04-02-2013, 12:17 PM
Position Papers at MUNIK IV
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What is a Position Paper?
A Position Paper is a two page document that delegates prepare prior to MUNIK, and submit at the start of the first session of the conference, to showcase where their country stands on both the topics under discussion as well as where they would like to see the committee go in terms of solutions to the issues at hand.
How does it benefit the committee?
The question is not how a Position Paper benefits a committee, but how it doesn't. A carefully drafted and honest Position Paper can help the following members of the committee in the following ways:
The Delegate
By spending considerable time researching on both topics areas, the Position Paper has the following benefits to the delegate who drafts it:
Executive summary of pages upon pages of research
A position statement, and a very good opening speech for the Speaker's List
A distributable copy for delegates who wish to know the country's stance
A written copy of the delegate's initial solutions for the committee, to refer to throughout.
The Committee Directors
The committee directors ask for a position paper to be submitted to the dias on the first day for numerous reasons including, but not limited to, the following:
A basis to help delegates who may have gotten their stances wrong before its too late.
To note innovative solutions and steer the committee into discussion on those issues.
To judge a delegate's stance from start to end of the conference.
To select and award one delegate with the committee's Best Position Paper Award.
The Entire Committee
It may be hard to grasp how a position paper made by one delegate can affect the proceedings of the rest of the committee, until one ponders on the following benefits:
Allows delegates to know what a particular countries' stance is.
Enrich content of debate.
Allows delegates to share and pool together unique solutions presented by a delegate in their Position Paper and use them to draft a cohesive Draft Resolution.
What should a Position Paper contain?
A Position Paper is generally an executive summary of the country's stance on a topic along with the list of solutions the country will be proposing to the committee.
Thus a proper Position Paper should include the following for each of the topics under consideration prior to the conference:
Committee name.
Country name.
What is the format for a Position Paper?
A position paper is generally two pages long, one for each topic. The body of text is expected to be no more than 12 font size, and while there is no official font, we recommend the use of a clear legible font where the italics, underlining and the bold elements are clearly legible. Care should be taken to not stretch a point for too long as this is an abridged statement of the country's foreign policy on the matter. Any Position Paper which