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> Introductory Letter
> Delegation Structure and Country Selection
> Guidelines and Procedures

Introductory Letter

Redefining the UN’s Role in the 21st Century:
Promoting Development and Democratization

Since the end of the Cold War, the need for reform of the United Nations has become apparent. Globalization, the increased importance of supranational organizations, terrorist threats to world peace and security, and the reappearance of ethnic and religious conflict raise questions concerning the role of the individual in world and national politics. How can civic society institute and exercise transparency and democratic control within the framework of this changing world order? Since the Harvard Model United Nations Conference in Istanbul in 2001, young people from all over the world have been working on formulating youth’s vision on reform of the UN. Our goal for this year’s BERMUN is to work on understanding this vision and finding ways to implement the ideas through productive debate and widely accepted resolutions. We trust that the delegates gathered in Berlin in November will successfully work together to achieve compromises that point out ways to enable the UN to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century.

BERMUN YOUTH ASSEMBLY

The BERMUN 2004 Youth Assembly (YA) strives to add new facets to the UN Vision of Youth Initiative developed at the Harvard MUN Conference in Istanbul. Among the areas to be explored by this year’s YA are recommendations for promoting awareness of the UN’s role in world and humanitarian affairs, developing minimum standards of education, lobbying local authorities to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and raising youth involvement in the United Nations system. By establishing contacts with local, state, and national authorities and political organizations, young people will explore the meaning of development and democratization for themselves and for others. Democratization should be understood as a process allowing individuals to understand, discuss, criticize, and influence politics. In each country it is necessary to promote democratization in order to allow sustainable development. Via the Internet young people will discuss their findings and propose visionary solutions from the perspective of youth. Only a core group of six to ten members will meet in Berlin; all others will participate from their home base. Prior to the conference, participants in the Assembly will be in contact with one and other and report regularly on their findings. The results will be synthesized in a presentation covering all aspects. It is therefore essential that all Assembly members be available to contribute their ideas during the conference. For this reason YA members working at home need to be excused from regular instruction.

We encourage students with an interest in the working of local, national, and world politics to inquire into the theme in their local area and to think about possible approaches to the issues. Their ideas and suggestions as well as reports on personal experiences are more than welcome. Students with an interest in learning more about the YA should complete the attached form and email it YA@bermun.org.

FURTHER INFORMATION

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung will again host the Wednesday afternoon program.

The conference is conducted in English. As a bicultural, bilingual school that challenges students to learn and master a partner language, the John F. Kennedy School offers non-English speaking students an opportunity to practice and refine their language skills. It is important to remember that for the overwhelming majority of delegates at this conference, English is a second language. Nevertheless, all delegates must learn the rules of debate and carry out the necessary preparation and research before the conference so that their work in Berlin is productive and meaningful. Please keep in mind that Security Council delegates must be fluent in English, very well informed about the topics and the current situation in world politics, and ready to present their country’s opinion at all times.

Information and guidelines concerning delegate preparation and/or the rules of debate can be obtained by consulting the following publications:

A Guide to Delegate Preparation, Veronica Wayner, editor (United Nations Association of the United States of America, 801 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017-4706)

The Hague International Model United Nations Instructional Guide, Irwin Stein and David L. Williams (The Hague International Model United Nations, 2e van Blankenburgstraat 119, 2517 HC Den Haag, The Netherlands).

If you wish to obtain these publications, please write directly to the addresses provided.

The BERMUN INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDE is available as a download.

The Berlin Model International Court of Justice (ten judges, four advocates) offers fifteen highly motivated students the opportunity to try a case that is currently before the ICJ in The Hague. Interested students should complete the application form. For further details contact Catherine Schutz via BMICJ@bermun.org.

Students interested in the BERMUN YOUTH ASSEMBLY should contact us via email: YA@bermun.org.

BERMUN is affiliated with The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN). The conference is conducted in English.

We look forward to making new friends and welcoming all those who have worked closely with us over the last years.

Yours truly,

Delegation Structure and Country Selection

In order to enable as many schools as possible to participate in BERMUN, schools may represent a maximum of two countries (10 - 12 students). The number of delegates your school can send is based on the following guidelines:

All countries are represented in the Environment Committee (EC), Disarmament Committee (DC), Human Rights Committee (HRC), Political Committee (PC) and the Special Conference (SCUNR). ECOSOC and the Special Conference are not part of the General Assembly (GA), and they will be in session for three days. The results of their work will be reported to the GA.

Guidelines and Procedures

Resolutions

Delegates should be well-informed on all topics and prepare resolutions for all issues. Security Council delegates should focus on three of the issues.

The resolution as such passes by a majority vote. However, the committee at large votes a second time to determine which resolution to debate before the General Assembly.

Lobbying

Encourage students to exchange ideas and to lobby via the web before the conference. During the lobbying session on Wednesday, delegates will prepare and submit a joint resolution. Delegates are expected to bring ca. 15 copies of each resolution and a copy on a computer disk (IBM-compatible).

General Assembly

The rules of debate and the voting procedure are those of The Hague International Model United Nations, that is a modified version of Robert's Rules of Order.

PC, DC, EC, and HRC are members of the General Assembly. Only full members of the UN have voting rights, but all delegations (including NGO’s and Official Observers) have full debating rights, such as submitting resolutions and amendments.

The Opening Ceremony of the General Assembly will take place on Wednesday. At this point, Opening Speeches commence. They are to be one minute in length.

All delegates are to participate in the GA whether or not their committee's resolution is being discussed. Delegates are to inform one another about the issues and resolutions in their respective committees.

Security Council

The Security Council deals with the question of Peace and Security exclusively. The SC follows different parliamentary procedures than the General Assembly, such as the veto right of the Permanent Five. The delegates should therefore familiarize themselves thoroughly with the UN Charter. As there are only 15 members, each delegate not only has the opportunity but also the duty to speak on the issues.

The Security Council members should be especially familiar with all the issues and should enjoy working together with a small and highly motivated group of students.

Economic and Social Council

The Economic and Social Council is not part of the General Assembly. ECOSOC is the UN organ most concerned with stabilizing the economic and social conditions in a country. The Council's main functions include:

1. initiating studies, formulating reports, and making recommendations in all fields relating to international economic, social, cultural, educational and health issues and
2. promoting human rights and basic freedoms for all.

Special Conference

The Special Conference is not part of the General Assembly. As an independent forum, it addresses the annual BERMUN theme. The Special Conference is in session for three days and reports its findings to the General Assembly on Saturday.

BERMUN Youth Assembly

The BERMUN Youth Assembly is a separate forum in which thirty young people from different schools in different regions of the world work together via the world wide web. Only a core group consisting of approximately ten members will meet in Berlin; all others will participate from their homes. Prior to the conference, participants in the Assembly will be in contact with one another and report regularly on their findings. During the conference, the results will be synthesized into a presentation covering all aspects of the topic and report to the General Assembly.

Berlin Model International Court of Justice

BERMUN features a model of the International Court of Justice. Cases relating to international disputes are tried. Capable students interested in international law and willing to study the workings of the court and research the background of an international dispute currently before the court are encouraged to apply for a position as judge or advocate in the court. For further details, please consult the letter from the Presidents of the BMICJ.

Ambassador

Every delegation must appoint an ambassador. He or she has to be a member of the General Assembly. Because the ambassador delivers the nation’s opening speech, that person cannot be a member of either the SC, ECOSOC, or the Special Conference. The ambassador should check the agenda of the SC to find out if a topic concerning his or her country will be discussed, as any ambassador might be called upon to elaborate on his or her country’s position before the SC. Specify the ambassador on FORM II.

Conduct and Dress Regulation

Appropriate behavior is expected of all students at all times. Delegates will be asked to leave if they cannot accept the responsibility for conducting themselves properly. Delegates should dress in a manner suitable for an academic conference. Jeans, T-shirts, torn clothes, sneakers, etc. are not considered appropriate. Please dress accordingly.

English as the lingua franca

Guests at previous conferences regretted that some delegates conversed in German without considering that those around them could not follow the discussion. Please remind students that it is a courtesy to speak English, the official conference language. This is a prerequisite for building international consensus and understanding.

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