Keep in mind, speeches are normally between 1–2 minutes, so make sure to talk about what is most important to your country and what will make the committee take a similar position to yours. The goal of speeches is to convince the committee that whatever you are in favor of is what is best for the international community. 

1. Attract Attention

Something that will make you stand out and that will help delegates to hear whatever you want to say is to start with something dramatic, something that will catch everyone’s attention. Some examples of how to do this are:

Quote: Try to quote someone the audience will recognize and admire, and try to orient your speech toward that. Make sure your country also admires the person you are quoting. For example, if you are an Islamic country, don’t quote Jesus.

Data: You can always state some striking data that will support your position.

Storytelling: You can start with a real example of someone’s story, but make sure to keep it short!

Rhetorical question: This is a perfect way to grab everyone’s attention since you are inviting them to participate in what you are saying.

Joke: You can even try to be funny and start with a joke.

Before the conference, you can prepare five examples of each category that you think will probably come in handy when delivering speeches.

2. State Your Point

State your point and explain why that mentality is going to help the international community. Try to have at least two powerful and strong arguments, and back up what you are saying with them. Remember that a good argument should have:

point + explanation + example.

Make sure that your point is clear and that once you finish your speech, that is what they are going to remember (along with the next point).

3. Encourage Action

The purpose of making a speech is to persuade countries to act or vote in a specific way, so after a good speech, you need to make sure that everyone in favor of what you have said knows how to act or vote. Don’t be afraid to name and address some countries in particular; this can help you get support and grab everyone’s attention. 

Regarding Content:

• Stick to the time: A longer speech doesn’t necessarily mean it is better. Be concise and clear about what you are saying.

• Stick to your point: Don’t overload with information. Make sure to focus on your point and one or two arguments; while doing so, also avoid being too general.

• Use facts and statistics; that is the best way to argue your position.

• Follow your country's policy: Always make sure you are following your country’s policy. If what you are saying doesn’t align with what your country thinks, it will lose value.

• Adapt to the debate: Try to adapt what you are saying to how the debate is going at that exact moment. Be prepared if it takes an unexpected turn.

• Reference countries: You can name some countries during the speech by saying “We echo the words of…” “As the delegate of X has said…” or even say that you are clearly against something another delegate has said.

• Use visuals: You can use images or graphics to make a bigger impact.

Regarding Public Speaking:

• Be confident: Many times, it is not about what you are saying, but how you are saying it. It is likely, especially if you are representing a controversial country, that what you are saying is unjustifiable, but what matters is how you defend it.

• Try to have good body language: This is going to help you get everyone’s attention. Be aware of eye contact, posture, gestures, facial expressions, movement, space usage, touch, and voice modulation. Body Language Tips

Others:

• It is okay to make mistakes!

• Try to be yourself and be a person in front of the committee.

• Always listen to what others are saying and respond to them.

• Don’t only repeat what other delegates are saying; always try to contribute.

• If you use specific data, try to mention the source (as long as it is beneficial for your country).

Remember to address everyone in the committee:

​

(Lovely Secretary-General, Lovely Deputy Secretary-General, Honourable President of the General Assembly, Honourable Deputy President of the General Assembly,) Honourable Presidency, Honourable Chairs, Distinguished Delegates, Dear Guests, and Staff. 

POI can have different goals. These are:

To clarify or better understand something:

A key point of this type of question is that it doesn’t have to show which type of relationship you have with that country, since your goal is not to “attack”/“praise” them. So if you don’t understand how something is going to work, if you want examples of something, how that country is planning on doing something, or where they want the funds to come from… you can make a POI about it.

To “attack” a country:

You will see many countries have bad relationships between them, and it can get to a point that they indirectly attack each other (especially in MUNs). The point here is to show the weakness or hypocrisy in something they have said.

Examples of questions showing hypocrisy or contradiction:

"How can your country claim to advocate for free speech when last year it implemented strict censorship laws restricting the media and internet access?"

"You say that you are committed to reducing poverty, yet your government recently cut funding for social welfare programs by 30%. How do you reconcile these actions?"

"Your delegation has stated support for international human rights, but how do you explain the reports of political dissidents being detained without trial in your country?"

"Why does your country claim to support global climate change initiatives, yet it continues to be one of the top exporters of fossil fuels in the world?"

"You argue for women's empowerment and gender equality, but how can you justify the fact that women in your country still face significant legal and economic barriers to employment?"

To try to come to an agreement or alliance:

Easy way:

The goal of this is that, in case they don’t have a clear position about something, you can try to ask them what they would need in order to do something and end up with the same position as you. Moreover, you can ask them what their stance would be in a specific scenario.

Example:

If the Security Council and NATO decided to invade, would you still remain neutral?

If you were required to take zero refugees, would you still be against open borders?

What would you need to see to make you happy?

Fun way:

Take something the delegate has said and use it so that they have to accept supporting something they normally would not.

To support:

This can help another delegate feel more comfortable with what they are saying. The goal of this question can be for the other delegate to emphasize a point you think is important, or to explain something you think they have forgotten.