Below are the full substantive policies under which NAIMUN operates to ensure the most accessible and equitable experience for all delegates and advisors. Please adhere to the following conference policies in order to create a fun, fair, and educational environment for all. Any inquiries about substantive policies should be referred to Secretary-General Alexia Espinoza Vlad (naimunsg@modelun.org) or to Director-General Katherine Hart (naimundg@modelun.org).

POSITION PAPERS

Position papers are required for all delegations. Any delegate who does not submit a position paper will be ineligible to receive an award. Position papers should be in 12-point Times New Roman font, single-spaced, with a header that includes the delegate’s name, position, committee, school, and (if applicable) topic.

Delegates in General Assemblies and Economic & Social Councils should write one one-page position paper per topic, while delegates in crisis committees should write one two-page position paper for their entire committee. For double-delegate committees, one paper should be submitted for each delegation—both delegates should not submit their own individual papers.

All position papers must be submitted online through the NAIMUN Registration system. Position papers must be submitted online by the end of the first committee session (Thursday night). Delegates who would like written feedback on their position paper must, in addition to submitting online, print and physically submit their paper to their dais by the end of the first committee session.

For writing, formatting, and submission guidelines, as well as a sample paper, visit the Position Papers page on the NAIMUN website.

PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism in any form is strictly prohibited at NAIMUN. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to, verbatim or near-verbatim copying from academic or non-academic sources, such as prior written work from oneself or a teammate. This rule applies to position papers, draft resolutions, directives, and any other documents that delegates may write before or during the conference. This can range from copying a position paper that a teammate had previously written to copying from a journal article without proper citation. All written work produced over the course of the conference will be checked for plagiarism.

Claiming ownership of the substantive work of other delegates is also strictly prohibited at NAIMUN. Since many committees will use shared documents to write working papers, draft resolutions, and directives, delegates will be able to contribute simultaneously to the production of documents. While this collaboration is certainly encouraged, delegates also must keep in mind that any one delegate or double delegation has the right at any time to remove their own clauses from a document they were previously contributing to. That said, no single delegate or double delegation may independently remove a clause that was written collaboratively with other delegates.

Research is encouraged when preparing for the conference, and delegates should feel free to cite information in their position papers and other documents, especially pertaining to the specific views of their country or character. However, delegates cannot claim others’ ideas as their own. Therefore, when using outside sources and research, explicit citation is required—while MLA format is encouraged, delegates are welcome to use other citation styles.

Any concerns that a delegate has violated NAIMUN’s plagiarism policies may be relayed to the Secretariat, who will investigate all significant cases brought to their attention. Any delegate found guilty of plagiarism will be immediately disqualified from any award in their committee, and the delegation as a whole may be entirely removed from consideration for delegation awards, depending on the severity of the violation. Furthermore, the NAIMUN Secretariat reserves the right to search laptops, USBs, binders, and other in-conference materials in response to these allegations. All confirmed policy violations will be brought to the attention of the delegation’s advisor(s).

PRE-WRITING

Pre-writing is also strictly prohibited at NAIMUN. Pre-writing includes any language, clauses, or directives that were written before a committee formally opens. Even if the ideas in a pre-written document are original and not plagiarized, delegates may not bring in clauses or directives before the first committee session. This includes handwritten notes to the crisis staff or other delegates, acronyms included in a working paper or draft resolution, and any other written work produced during the conference.

This does not imply that delegates should not bring in any resources whatsoever, since delegates are strongly encouraged to research their topics and be familiar with the views of their country or position. Bringing resources such as pertinent articles or UN documents to NAIMUN is certainly allowed as long as delegates cite those sources when used.

In terms of original content, delegates may also prepare a general outline of what they would like to accomplish, whether it be their goals for a General Assembly or their arc in a crisis committee. The language and structure of such an outline should not be specific enough to enable delegates to copy said language into any document produced over the course of the conference. For example, a delegate may outline a crisis arc, including what they want to obtain or accomplish, and bring that to their committee with them. They may not, however, bring in sample directives or notes that could be directly copied and used in committee. Even if delegates do not explicitly copy the content of pre-written documents, discovery of such material will be considered a violation of NAIMUN’s Code of Conduct. 

Delegates should feel free to approach any member of the NAIMUN Secretariat before the start of the first committee session to verify whether or not they are in violation of our pre-writing policy, especially with regard to any documents in their possession. Any policy violations brought to our attention ahead of the first committee session will not result in disqualification, though that delegate will not be permitted to use any materials that violate NAIMUN’s pre-writing policy. Specific inquiries may also be relayed to Secretary-General Alexia Espinoza Vlad (naimunsg@modelun.org) or to Director-General Katherine Hart (naimundg@modelun.org).

Similar to the plagiarism rules, any concerns that a delegate has violated NAIMUN’s pre-writing policies may be relayed to the Secretariat, who will investigate all significant cases brought to their attention. Any delegate found guilty of pre-writing will be immediately disqualified from any award in their committee, and the delegation as a whole may be removed from any consideration for delegation awards depending on the severity of the violation. Furthermore, the NAIMUN Secretariat reserves the right to search laptops, USBs, binders, and other in-conference materials in response to these allegations. All confirmed policy violations will be brought to the attention of the delegation’s advisor(s).

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

NAIMUN strongly encourages delegates to avoid using artificial intelligence (AI) programs as part of their preparation for conference weekend. We believe that unrestricted use of AI hinders the educational experience we seek to provide to our delegates, particularly given these programs’ proclivity for inaccuracies and bias. While there are benefits to using AI, doing so may prevent delegates from developing many of the diplomatic skills that we seek to teach. Specifically, we warn that using AI may inhibit delegates’ ability to learn about new topics, independently generate strong arguments, collaborate with diverse groups, and develop creative solutions, all of which are at the core of the NAIMUN experience. Moreover, we believe that similarly to plagiarism, unrestricted AI use can give delegates an unfair advantage.

Therefore, the use of artificial intelligence (including, but not limited to, ChatGPT, Bard, and ChatSonic) is entirely prohibited during conference weekend. Prior to the conference, AI software cannot be used to write any part of a position paper; however, AI may be used as a research tool if properly cited. 

In all cases, delegates are required to cite any content or ideas that they did not generate themselves; delegates who violate this rule will be subject to sanctions. Thus, as with all other sources, delegates must cite AI platforms that they use for research purposes, including finding references, analyzing information, or generating ideas—failing to cite one’s use of AI software will be regarded as plagiarism. Additionally, the inclusion of any AI-generated writing in a position paper will be considered plagiarism, even if the AI program is properly cited.

For recommendations on citing AI, please visit dal.ca.libguides.com/CitationStyleGuide/citing-ai.

TECHNOLOGY

To respect other delegates and prevent distractions, the use of laptops, tablets, and cellular devices is generally prohibited in committee rooms while the committee is in session, with some exceptions below. In all organs, delegates may not use these devices during a committee session for any purpose not listed here without the express permission of their chair. Any concerns that a delegate is violating NAIMUN’s technology policy or using technology in an inappropriate way may be relayed to the Secretariat.

Delegates in General Assemblies and Economic & Social Councils will write their working papers on their laptops; therefore, at their chair’s discretion, delegates may use their laptops during unmoderated caucuses to prepare and compile substantive documents (e.g. working papers and draft resolutions). Additionally, double-delegation committees in these two organs may permit one delegate per double delegation to use technology during committee sessions when that delegate is outside of the committee room. However, delegates in these organs may not use their phone, laptops, tablets, or similar devices at any other time in committee, unless technology use is included in a delegate’s confirmed accommodation. Furthermore, delegates without laptops or other electronic devices will not be disadvantaged or in any way penalized.

Delegates in crisis or non-traditional committees may not use their phones, laptops, tablets, or similar devices at any time during committee, unless technology use is included in a delegate’s confirmed accommodation, or unless otherwise stated by the dais.

AUTHENTICITY

In Model United Nations, delegates must represent the views of a country or individual, not themselves. Therefore, delegates are reminded to adhere to the stances of the country or position that they are representing. However, delegates should not feel constrained by this rule; compromise, cooperation, and creativity are central to the spirit of the United Nations, and delegates should not feel that they should ever sacrifice diplomacy to remain completely authentic to their position. Delegates who feel unsure about their position on a specific topic can reach out to their dais at no penalty to themselves, either before or during the conference.

CRISIS NOTES AND ARCS

NAIMUN is committed to fostering a respectful, educational, and safe environment for all delegates. We have established specific guidelines regarding the types of crisis arcs and notes that are prohibited in our simulations. Overall, NAIMUN recommends that delegates exercise common sense and think critically about not just the immediate actions in their crisis notes, but also the potential implications and undertones that may be harmful (regardless of delegates’ intent). NAIMUN’s delegates can be as young as 13 years old; therefore, all content should be appropriate and sensitive to a 13-year-old audience.

Prohibited Content

Note: This is a non-exhaustive list. NAIMUN staff maintains the right to evaluate the appropriateness of crisis arcs and content in individual crisis notes based on the unique circumstances and sensitivities of each committee.

  1. Discriminatory Content: Any arcs containing sexist, racist, homophobic, Islamophobic, antisemitic, or other discriminatory themes violate NAIMUN’s Delegate Code of Conduct and are strictly forbidden. This includes not only outright mentions, but also any content that implicitly or indirectly invokes harmful stereotypes or insensitively portrays these issues.

  2. Delegate-Driven Killings: In keeping with NAIMUN’s mission to teach delegates the merits of diplomacy, delegates will not be permitted to arrange assassinations, executions, or any other form of killings, especially against civilians. Crisis updates that replicate historical events may include death, but delegates will not be able to execute these killings themselves through their crisis notes or arc.

  3. Modern Slavery: Modern slavery—including human trafficking, forced labor, and any form of exploitation resembling slavery—is not permitted as a topic. Often less visible than historical forms, modern slavery involves the severe exploitation of other people for personal or commercial gain.

  4. COVID and Biological Warfare: Given the recent global impact and sensitivity surrounding COVID-19 and biological warfare, these topics are not permitted in our simulations. Biological warfare refers to the use of biological agents (such as viruses, bacteria, other disease-causing organisms, or toxins) as weapons to cause harm or death to humans, animals, or plants.

  5. Assassinations of Committee Members: We do not allow arcs involving the assassination of committee members, since this can detract from the educational purpose of the conference.

  6. Sexual Content: Any form of sexual content is strictly prohibited in our conference. This includes explicit references, discussions, or portrayals of sexual acts, innuendos, or any other sexually suggestive material.

  7. Drug-Related Scenarios: Arcs involving illegal drugs are not allowed.

  8. Ethnic Cleansing: Ethnic cleansing involves the systematic and forced removal of ethnic or religious groups from a given territory by a more powerful ethnic group, often involving violence and violation of human rights. Ethnic cleansing is associated with grave human rights abuses and atrocities, and therefore, is not permitted.

  9. Colonialism: Due to its intense and traumatic nature, colonialism is not allowed in Crisis Arcs. For further clarification, please read below.

Clarification on Colonialism, Secession, and Political Rise to Power

Understanding the distinctions between colonialism, secession, and a political rise to power is important, especially in an educational setting like a Model UN conference. For high school students, these distinctions can be unclear and confusing—this section seeks to clarify the meaning of each term. As a reminder, colonialism is explicitly prohibited in crisis arcs, while secessions and political rises to power are allowed, as long as they are not built upon colonialism, racism, or other forms of bigotry.

  • Colonialism: The critical aspect of colonialism is the domination of one nation or people by another. Colonialism is the practice where a power or nation takes control over a foreign area or country, often subjugating and exploiting it. This control is typically established for economic gain and involves the suppression of the native population's culture, language, and rights. Colonialism is historically associated with large-scale displacement, cultural erasure, and the establishment of a social hierarchy favoring the colonizers. 

  • Secession: The key element of secession is the desire for autonomy or independence by a distinct part of a population within a country. Secession refers to the act of a region or group within a state seeking to become independent and form their own separate government. This is often driven by a sense of distinct cultural, ethnic, or political identity different from the ruling state. Secession can be peaceful or violent and involves complex legal and political challenges. 

  • Political Rise to Power: This term broadly encompasses the various ways in which an individual or group gains control over a government or state. This can occur through democratic elections, revolutions, coups, or other forms of political maneuvering. The focus here is on the process and strategies used to attain political power, rather than the domination or suppression of another group (as in colonialism) or the desire for independence (as in secession).

ACCOMMODATIONS

For accommodation requests and questions related to disability, please fill out the “Accommodations” text box within the NAIMUN Registration System. Accommodations include those related to a disability, a technology accommodation, or dietary restrictions. A good faith effort will be made to fulfill all requests by February 13th, 2025. 

The Director of Logistics & Security will reach out to you to confirm receipt of your accommodation request. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Director of Logistics & Security, Josh Wolhardt (j.wolhardt@modelun.org).

AWARDS

NAIMUN gives out awards in each committee to recognize delegates who demonstrate strong diplomatic ability, including speaking skills, depth of research, and collaborative leadership. In addition, chairs will award delegates based on their impact on the committee. In General Assemblies and Economic & Social Councils, this will primarily include delegates’ bloc leadership and their influence on working papers and resolutions, while in crisis committees, the dais will evaluate the quality and impact of delegates’ crisis arcs. Importantly, in awards selection, chairs will prioritize delegates who are consistently inclusive and respectful towards all other members of their committee, including the dais.

Attendance and substantial participation in committee is required for a delegate to receive an award. Additionally, delegates must submit a position paper by the end of the first committee session to be eligible for an award, except in the Ad hoc Committee of the Secretary-General and Press Corps (in which position papers are not required). For more information, please refer to our Position Papers page. 

In accordance with the educational spirit of NAIMUN, this year’s conference will also continue the Book Award, which will be given in each committee to one delegate who is exceptionally well-researched, as demonstrated through their position paper and in-conference performance. Through this award, NAIMUN aims to expand the ways in which we recognize and reward delegates, particularly those who have proven that they understand both the meaning and real-world implications of their committee’s topics.

NAIMUN also gives out delegation awards to schools who demonstrate excellence across a wide range of simulations. For awards purposes, the cut-off between large and small delegations is determined using the median delegation size; therefore, delegations should avoid estimating this cutoff in advance.

Any delegate found guilty of plagiarism, pre-writing, improper artificial intelligence use, or other violations of the Code of Conduct will be immediately disqualified from any award in their committee, and their delegation as a whole may be entirely removed from consideration for delegation awards.

MISCONDUCT REPORT FORm

  • All substantive misconduct (violation of the policies listed above) and social misconduct (i.e. harassment, discrimination, sexual misconduct), can be reported at naimun.modelun.org/report.