Civitas U.N. FAQ (Frequently
Asked Questions)
- What if I can't get a teacher at my school to sponsor the program?
A: If you are interested in our programs but are unable
to find a teacher at your school who will sponsor Civitas activities, we are willing to work with students (either
individually or in small groups) without a faculty advisor. The calendar has
been designed so that no Civitas U.N. session occurs on a school date.
You can
sign up on-line for our programs or simply
E-Mail us.
- How does the Country
Draft Work?
- How much research do I have to do on my country? Where should I look?
A: You don't have to do a lot of research, but you do
need to know some basics about the country you are representing. Try to find
out things like your GNP per capita, demographics, issues
concerning your nation, the political party that is in control, and where
your government stands on most issues (i.e. the environment, diversity,
religion, human rights, etc.). Although it sounds like an enormous amount of
work, all of that info can be gleaned from a web site like the CIA World
Fact Book or a simple trip to the reference section of your library. Civitas
has even compiled a resource page full
of good places to look stuff up if you're in a hurry.
- How can I tell if a resolution
is a good one?
- How do I write a resolution?
A: Writing a resolution is easy. Writing a good
resolution is a bit harder. First, know what a resolution looks like. You
can go study the blank template, the sample resolution, or
previous resolutions.
After you get a feel for the structure, your next step should be the
research. Try to find a relevant topic to focus your resolution on. (Irrelevant topics can be shared at the
Frivolous U.N. session!) There are no
restrictions on subject matter but don't write a resolution that your
country wouldn't vote for. (An example of such would be the U.S.A. raising
funds for the international court or Canada abolishing hockey.) After you
have your topic and the research is done create some operative clauses.
Remember to include funding, a sunset clause (deadline), and be as specific as
possible for everything else. Need more info? Read through our
Writing a Resolution page.
- How should my country vote for a resolution?
A: There are three options when it comes time to vote;
Yes, No, or Abstain. A country votes "Yes" when it supports a resolution and
"No" when it doesn't. When a country abstains it counts like a "No" vote,
but it is a little more diplomatic. Basically a country chooses to abstain
when the resolution doesn't affect that nation, it wants to appease an ally,
two delegates representing the same country don't agree, or the resolution
still needs some work. Knowing that, how your country votes depends on what
you think your country would do. *Remember that Civitas U.N. works best
when a student places the beliefs of where/who they are representing before
their own personal opinion!*
- Do I have to get up and talk in front of everyone?
A: Yes. Civitas' personal goal is to humiliate
each and every student it can by forcing them to do things that they are
uncomfortable with. No. Students don't have to speak in front
of everyone else. They can hide under the tables as long as their country
placards are visible to the chairperson.
- That last answer was a joke right?
A: Yes and no. Although students are encouraged to
participate by joining the speaker's list, asking questions, etc., Civitas
will never force anyone to speak in front of a crowd. But hiding
under the table isn't allowed unless given permission by a member of the
Civitas staff.
If your question isn't
here email it to Civitas Associates by clicking the button below.
