General Assembly Style Speeches

The Architecture of a Formal GA Speech

The General Assembly-style speech is the most traditional format in MUN — typically 90 seconds to three minutes, delivered from the podium during the General Speakers' List. Unlike moderated caucus contributions, these speeches are prepared in advance and serve as your delegation's official statement of position.

A strong GA speech has a clear architecture:

1. Salutation (5 seconds): 'Honorable Chair, distinguished delegates.' Brief, standard, professional.
2. Context framing (20-30 seconds): Establish the stakes. Why does this issue matter now? What has changed? What is at risk?
3. National position (30-45 seconds): What does your delegation believe and why? Anchor this in policy, history, or values — not just assertion.
4. Proposals (30-45 seconds): What specific actions do you advocate? The more concrete, the better.
5. Coalition signal (15-20 seconds): Indicate who you want to work with and on what basis.
6. Close (10-15 seconds): A memorable final line that captures your delegation's core message.

This structure ensures you cover substance while keeping the speech tight. Chairs and delegates tune out speeches that wander — architecture keeps you on track.

Memorable Openings and Closings

The first and last fifteen seconds of your speech are what people remember. Everything in the middle blurs together. Invest disproportionate preparation time in these moments.

Strong openings create a frame that shapes how the room hears everything that follows:

• A startling fact: 'Every sixty seconds, a child under five dies from a waterborne disease that costs less than a dollar to prevent.'
• A historical parallel: 'In 1994, this body failed Rwanda. The question before us today is whether we will repeat that failure.'
• A direct challenge: 'If this committee is serious about climate action, then the resolution before us is inadequate — and my delegation is prepared to explain why.'

Strong closings leave a lasting impression:

• A callback: Return to your opening image or fact and add resolution.
• A call to action: 'We ask every delegation in this room to match their rhetoric with resources.'
• A principle statement: 'My delegation will stand on the right side of this issue — and we invite every member state to stand with us.'

What to avoid: ending with 'thank you' as your final substance. 'Thank you' is a courtesy, not a conclusion. Deliver your closing line, pause, then add 'thank you' as a separate beat.

Speaking as Your Country

A GA speech is not your personal opinion — it is your country's position expressed through you. This distinction matters for both substance and delivery.

Research your country's actual positions. Real UN speeches are publicly available on the UN Web TV archive and in General Assembly records. Read how your country's actual ambassador speaks — their vocabulary, their recurring themes, the issues they emphasize. If you are representing India, study Ruchira Kamboj's speeches. If you are representing Kenya, study Martin Kimani's addresses. You will find phrases, arguments, and framings that you can adapt.

Use 'my delegation' language consistently. 'My delegation believes,' 'the Republic of France has long maintained,' 'our national experience demonstrates.' This framing keeps you in character and signals to the room that you have done your homework.

Ground your position in national interest. Every delegation has a reason for their stance beyond abstract principle. Find that reason and make it explicit. 'As a small island developing state, Fiji faces an existential threat from rising sea levels — this is not a policy preference for our delegation, it is a question of survival.'