Model United Nations rewards delegates who sound calm, precise and prepared. The opening speech is the first time the committee hears your country's position, and it often sets up who will want to work with you during caucus. Cue cards help because they let you keep your eyes on the room while the order of your points stays fixed, even if your nerves do not.
What the opening speech does
The opening speech, sometimes called a position speech or policy speech, is given from the speakers list at the start of debate on a topic. It has three jobs: show the committee where your country stands, show that you understand why the issue matters, and signal what kind of resolution you would support. It is not the place for every statistic in your research. Save detail for caucus and for the working paper.
Because time is short, the opening speech is one of the few speeches in a conference that you can and should fully prepare. Write it out, cut it to time, then turn it into cards with the first sentence in full and the rest as key words.
A structure that fits 60–90 seconds
- Greeting Address the Chair and delegates using the form your conference expects. One line, written word for word.
- Why the issue matters to your country One concrete fact or example from your research. Name the source on the card so you can answer if asked.
- Your position One or two sentences of policy. Mention a past vote, treaty or programme if it supports the position.
- What you want in the resolution Two or three proposals, each short enough to become a clause.
- Close Invite cooperation, say who you hope to work with, then yield.
At an ordinary speaking pace, 60 seconds is roughly 120 to 150 words. Use the speaking speed test to find your own rate, then trim the draft until it fits with a few seconds to spare.
Sample opening speech
Here is a short example for a fictional committee on shared water resources. Replace the country, facts and proposals with your own research.
Honourable Chair, distinguished delegates. The delegation of Chile thanks the Chair for opening debate on shared water resources. For our northern regions, water is not a future concern; it shapes farming, mining and daily life today. Chile believes that rivers crossing borders should be managed by the countries that share them, with clear data and fair rules. We will support a resolution that encourages river basin agreements, funds shared monitoring of water levels, and helps developing states invest in efficient irrigation. We welcome partners from every region who share these goals, and we look forward to drafting with you. We yield our remaining time to the Chair.
On cards, this becomes four or five prompts: the greeting in full, "northern regions: farming, mining, daily life", "basin agreements + data + fair rules", the three proposals as a list, and the closing line in full.
Formal phrases to keep on a card
Procedure language is easy to forget under pressure. Many delegates keep a small reference card at the back of the stack:
- "Honourable Chair, fellow delegates…"
- "The delegation of … believes / urges / welcomes…"
- "We yield our time to the Chair / to questions / to the next speaker."
- "Motion to open a moderated caucus on … for … minutes, speaking time … seconds."
- "Point of information to the delegate of…"
Rules of procedure differ between conferences. Check your conference guide and copy its exact wording onto the card.
Cards for moderated caucus
Moderated caucus speeches are shorter and less predictable than the opening speech. Prepare a small set of cards, one per sub-topic you expect to come up: funding, monitoring, enforcement, and so on. Each card holds a claim, one piece of support and a proposal. During debate you pick the card that fits and speak from it, instead of improvising from a page of notes.
Unmoderated caucus is about conversation and writing, so cards matter less there. Keep your blocs, allies and draft clauses in your notebook or working paper instead.
If you also compete in school debating, the debate cards guide covers rebuttal cards and evidence cards in more depth. When you are ready, open the Model UN template, fill in your position and rehearse with the timer.