Solutions are the driving force of success on the Model UN circuit. Seriously. You may want to blame power dels stealing clauses or being friends with the chair, but the overwhelming amount of awards are given to delegates with the best solutions and best advocacy of those solutions. Period. Save your excuses for another time.
Your solutions are your primary leverage in committee. They are also the best way to recruit other delegates to your cause and form a strong bloc that can execute your solution set. It is very difficult to overstate the importance of solutions in Model UN, and the best delegates are those who are able to consistently develop effective solutions.
Let’s recap what I mean by a “solution set:”
Solution Set: A number of inter-connected ideas proposed to combat a global issue; because international and inter-governmental problems are complex, no one idea, or solution, can effectively address the concern, instead, a solution set should be developed.
Preparation is the key to getting ahead with your solutions, and this begins with organizing your topic, even before you begin brainstorming. By outlining your ideas, you will be able to compile your solution set from the very beginning of your research process. Arrange your ideas into key categories of the issue your committee is facing, such as political, economic, and social aspects of the problem.
“The Heart” of your solution set is the most important part of the research process. After you’ve analyzes past actions and designed a new solution set for your topic, a theme should emerge. It’s this theme that becomes the “heart” of your solution and draft resolution.
Think about the last traditional committee that you were in. How did you refer to draft resolutions? Chances are, the committee either referred to draft resolutions by country, such as “France’s paper,” or by the overarching idea, such as “the redistribution plan.” That overarching idea is the “heart.”
Model UN debate is predicated on strong and creative ideas that are molded by the entire committee. This begins with individual research and the development of solutions by each delegate. Integrate creative ideas with current practices, and make sure to be aware of the limitations of the committee when drawing up solutions. Once in committee, be open to compromise and change, but also active in promoting the solutions you think are most beneficial to the committee and to the global community.
Overall, solutions are an integral aspect to Model United Nations, and their importance should not be discounted.
Continue to Lesson 2: Researching Model UN Solutions
