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Model United Nations Simulation
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Writing a Resolution
You are attending a simulation. All of the delegates on the speakers’ list have
spoken. The delegates have already had a 20-minute moderated debate. What comes
next? How does this whole debate end? What was the purpose of prolonged position
papers and debates? These questions are answered by a single document that brings
every country’s ideas together to form a single joint statement and plan of action. That
document is the resolution.
What is a resolution?
Because the United Nations is a forum for peaceful discussion that brings all countries
together to collectively solve world problems, it is necessary for Member
States to create joint solutions despite their different opinions. All nations have their
own interests to protect but in the United Nations each country must give up something
in order to receive something else. For example, imagine that the United
States asks Cuba to sign a treaty promising to end its practice of Communism.
Obviously, Cuba would not accept this. However, the two countries could compromise:
Cuba could promise to give more freedom of press to its citizens if the
United States agreed to lift its trade embargoes on the Caribbean nation. This is not only
an example of a compromise but also of a resolution.
When each of the 192 Member States joined the UN, they promised to protect
international peace and security in order to prevent war. Often this means supporting
solutions that protect some of their own interests but do not match other requests that
they may have. In the United Nations countries have to compromise with each other.
Each state must decide which interests it must preserve at all costs, and which it may be
more flexible with. Those points of flexibility and rigidity provide the starting points for
joint solutions. The resolution is the document that formalizes the culmination of
countries' opinions to form a single solution.
The word "resolution" is based on the word "resolve." To resolve is to solve a
problem. In a simulation and in real life, it is the act of bringing different opinions and
positions together to form a single compromise that will provide a peaceful and effective
means for confronting the issue being discussed.
At a certain point in the debate, you, the delegates, will be expected to bring
every country’s views together to form a resolution. After discussing your ideas, you
must put all of them on paper in a formal document. That document is the resolution. A
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resolution acknowledges the problem discussed in the committee, recalls past actions
taken to solve it, and proposes a future plan of action based on the contributions of all
delegates.
How do I write a resolution?
A resolution is a formal document that must follow a very strict format. Being able
to come up with a well-written resolution is essential; the committee may have excellent
delegates skilled at debate, but if this does not lead to concrete plans for action, the
simulation will not be productive. Therefore, the Secretariat encourages delegates to
understand resolution format and use it properly so IMMUNS 2005 committees produce
realistic solutions that, if applied, could help solve the issue they focus on.
A resolution has several important requirements. It should display the delegates’
knowledge of the topic. Background information and past domestic and United Nations
actions should be mentioned and acknowledged. Furthermore, the resolution should
describe the problem and explain why it is important to discuss in the United Nations. It
should also inform readers why the actions are being recommended. After all of this is
mentioned and discussed, the resolution should then explain the solutions that the
committee proposes to eradicate the problem.
A resolution has four important parts:
1. Heading
The heading of a resolution identifies it. It tells readers what committee is submitting
the resolution, which countries in the committee propose it, the topic that the resolution
addresses, and gives a synthesized version of what the resolution states. The heading is
in the upper left-hand corner of the resolution. Remember that the heading has subtitles
that inform readers of the information that will follow. Subtitles should employ proper
capitalization rules and should be followed by a colon. After each subtitle and colon, fill
in the appropriate information for the topic and committee. Following is an example of a
proper resolution heading.
Committee Name: The Sixth Committee (Legal Committee)
Proposed By: Afghanistan, United States of America, Brazil, and Colombia
Subject: Education
Resolution Statement: Promotion of Adequate Education Throughout the World
The committee name is the name of the committee that is submitting the resolution. It
is not the name of the main United Nations organ that the resolution is being submitted
to. Rather, it is the specific name of the committee that debated and wrote the
resolution. For example, if you are in the Legal Committee, the Committee Name would
be Legal Committee. Although the Legal Committee is one of the six committees of the
AVE. MORONES PRIETO 1500 • SANTA CATARINA, N.L. MÉXICO 66190
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General Assembly, the Committee Name would read Legal Committee, not General
Assembly. The next subtitle states which countries in the committee propose the
resolution. The subject is a one or two word phrase indicating the overall topic of the
resolution. The resolution statement is simply a more detailed version of the subject.
2. Opening
The opening tells the reader whom the resolution is being submitted to. Remember that
the opening should state the name of the United Nations organ that will ultimately
receive the resolution and carry out the actions proposed in it. The opening does not
state the name of the committee that wrote the resolution. Instead, it says the name of
the organ that monitors the work of that committee. The six General Assembly
committees submit resolutions to The General Assembly, while any ECOSOC subsidiary
bodies submit resolutions to the Economic and Social Council. The opening should never
be abbreviated and should have proper capitalization. It should be two lines below the
heading, indented and followed by a comma.
Examples follow.
Proper capitalization followed by a comma:
The General Assembly,
The Economic and Social Council,
The Security Council,
Every line in the resolution, beginning with the preamble, should be numbered.
Parentheses should surround the numbers. Examples: (1) (2) (3)
3. Preamble
The preamble is the first half of the resolution. It describes the problem that the
resolution addresses, explains the purpose of the resolution, and acknowledges past
solutions proposed to solve the problem. It also gives brief background to the issue
being addressed. Remember that one of the requirements of a good resolution is to
demonstrate knowledge of the topic. Referring to specific United Nations documents and
resolutions and mentioning accurate statistics and bits of information will make the
resolution more credible. Remember that the preamble is the why of the resolution. It
states the reasons for the proposals mentioned in the operative clauses. The preamble
begins one line below the opening and is divided into clauses. Every preambulatory
clause must begin with one of the preambulatory phrases provided in the list below. This
phrase should be underlined and a comma should follow each preambulatory clause. The
word "and" follows the comma. Since the preamble sets up the operative clauses, which
follow directly after, the final clause in the preamble should be a transitional statement
and should not end with "and". After this clause, one last line should follow that will
introduce the operative clauses. It should say the name of the committee proposing the
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resolution, be indented, and be followed by a colon. Following are some examples of
transitional preambulatory clauses.
The General Assembly:
The Third Committee:
The Economic and Social Council:
The Sixth Committee:
The Conference on Disarmament:
4. Operative Clauses
The operative clauses are the what of the resolution. They propose the action to be
taken by the United Nations. The operative clauses are the solutions to the problem.
They state how the Member States have agreed to resolve the issue that was discussed
in the committee.
Every operative clause must begin with an operative phrase. This phrase must begin
with a capital letter and should be underlined. Every operative clause ends with a
semicolon, and the final clause ends with a period.
If the operative clauses include a very complex idea, break it down by using
suboperatives. Each sub-operative should be indented and end with the word "and". A
semicolon follows the final sub-operative. Just as each clause in the resolution is
numbered, each sub-operative is identified through lowercase letters (a), (b), (c), etc.
Operative phrases are not used in sub-operative.
PREAMBULATORY CLAUSES
Affirming
Alarmed by
Approving
Aware of
Bearing in mind
Believing
Confident
Contemplating
Convinced
Deeply concerned
Deeply conscious
Deeply convinced
Deeply disturbed
Deeply regretting
Desiring
Emphasizing
Expressing its appreciation
Expressing its satisfaction
Fulfilling
Fully alarmed
Fully aware
Fully believing
Further deploring
Further recalling
Guided by
Having adopted
Having considered
Having considered further
Having devoted attention
Having examined
Having heard
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Having received
Having studied
Keeping in mind
Noting with deep concern
Noting with regret
Noting with satisfaction
Noting further
Noting with approval
Observing
Reaffirming
Realizing
Recalling
Recognizing
Referring
Seeking
Taking into account
Taking into consideration
Taking note
Viewing with appreciation
Welcoming
OPERATIVE CLAUSES
Accepts
Affirms
Approves
Authorizes
Calls
Calls upon
Condemns
Confirms
Congratulates
Considers
Declares accordingly
Deplores
Designates
Draws the attention
Emphasizes
Encourages
Endorses
Expresses its appreciation
Expresses its hope
Further invites
Further proclaims
Further recommends
Further reminds
Further requests
Has resolved
Notes
Proclaims
Reaffirms
Recommends
Regrets
Reminds
Requests
Solemnly affirms
Strongly condemns
Takes note of
Transmits
Trusts
Urges
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