General Speakers' List
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The General Speakers’ List (GSL) is the default form of debate in a MUN.
Having the floor, and yielding time
Only one person may speak during the debate at any one time — Dais or delegate.
When a delegate is speaking, they are said to be recognised. Only one delegation may be recognised at one time.
When a delegate is done with their time, they yield their remaining time to someone else. This indicates who gets to be recognised next.
After your speech, there are three ways you can yield your time:
- Back to the chairs.
- To another delegate.
- To Points of Information.
The delegate of Japan currently has the floor. They speak for about a minute, and then they are done with their speech.
Japan: This delegate would like to yield their time back to the chairs.
The delegate of Japan gives the floor back to the Dais, and can no longer speak in front of the council.
Yielding again after you have already yielded your time.
Most conferences do not allow second-degree yielding apart from yielding back to the Dais.
In other words, if you yield to another delegate or Points of Information, you must yield back to the Dais next.
Yielding to another delegate
If you have at least 15 seconds remaining, you can yield your remaining time to another delegate. The delegate can accept or decline the yield.
Once you successfully yield to another delegate, you will no longer be recognised. You must return to your seat.
The delegate of France has 30 seconds remaining for their speech.
France: This delegate would like to yield their time to the delegate of the UK.
Dais: That is in order. Delegate of the UK, do you accept the yield?
United Kingdom: Yes.
Dais: Alright, delegate of the UK, you have been recognised.
United Kingdom: Thank you. The delegate of the UK would like to support the delegate of France’s position…
The delegate of the United Kingdom has the remaining 30 seconds to make their speech.
Let’s suppose the delegate of the United Kingdom finishes their speech with 15 seconds to spare.
United Kingdom: This delegate would like to yield their time to the delegate of Denmark.
This cannot be done, as second-degree yielding is not in order.
Dais: Second-degree yielding is not in order. Delegate, how would you like to yield?
United Kingdom: Back to the chairs.
Dais: Thank you, delegate.
Yielding to Points of Information
Points of Information (POIs) are questions asked by other delegates to you. When you yield to POIs, you are opening the floor to any and all questions that other delegates have about your speech.
You cannot select who asks the questions. The chairs will determine who can ask the questions, based on who raises their placards. The chairs also determine how many POIs can be entertained in the remaining time.
You need at least 15 seconds of remaining time to yield to POIs.
The delegate of France has 30 seconds remaining for their speech.
France: This delegate would like to yield their time to POIs.
Dais: That is in order. Seeing as you have 30 seconds remaining, we will entertain two POIs. Are there any delegates who would like to raise POIs?
[Denmark raises their placard.]
Dais: Delegate of Denmark, you have been recognised.
Denmark: Thank you. Delegate of France, will your proposed solution be effective in war-torn countries?
France: Good question. This delegate believes that their proposed solution…
The delegate of France has the remaining 30 seconds to answer the question. If the delegate of France finishes their answer with at least 15 seconds remaining, another POI can be entertained.
The "List" part of the General Speakers' List
Raise your placard to join the GSL when the chairs call for speakers, and pray hard that the chairs see you first.
When the GSL first begins, the Dais will “call for speakers”. Raise your placard to indicate that you wish to join the GSL. The chairs will call your country’s name to signify that you have been added to the list of speakers.
In practice, the order of the speakers is dependent on two factors:
- The speed at which you raise your placard.
- The Dais’ subjective biases.
Sometimes, the chairs like you and regularly add you first before others. Other times, the chairs do not like you and pretend not to see you until many speakers have been added in the GSL.
The delegate who is next in the list will be given the time to speak in front of the entire council. Usually, each speaker is given 90 seconds for their speech. Once the delegate finishes their speech, they are removed from the GSL.
If a delegate is already on the GSL, they will not be allowed to join the GSL. This prevents any one delegate from hogging the GSL. Only after a delegate finishes their speech will they be allowed to join the GSL again.
The chairs call for speakers, and many delegates raise their placards. Through magic, sparkles, and the chairs’ often-biased discretion, the following list of speakers is as follows:
- United States
- Japan
- Russia
- Denmark
- United Kingdom
This means the delegate of the United States is recognised first. Once they finish their speech, they yield their time back to the chairs, to another delegate, or to Points of Information.
United States: This delegate would like to yield their time back to the chairs.
Once the time is yielded back to the chairs, the delegate is removed from the GSL.
- Japan
- Russia
- Denmark
- United Kingdom
Then, the next speaker will be recognised and given the floor.
Dais: Delegate of Japan, you have been recognised.
Japan: Thank you, chairs. The delegate of Japan would like to propose a solution…
This goes on until the GSL has few speakers, and the chairs call for more speakers.