Craft an award-winning model united nations position paper with our guide. Learn expert strategies for research, writing, and diplomatic language.

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Before you ever step into the committee room, your Model United Nations position paper has already spoken for you. Think of it as a one-page diplomatic brief that lays out your country’s stance on the issue at hand. It’s your first and best chance to show you’re prepared, establish your credibility, and set the stage for the entire conference.

Why Your Position Paper Is Your Most Powerful Tool

Many delegates think their MUN journey starts with their opening speech, but that's a common mistake. Your success story actually begins the moment you submit your position paper. This isn't just another pre-conference assignment; it's your opening move on the diplomatic chessboard.

This paper is the very first impression your chairs will have of you. They read these carefully to see who has done their homework, who understands the nuances of the topic, and who is likely to be a driving force in the debate. A sharp, well-argued paper immediately puts you on their radar as a delegate to watch.

It also works on your fellow delegates. Chairs will often share position papers before the first session, giving everyone a sneak peek at the competition. A strong paper acts like a calling card, attracting countries with similar views and letting everyone know you're a serious player before you even raise your placard.

Setting the Strategic Foundation

Your position paper is the blueprint for your entire conference strategy. The research and writing process forces you to go deep—far beyond a quick Wikipedia search. You have to dig into your country's actual foreign policy, its voting record, and its core national interests.

This is the work that turns you from a student just playing a role into a delegate who can argue with real conviction.

A compelling position paper does more than state facts; it frames the entire debate. It allows you to introduce your preferred solutions and terminology into the committee's lexicon from the outset, giving you a powerful head start in shaping the narrative and eventual resolution.

From Research to Reality

Writing a position paper is where all your research clicks into place. It’s the bridge between knowing your country’s history and being able to articulate its vision for the future. This is the heart of the Model UN experience, which is all about mirroring real-world problem-solving.

This kind of deep preparation has an educational impact that extends far beyond the conference weekend. For example, a recent Model UN program in Barbados brought together over 35 students from nine high schools. They spent six weeks training on the UN Security Council's functions before they even started debating.

That level of preparation is exactly what allows you to walk into a committee session with confidence, ready to build alliances and steer the conversation toward a resolution that reflects your country's goals.

Building Your Foundation with Strategic Research

An award-winning Model United Nations position paper isn't built on eloquent phrases or clever arguments alone. Its real strength comes from a rock-solid foundation of deep, strategic research. Before you even think about outlining your arguments, your first mission is to become a true expert on how your assigned country views the topic at hand.

This isn't about a quick Google search. It’s about digging deep to uncover the nuances, the history, and the subtle geopolitical pressures that shape your nation’s foreign policy. Think of yourself as an intelligence analyst for your delegation, gathering the critical data that will inform every speech, alliance, and resolution you write.

Diving into Primary Sources

The best place to start your intelligence gathering is with official documents. Your goal here is to understand not just what your country says, but what it has formally done. This is where you find the hard evidence that gives your position paper its authority and credibility.

Start with these key resources:

UN Resolutions: Pull up past resolutions on your topic. Did your country sponsor them, vote in favor, abstain, or vote against? A voting record is a crystal-clear indicator of its official stance.

Official Government Statements: Hunt for press releases from your country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs or its permanent mission to the UN. These often contain direct quotes and official policy language you can—and should—adopt.

Treaties and Conventions: Find out if your country has ratified key international agreements related to the topic. Highlighting your nation's commitment to existing international law is an incredibly powerful diplomatic tool.

One of the most common mistakes I see is delegates researching the topic in a vacuum. A great delegate researches the topic through the specific lens of their assigned country. Your paper needs to reflect your nation's unique history and priorities, not just be a generic overview.

Navigating The UN Digital Library

One of the most powerful—and often underused—tools at your disposal is the UN Digital Library. This is the official archive, containing decades of resolutions, meeting records, and reports that are absolutely essential for understanding the history of any topic within the United Nations system.

Get comfortable with its search filters. By filtering for your country's name and relevant keywords, you can quickly uncover voting patterns and past statements on the issue. This allows you to ground your position paper in historical fact, which is far more persuasive than making unsupported claims. For a deeper look at this, our comprehensive Model UN country research guide offers more advanced techniques for unearthing critical information.

Expanding Your Research Horizons

Once you've got a handle on the historical context, it's time to understand what's happening right now. Diplomatic positions aren't static; they evolve with current events, domestic pressures, and shifting international relationships. This is where secondary sources become invaluable.

To get a complete picture, you need to consult a wide range of sources. Think tanks, academic journals, and reputable news archives provide the analysis and up-to-date information that will make your paper truly relevant.

Here is a quick look at some of the best places to find high-quality information to support your country's position.

Essential Research Resources for Your Position Paper

Resource Type	What to Look For	Example Sources
Think Tank Reports	In-depth analysis, policy recommendations, and expert opinions on global issues.	Council on Foreign Relations, Chatham House, Brookings Institution, RAND Corporation.
News Archives	Recent developments, quotes from diplomats, and regional perspectives on the topic.	Associated Press, Reuters, BBC News, Al Jazeera, The Economist.
Academic Databases	Scholarly articles offering theoretical frameworks and deep dives into complex issues.	JSTOR, Google Scholar, university research portals.
NGO Reports	On-the-ground perspectives and data from organizations working directly on the issue.	Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Doctors Without Borders.

By pulling information from these varied sources, you create a rich, multi-dimensional understanding of the issue. This comprehensive knowledge is what separates a competent delegate from an outstanding one. It allows you to write a Model United Nations position paper that doesn't just state a position but strategically shapes the debate from the very start.

Structuring Your Paper for Maximum Impact

A killer Model United Nations position paper is more than a simple summary of your research. Think of it as a strategic argument, meticulously built to persuade. While many conferences might suggest a basic three-paragraph format, the delegates who win awards almost always expand on that simple structure. Their goal? To guide the chair from understanding the global problem to seeing their country's solutions as the only logical path forward.

This isn't just about being neat and tidy. The structure itself is a diplomatic tool. It shows you’re prepared, clear-headed, and ready to lead. A well-organized paper is a gift to your chair (they read dozens of these!), and its natural progression makes your arguments far more convincing to the other delegates in the room.

The Anatomy of an Award-Winning Paper

I like to think of a position paper as having three core sections, each doing a specific job. Together, they build a rock-solid case that will define your presence and influence throughout the conference.

Let's walk through this using a real-world scenario. Imagine you're representing Brazil in the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and the topic on the floor is "Combating Deforestation and Promoting Sustainable Land Use."

Your paper needs to flow logically through these stages:

Define the Global Context: Why does this matter to everyone?

Detail Your National Stance: What has our country done and why?

Propose Actionable Solutions: Where do we go from here?

This progression makes sure your reader gets the full picture: the why, the what, and the how of your country’s position.

Crafting a Compelling Introduction

Your first paragraph is your first impression. It has to do more than just state the topic; it needs to grab the reader and establish the issue's gravity right away. You need a strong hook that frames the problem as a critical global challenge demanding immediate action.

For our Brazil scenario, you wouldn't just say, "Deforestation is a problem." Instead, you’d start by highlighting the universal threat it poses to climate stability and biodiversity. Maybe you’d mention that tens of thousands of square kilometers of forest vanish every year, messing with global weather patterns and wiping out countless species. This instantly signals to the chair that you see the big picture.

From there, you briefly introduce your country's unique perspective. For Brazil, this means acknowledging its crucial role as the steward of the Amazon rainforest while also noting the domestic need for economic development. This perfectly sets the stage for the nitty-gritty policy details to come.

Your opening paragraph is your first handshake with the chair. Make it firm, confident, and clear. Ditch the generic fluff. Use a powerful statistic or a sharp statement of principle to get their attention from the very first sentence.

Building the Body with Evidence and Policy

The middle section of your paper is where the real work happens. This is where you connect the dots between the global issue and your nation's specific policies and actions. All that deep research you did? This is where it shines. You have to prove you understand what the international community has already tried and exactly where your country fits in.

First, ground your position in existing international law. Reference key agreements, treaties, and past UN resolutions. For Brazil, you’d absolutely have to discuss its role in the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and any relevant regional pacts. This shows you're not operating in a vacuum; you know the history.

Next, you dive into your country's domestic policy. This is your credibility section. Don't just tell the chair Brazil is committed to fighting deforestation—show them.

Cite specific national laws, like Brazil's Forest Code that regulates land use.

Name-drop government programs, such as the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (PPCDAm).

Use hard data, like a recent reduction in deforestation rates over a specific period, to prove your points.

This kind of detail proves you've done the work and are ready for a substantive debate. It’s also what sets you apart. The MUN world is truly global—during the 2024-2025 academic year, the National Model United Nations saw over 50% of its participants come from outside the United States. You can dig into those global engagement statistics to see just how international the competition is.

Concluding with Innovative and Realistic Solutions

Your final section is your chance to step up and lead. Here, you pivot from discussing the past and present to laying out a clear vision for the future. Your solutions need to hit that sweet spot: innovative enough to be interesting, but grounded enough in political reality to be feasible. Most importantly, they must align with your country's foreign policy.

Fuzzy, feel-good proposals like "we should encourage cooperation" are a waste of ink. They won’t impress anyone. You need to be specific and actionable.

For our Brazil delegate, the proposals might look something like this:

Establish an international fund to help developing nations buy satellite monitoring tech for early deforestation detection.

Propose a new framework for debt-for-nature swaps, letting countries trade foreign debt for concrete conservation commitments.

Champion expanded public-private partnerships to create sustainable supply chains for agricultural drivers of deforestation, like soy and beef.

These ideas are concrete. They give other delegates something to grab onto during caucusing and are the seeds of your future resolution clauses. For a deeper dive on turning these ideas into formal text, check out our in-depth guide to MUN resolution writing.

By closing your Model United Nations position paper with strong, forward-thinking proposals, you position yourself not just as another delegate, but as a leader who is ready to drive the committee's work.

Mastering the Language of Diplomacy

In Model UN, your words are your currency. How you frame your country's position is just as critical as the position itself. Your Model United Nations position paper has to speak the formal, objective language of international relations—it’s the official dialect of the UN.

Nailing this tone isn’t just about sounding smart. It’s a strategic move that immediately builds your credibility and signals to the chair that you’ve done your homework. You get the unwritten rules of diplomacy.

This means you need to strip out any casual language, personal feelings, or emotional arguments. A diplomat doesn't say "we feel" something is wrong. They state their country's official policy with precision and conviction.

Adopting the Diplomatic Voice

Here's the first and most important rule: get rid of first-person pronouns. Words like "I," "we," "our," or "my" have no place in a position paper.

So, instead of writing, "We believe climate change is a serious threat," you reframe it from your country's official standpoint: "The Republic of Kenya considers climate change a grave threat to international peace and security."

See the difference? That one small change transforms your paper from a student essay into what it’s meant to be—an official state document. It’s the language of policy, not personal opinion.

The best position papers are persuasive not because they're passionate, but because they are precise. A delegate's power comes from framing their national interest as a global imperative, using the unemotional, fact-based language of international law.

Every sentence should be a clear statement of policy or a direct proposal for action. The goal is to project confidence and authority, leaving zero room for misinterpretation.

Choosing Your Words Carefully

The real pros use strong, action-oriented verbs pulled straight from actual UN resolutions. Sprinkling these "resolution clauses" into your paper makes your writing sound instantly more authentic and authoritative.

Think about leveling up your language.

Instead of "we want to help," try "Affirms its commitment to aiding..."

Instead of "we think it's a good idea," go with "Endorses the framework proposed by..."

Instead of "we need to stop this," use "Urges all member states to cease..."

Using this specific vocabulary shows the chair and your fellow delegates that you're fluent in the language of the United Nations. It proves you've gone beyond a quick Google search.

Common Language Mistakes to Avoid

Switching to a diplomatic tone means breaking a few common writing habits. Here are the classic blunders I see all the time in a Model United Nations position paper and how to fix them.

Mistake to Avoid	Why It's a Problem	How to Fix It
Emotional Language	Words like "tragic," "terrible," or "outrageous" sound subjective and unprofessional.	Stick to the facts. Instead of "the tragic refugee crisis," write "the ongoing challenge of forced displacement."
Vague Statements	Phrases like "work together" or "promote peace" are empty platitudes that don't mean anything.	Get specific. Propose "the establishment of a joint task force" or "the implementation of confidence-building measures."
Informal Phrasing	Contractions ("don't," "can't") and casual slang immediately make your paper look unofficial.	Write out the full words ("do not," "cannot") and maintain a professional tone from start to finish.

Formatting for a Professional Look

Finally, don't forget that looks matter. A clean, properly formatted paper is taken more seriously before the first word is even read. Conferences have their own rules, but some things are universal.

Always start with a proper header at the top of the page. It needs to clearly state your:

Committee: The full name of the committee.

Topic: The official topic area.

Country: Your assigned delegation.

Delegate: Your name.

Stick with a classic, easy-to-read font like Times New Roman or Arial in 12-point size, and use single spacing. These small details add up, making your paper look and feel like an authentic diplomatic document that commands respect.

Advanced Tactics to Make Your Paper Stand Out

Alright, you've nailed the basics. You know the structure, you've got the diplomatic language down, and your research is solid. Now it’s time to shift your Model United Nations position paper from being just good to being truly exceptional.

The gap between a competent paper and an award-winning one is all about strategy. It's where you stop simply reporting your country's policy and start shaping the entire debate before you even walk into the committee room. A chair reads a paper like this and immediately knows they're dealing with a delegate who's thinking three steps ahead.

Embed Your Negotiation Strategy

One of the most effective things you can do is subtly weave your negotiation roadmap right into your proposed solutions. Don't just list what you want. Instead, frame your proposals in a way that hints at your intended alliances and priorities. This gives the chair and other sharp delegates a clear signal of how you plan to operate.

For example, imagine you're representing France on a cybersecurity topic. You could propose a framework that leans heavily on public-private partnerships, which happens to be a known strength of French industry. This is a subtle invitation for delegates from countries with strong tech sectors to align with you, creating a natural starting point for a bloc. Your paper just became an active diplomatic tool.

Demonstrate Real Policy Depth

Chairs love to see "policy depth." What this really means is showing you understand the why behind your country's position. You need to connect the committee's specific topic back to your country's bigger national interests, like economic security, regional stability, or energy independence.

Economic Links: Explain how your proposed environmental solutions could also boost your nation’s green technology sector.

Security Concerns: Frame your stance on a human rights issue by connecting it to its potential impact on regional stability and your own borders.

Strategic Alliances: Show how your proposals align with the goals of key regional groups your country is part of, like the African Union or ASEAN.

Preemptively Address Counterarguments

The best delegates don't wait to get challenged on the committee floor. They anticipate potential counterarguments and tackle them head-on in their position paper. When you acknowledge a likely point of opposition and offer a quick rebuttal, you take control of the conversation. It shows the chair you’ve thought critically about the topic from all sides.

Let's say your proposal requires a big financial commitment. You could briefly mention that while the initial investment is substantial, the long-term economic and security benefits—like reducing future costs from climate-related disasters—far outweigh the upfront spending. You've just disarmed your opponents before they even get a chance to speak.

You can even get a hand with this during your research. Find out more about using AI for Model United Nations preparation in our guide.

These skills are in high demand everywhere. The first-ever Global Model WHO, for instance, brought together over 350 youth delegates from 52 countries to simulate the World Health Assembly. It’s proof that this kind of diplomatic thinking is critical for tackling a huge range of global issues. You can learn more about how youth are engaging with multilateralism in global health governance through programs like this.

When you use these advanced tactics, your Model United Nations position paper becomes more than just a research summary. It turns into a strategic brief that establishes you as a thoughtful, prepared, and formidable delegate right from the start.

Common Questions About MUN Position Papers

Even with the best preparation, a few questions always seem to surface right before the submission deadline for your Model United Nations position paper. Let’s clear up some of the most common ones I hear from delegates so you can finalize your paper with confidence.

How Long Should My Position Paper Be?

This is, without a doubt, the question on every delegate's mind. The short answer? Almost always one page.

While you absolutely must check your conference's specific guidelines, the unwritten rule is to aim for a tight, impactful paper between 300-500 words. Your chair has to read dozens, if not hundreds, of these. A paper that gets straight to the point will always be more memorable and effective than a long, rambling one.

What Is the Biggest Mistake Delegates Make?

Hands down, the most common and damaging mistake is proposing solutions that are completely vague. I've read countless papers filled with empty phrases like "encourage cooperation" or "promote dialogue." These sound good, but they're just filler and a dead giveaway that the delegate hasn't done enough research.

A great paper offers proposals that are concrete, specific, and directly tied to your country's policy. Don't just say you want to "fund green initiatives."

Instead, try something like this:

"The Kingdom of Denmark proposes a UN-administered fund, capitalized by a 0.1% levy on international maritime shipping..."

"...to directly finance green technology transfers, specifically solar and wind infrastructure, to developing nations."

That's the kind of specific, actionable idea that gets a chair's attention and forms the foundation of a strong resolution.

Should I Use Citations in My Paper?

This really depends on the conference. Many high school conferences skip formal citations to save space on that single page. On the other hand, most university-level conferences expect them. You have to check the rules.

But here’s my advice: regardless of the official requirement, you should always keep your own works-cited list. Why? Because being able to pull up a specific report or statistic during debate is a massive advantage. Dropping a line like, "Well, according to the 2023 WHO report..." instantly adds weight and authority to your argument.

Can I Pre-Write Resolution Clauses?

You should never copy and paste formatted operative clauses directly into your paper. That's a rookie move. However, your "solutions" section should absolutely be a prose version of the clauses you plan to write.

Think of it as laying the groundwork. You’re translating your legislative goals into a persuasive narrative that signals your intentions to other delegates.

For instance, you could write:

"Therefore, the Republic of South Africa calls for the creation of an independent monitoring body under the purview of the Security Council..."

"...mandated to investigate and report on illicit arms transfers in the region."

This approach clearly states your priorities, helps you find allies, and gives you a huge head start on drafting when you hit the committee room. Your Model United Nations position paper isn't just a summary—it's the strategic blueprint for your entire conference.

Walking into a committee room feeling prepared is half the battle. Model Diplomat can act as your AI-powered co-delegate, offering 24/7 research help, strategic advice, and even speech-writing assistance. Arrive at your next conference ready for anything. Learn more at https://modeldiplomat.com.

Winning Model United Nations Position Paper Guide