairs.

3 Speech
The entertained delegate may come out to the podium and give 90 seconds to speak.
Delegate may discuss on any topic related to the agenda. When the delegate makes his
or her own speech, first personal pronoun and second personal pronoun such as “I” or
“You” are prohibited and referring themselves and the other delegates as “He”, ”She”, or
the “Delegate (of representing country).”

4 Yielding the Remaining Time

When there is a remaining time after the delegate finish his/her speech, delegate may
yield their remaining time. Yielding is only allowed for the General Speakers’ List. Delegate
may yield the remaining time only once, and there are three types of yielding:

Yield time to Points of Information (Open to any and all Points of Information)
When the delegate yields time to Point of Information, the chair will ask if there are
any delegates wishing to make a point of information. Then the other delegates seated
will be allowed to rise from their seats and pose a question regarding the speech. The
delegate may answer using his/her remaining time (it is not considered as using the
time when a seated delegate is asking a question). Follow-ups to the first degree are
granted upon request and under chair's discretion, but follow-ups to the second
degree are not in order. The delegate on the podium may choose to answer the
question on the podium or reply after going back to his or her seat in note form. Direct
conversation between the delegates is not in order, as so, if the delegate on the podium
 has difficulty understanding the question, he or she must ask the chairs to request the
delegate asking the question to rephrase the question.

Yield time to another delegate

When the delegate yields time to another delegate, his or her time will be given to
another delegate nominated by the delegate. There should be a mutual agreement
between the delegates in advance, and the remaining time should be more than 20
seconds. Delegates do not have to continue speaking on the same ideas as the delegate
that yielded the floor to him or her and can foster their own opinions.

Yield time back to chair

When the delegate yields time back to the chairs, the delegate may return back to
his or her seat and the chairs will proceed with the rest of the proceeding. The
remaining time will be automatically yielded back to the chair when the delegate has
less than 10 seconds remaining.

5 Caucuses (Informal Debate)

In MUN at DFLHS there are two different types of informal debates: the Moderated
Caucus and the Unmoderated Caucus. Chairs have the right to rule out motions to move
into these types of debates if necessary.

Moderated Caucus
The purpose of the moderated caucus is to facilitate the debate which was done
during the General Speakers’ List. Once the delegate raises a motion to move into
Moderated Caucus, the committee will move into voting procedure. To make the
motion, delegate should explain the purpose, total duration time and individual
speaking time of the caucus. If the motion passes, chairs will open the floor for
Moderated Caucus and delegate wishing to speak may raise their placard high. Once
the chair recognizes the delegate and calls out his or her delegation, the delegate may
make his or her speech standing at their seat.

Unmoderated Caucus
The purpose of the unmoderated caucus is to enable delegates to be free from
physical barriers and facilitate intense debate. Once a delegate raises a motion to move
into Unmoderated Caucus, the committee will move into voting procedure. To make
the motion, delegate should explain the total duration time of the caucus. If the motion
passes, the committee directly moves into the Unmoderated Caucus.
6 Points and Motions
During the session, when the chair believes that the delegates has fully utilized their
allocated speaking time or when the General Speakers’ List expires, chairs will ask
delegates for points or motions from the committee. At this time, delegates may raise a
point or a motion according to their needs. When a delegate wishes to raise a point or
motion, delegate may raise the placard high and say either “Point” or “Motion”, and may
specify it when the chairs recognizes the delegate.

Points
Points are usually related to the convenience of the delegate, and some points can
interrupt the speaker or can be raised frequently if the delegates believe that it is needed.
Points do not require debates and voting.

POINT DESCRIPTION INTERRUPT

SPEAKER
Point of Personal Point of Personal Privilege is raised to inform the chairs YES
Privilege of a physical discomfort a delegate is experiencing, such
as inability to hear other delegate’s speech. This point
can be raised whenever the delegate is in need.
Point of Order Point of Order is raised when the delegate believes that YES
the chair has made a mistake in the running of the
committee. Delegates should specify only the errors they
believe were made in the formal committee procedure.
Point of Point of Parliamentary Inquiry is raised to ask the chair NO
Parliamentary regarding the rules of procedure or committee
Inquiry proceeding. It is recommended to raise this point when
the floor is open, but delegates are allowed to freely
raise it whenever they are in need.
Point of After a delegate has given a speech during the General NO
Information Speakers’ List, delegate may yield his or her remaining
time to open Point of Information, which allows other
seated delegate to ask the question regarding the speech
the delegate has made.
Point of When a draft resolution or amendment has been NO
Clarification introduced to the floor by a delegate through a speech,
chairs will open the floor for 3 Points of Clarifications.
Delegates may ask questions regarding the wordings,
vocabularies and abbreviations in the resolution.
* Points of Information and Points of Clarification can be raised only when the floor is open.
 Motions
Motions are usually used for the purpose of changing the proceeding of the committee.
Motions can only be raised when the chairs ask the delegates if there are any; unlike
points, motions cannot interrupt a speaker, and voting and debates are required in order
to pass a motion. There are 6 types of motions.

MOTION DESCRIPTION DEBATABLE VOTE TO PASS

Motion to
This motion allows the committee to SIMPLE
Adjourn the NO
end the meeting until next year. MAJORITY
Meeting

Motion to This motion is commonly used to take a

SIMPLE
Adjourn the short break between each session or NO
MAJORITY
Session adjourn the session until the next day.

Motion to Move To raise this motion, delegate shall

into specify the total duration time. SIMPLE
NO
Unmoderated However, total duration time must be MAJORITY
Caucus less than 20 minutes

Motion to Move To raise this motion, delegate shall

SIMPLE
into Moderated specify the purpose, total duration time NO
MAJORIRY
Caucus and individual speaking time.

This motion is used when delegate wish

Motion to
to introduce approved draft resolution
Introduce Draft
or the amendment. Every resolution NO NONE
Resolution/
and amendment should be approved by
Amendment
the chairs and the secretariat.

This motion allows the committee to

move into the voting procedure for the
draft resolution/amendment. Once a
delegate feels that his or her country’s
Motion to Close TWO-THIRDS
position has been made clear, that 2 AGAINST
Debate MAJORITY
there are enough draft resolutions on
the floor and that all other delegates
are ready, he or she can move for the
closure of debate.
 Order of Precedence
In MUN at DFLHS, points and motions will be in order according to the precedence
listed below:
1. Point of Personal Privilege
2. Point of Order
3. Point of Parliamentary Inquiry
4. Motion to Adjourn the Meeting
5. Motion to Adjourn the Session
6. Motion to Move into Unmoderated Caucus
7. Motion to Move into Moderated Caucus
8. Motion to Introduce Draft Resolutions
9. Motion to Introduce Amendments
10. Motion to Close Debate
Within points and motions, one that casts greater effect on the debate takes
precedence.
Within the same motions, one that has the longer duration takes precedence.
Within the same points, one that is introduced earlier takes precedence.

7 Voting
In MUN at DFLHS, there are 2 distinct types of voting:

Procedural Vote
Procedural votes are related to the proceeding of the committee’s debate, as opposed
to the actual content of the topic being discussed. In other words, all votes that decide
whether the committee will pass a motion or not are procedural votes. All delegates must
participate in the voting procedure and raise their placards for either “For” or “Against”,
since no abstentions are allowed during procedural votes. It requires a simple majority
for, however, it requires two-thirds majority to pass the Motion to Close Debate.

Substantive Vote
Substantive votes are related to the actual substance(content) of the agenda being
discussed in the committee. That is, substantive votes refer to voting procedures that
decide whether the committee will pass a draft resolution/amendment or not. Once the
debate is closed on one area (in other words, once a “motion to close the debate” passes),
the committee directly moves into voting procedure for the draft resolution(s) or
amendment being discussed. Abstentions are allowed in substantive votes. A two-third
majority is required for a resolution or amendment to pass. Here, the majority refers to
2/3 of the total number of countries that have voted “For” or “Against”. Members who
abstain are treated as not having participated in the vote, which means that their votes
are subtracted from the total number of countries when the chairs count the votes.
8 Resolution
Draft Resolution is a preliminary version of a formal Resolution. Changes to Draft
Resolutions can be freely made via appropriate procedures. Draft Resolutions need to be
put into a required format and should go through the formal process of introduction. A
Draft Resolution must have both Preambulatory and Operative Clauses for it to be
approved.

Preambulatory Clauses
Preambulatory Clauses are used to state the reasons why the committee is addressing
the issue and to refer to past international action adopted on the matter. Preambulatory
Clauses may cite the UN Charter, past UN Resolutions and Conventions, statements made
by the Secretary General or UN agencies and well-known facts and opinions pertaining to
the topic area. Preambulatory Clauses start with special underlined phrases (known as
preambulatory phrases) and are separated by commas. Preambulatory Clauses cannot be
amended.

Affirming Determined Having reviewed

Alarmed Emphasizing Having studied
Anxious Encouraged Keeping in mind
Appreciating Endorsing Mindful
Aware Expressing deep concern Noting further
Bearing in mind Expressing its appreciation Noting with approval
Believing Expressing its satisfaction Noting with grave concern
Cognizant Fulfilling Noting with regret
Concerned Fully alarmed Noting with satisfaction
Confident Fully believing Observing
Conscious Further depicting Reaffirming
Considering Further recalling Realizing
Contemplating Grieved Recognizing
Convinced Guided by Referring
Declaring Having adapted Reiterating
Deeply concerned Having considered Seeking
Deeply conscious Having decided Stressing
Deeply convinced Having devoted attention Taking into account
Deeply disturbed Having examined Taking into consideration
Deeply regretting Having heard Viewing with appreciation
Deploring Having received Welcoming
Desiring Having regarded Wishing
Operative Clauses
Operative Clauses are used to highlight the actions or recommendations made in the
Resolution. Operative clauses contain actions and solutions to be taken to solve the issue
being discussed, containing further specific information divided into sub-clauses and sub-
sub-clauses. Operative Clauses start with special italic phrases (known as operative
phrases) and are separated by semi-colons. Operative Clauses can be amended.

Accepts Draws attention Notes with regret

Acknowledges Emphasizes Proclaims
Adopts Endorses Reaffirms
Affirms Expresses its appreciation Recognizes
Appeals Expresses its conviction Recommends
Applauds Expresses the hope Regrets
Appreciates Expresses its regret Reminds
Approves Expresses its sympathy Renews its appeal
Authorizes Expresses its thanks Repeals
Calls Further invites Requests
Commends Further proclaims` Solemnly affirms
Concurs Further recommends Stresses
Condemns Further reminds Strongly condemns
Confirms Further requests Suggests
Congratulates Further resolves Supports
Considers Has/Have resolved Takes note of
Decides Instructs Transmits
Declares Invites Trusts
Demands Notes Urges
Deplores Notes with approval Welcomes
Designates Notes with interest
Directs Notes with satisfaction

Punctuations
Preambulatory Clauses can only have commas, whereas Operative Clauses can have
commas, colons, semi-colons and a period. Semi-colons are used to separate Operative
Clauses and Sub-clauses of Operative Clauses are separated by commas. Colons are used
to open a new list of Sub-Clauses or Sub-Sub-Clauses. Period is used for only once at the
end of the document.
 Process of Introduction
Once a Draft Resolution has met the requirements aforementioned and got approved
by the chairs, it can be copied and distributed to the committee. Then, one of the sponsors
of the Draft Resolution may raise a motion to introduce it, which will directly be in order
under chairs’ discretion. The delegate will read out only the operative clauses of the Draft
Resolution. After he or she reads the operative clauses, the delegate will be given the
opportunity to give an optional authorship speech that explains the resolution with a
maximum time limit of 3 minutes.
After the authorship speech is given, the chair will open the floor for three points of
clarification and three points of information. Points of clarification usually pertain to
typographical errors, mistakes in the punctuation, and spelling errors found in the
document. Any grammatical mistakes found during this session will immediately be
incorporated into the Draft Resolution without a need for an amendment. Any points
made with regards to the substantive issues of the Draft Resolution are considered as
points of information.
All after the delegate finishes reading out the clauses and answering points, the
committee will move back to the General Speakers list for that topic area. Delegates may
refer to the Draft Resolution by its designated number. More than one Draft Resolution
can be introduced to the committee at any one time. Referring to a Draft Resolution that
is not formally introduced is out of order.

9 Amendment
Delegates may amend any Draft Resolution that has been introduced. Delegates may
choose from three options: add, modify, or strike. ‘Add’ refers to adding a new operative
clause, sub-clause or sub-sub-clause. ‘Modify’ refers to editing an existing clause by
changing or adding new words or phrases to it. ‘Strike’ refers to deleting an existing clause.
More than one amendment may be introduced at any given time. Preambulatory phrases
cannot be amended and amendments to amendments (Second-degree Amendments) are
not in order.
An Amendment needs to clarify which Draft Resolution it refers to, by stating
designated number of the Draft Resolution. An Amendment needs 20% of the whole
committee members as its signatories. Signatories are countries that may or may not
agree with the substance of the Amendment but still consider it worth debating. A
delegate can be a signatory for plural number of Amendments on the same topic area,
but can withdraw from it at any time by submitting a request, in written form, to the chair.
 Amendments are to be introduced in the following order:
1) Amendments must be sent to the chairs through note form. Delegates should wait
until the chairs send a note back that the amendment is approved.
2) When a delegate raises a motion to introduce an amendment, the motion is directly
in order under chairs’ discretion.
3) A delegate will raise a motion to introduce an amendment, and the chair reads out
the amendment while the delegate approaches the podium.
4) The delegate may give an optional authorship speech of the amendment with a
maximum time limit of 1 minute.
5) After the authorship speech, the chairs will entertain three Point of Clarifications and
three Points of Information from the committee.
6) The amendment is then considered formally introduced to the committee. A Limited
Speakers List on the amendment will be open, and delegates will be allowed to discuss
only upon this particular amendment during the Limited Speakers List.

A motion to close the debate will be in order after the committee has heard from at
least one speaker for the amendment and one against. If no delegates wish to speak in
the debate, or if the new Speakers list has been exhausted, the debate automatically
closes. Once the debate ends, a vote will immediately be taken on the amendment, and
this requires a two-third majority for passage since it is substantive voting. After the vote,
the delegates will make the corresponding changes to their resolutions if the amendment
passes, and the committee will return to the General Speakers list.