Delegates enjoying the lobbying sessions at THIMUN Singapore
Best Delegate is live from THIMUN Singapore! It’s our first time at a THIMUN-affiliated conference so we’re very curious to learn about how Model UN is done outside of North America. THIMUN conferences usually start the first day with an informal session called lobbying. We explain what lobbying is in the article below and as always, Best Delegate tries to capture photos of leaders and other delegates in action. Check it out!
The concept of lobbying is very similar to an unmoderated caucus in that delegates spend their time writing draft resolutions and gaining supporters. However, delegates only get one day — the first day before Opening Ceremonies even takes place — to do all their lobbying because the rest of the sessions are formal sessions consisting of only speeches and comments about the draft resolutions. Lobbying is important because it will help determine who the main submitters (sponsors) are for the draft resolution, and that’s considered a big deal at THIMUN conferences.
For those who still may be unsure what lobbying is, we have deputy chairs from the GA6 Legal Committee, Rhiannon Wiley (Overseas Family School, Singapore) and Jin Won Park (International School Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) explain:
Barbados (Tanglin Trust School, Singapore) lobbying others to support his resolution
Slovakia (Brillantmont International School, Switzerland) leads the discussion in her lobbying group
Delegates engage in a discussion over their draft resolution in GA6 Legal
Delegates make improvements to their draft resolution in GA6 Legal
Delegates enjoying their lobbying session in GA6 Legal
Delegates type their ideas onto their laptops in GA2 ECOFIN
Delegates debate an idea during lobbying session in GA2 ECOFIN
Australia (Khartoum American School, Sudan) tries to lobby for supporters for her resolution in GA2 ECOFIN
Delegates signing onto a resolution in GA2 ECOFIN
The race to resolution approval is on! Delegates crowd around the GA2 dais to get their resolutions reviewed. This is only one step though -- delegates will still have to bring their resolutions to an approval panel.
GA 5th Committee Chair Thammatat Vorawandthanachai (Ruamrudee International School, Thailand) and Deputy Chairs Look Woon Wei (Hwa Chong Institution, Singapore) and Yvonne Yi-Fan Hsiao (Shanghai American School - Puxi, China) are having fun chairing at THIMUN Singapore
D.R.Congo (Dubai International Academy, UAE), India (Lycée Francais de Singapour, Singapore), and Russia (German European School, Singapore) are having even more fun in GA5 Administration and Budgetary
Delegates hard at work on their draft resolution during lobbying session in GA5
Delegates have a good laugh during lobbying session in GA5
France (Dhirubhai International School, India) contemplates a good idea in the Human Rights Council
Delegates listen to ideas during lobbying session in the Human Rights Council
The Human Rights Council dais: Kevin Wu (Shanghai American School - Puxi, China), Sophia Pitcairn (American School Bombay, India), and Che Yeon Hyun (Cheong Shim International Academy, Rep. of Korea)
Comoros (Shanghai American School - Puxi, China) builds her supporters for her draft resolution during lobbying session in ECOSOC
The very professional ECOSOC dais: Wen Kang Chow (Hwa Chong Institution, Singapore), Monika Shrestha (United World College South East Asia, Singapore), and Tiffany Wong (Shanghai American School - Puxi, China)
Delegates representing Nicaragua (Dulwich College Beijing, China), Guatemala (Beijing City International School, China), and UNESCO (Dulwich College Beijing, China) in ECOSOC smile on stage as they prepare to have their resolutions reviewed by the dais
Whew! Delegates worked hard to get their draft resolutions in and approved. Now they’ll head to Opening Ceremonies and then start formal debate sessions next to go over the clauses on their draft resolution!
