Verbal Commendation

A Verbal Commendation is one of the lowest tiers of recognition a chair or dais can give a delegate at a Model UN conference. Unlike Best Delegate, Outstanding, or Honorable Mention awards — which are typically engraved on a gavel, plaque, or certificate — a verbal commendation is simply spoken during the closing ceremony or committee debrief. The chair publicly acknowledges the delegate's contributions without issuing a physical award.

Verbal commendations are used in several situations:

• When a delegate performed strongly but the formal award slots (often capped at 2–4 per committee) were already filled by others.
• When a chair wants to recognize specific skills — sharp parliamentary procedure, a strong opening speech, effective bloc leadership, or constructive diplomacy — that did not translate into a top placement.
• In crisis or specialized committees where the dais wants to highlight creative directives, espionage arcs, or backroom negotiation that shaped the committee's trajectory.

The practice is conference-dependent. Some circuits, including many North American collegiate conferences such as those affiliated with NCCA-style judging, formally list verbal commendations in their awards policy. Others, particularly in the THIMUN tradition — which historically discourages competitive awards altogether — may use verbal recognition as the primary mode of feedback.

For delegates, a verbal commendation is generally not listed on a CV or résumé the same way a gavel is, but it can still be referenced in recommendation requests, club applications, or post-conference reflections. It signals to peers and advisors that the chair noticed substantive engagement.

Strategically, delegates aiming for verbal commendations should focus on committee-building behaviors the dais values: yielding time productively, mentoring newer delegates, authoring or sponsoring well-drafted clauses, and maintaining character or policy consistency. Chairs frequently cite these qualities when explaining why a verbal commendation was issued in place of, or alongside, a formal award.