Hello Reader,

Welcome back! This MUNday, we’re digging into one of the *most critical and chaotic* parts of committee: the Unmoderated Caucus.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed when the gavel drops and everyone rushes to form blocs, draft clauses, and negotiate alliances…you’re not alone.

Unmods are where the ball gets rolling—and where resolutions actually start coming together. Love it or hate it, you'll have to come to terms with the fact that your Unmods will start with high levels of chaos and slowly balance out over time.

Fortunately, if you plan ahead, you can make the entire experience much more manageable, and maybe even enjoyable, from the very start.

We’re breaking down how to crush unmoderated caucuses based on our guide: Mastering MUN Negotiation During Unmoderated Caucuses​

Let’s turn the chaos into your advantage:

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1. Treat the First Unmod Like a Gold Rush 🪙

That first unmoderated caucus is prime real estate.
Everyone’s looking to claim blocs, plant ideas, and lock in early alliances.

Your move:

• Send Notes in Advance: Get some of those early introductions out the way with your notes. If you agree with a delegates opening speech, send them a note and arrange to meet during the Unmod.
• Find Allies Fast: If you start forming a group early with the people you've been sending notes to, others will gravitate towards the crowd - and just like *magic*, you'll have created your first block.
• Be a Connector: Pull together delegates with BROAD shared goals (“You’re worried about food security? Us too. Let’s talk.”) You can take care of the details later on.
• Move with Purpose: Don’t wander. Don’t hover. Approach people with intention.

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2. Organize or Be Organized 🧩

In longer unmods, the biggest killer isn’t disagreement—it’s disorganization.

Smart strategies:

• Keep Track of Ideas: Have someone start writing down ideas, draft clauses, and suggestions.
• Assign Roles: Who’s drafting? Who’s lobbying the other blocs? Who’s prepping for when debate restarts? Don't be afraid to keep discussing through notes after the Unmod as well.
• Visual is Powerful: Draft points visibly on paper, a whiteboard, or a laptop everyone can see. Group work = faster agreement.
• Divide and Conquer: If you're part of a double delegate committee, have one partner step outside during debate to keep drafting the resolution.

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3. Talk Less. Listen More. (At First) 🎧

When unmods start, most delegates do one of two things:

• Talk too much and lose control
• Say nothing and fade into the background

Better move - Facilitate the conversation by:

• Asking strategic questions early (“What priorities are you pushing?”)
• Listening for leverage points: who’s flexible? Who’s hardline? Who’s desperate for partners?

Once you know where the room is leaning, then start positioning your ideas as the solution. Be the middle man for everyone's ideas.

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4. Build Micro-Wins 🧠

You don’t need to “win” the whole bloc in the first unmod. You just need small wins that build momentum.

Examples:

• Getting agreement on a few strong clauses
• Getting multiple delegations to rally behind your framework (“Let’s base this around SDG 2, agreed?”)
• Getting volunteers to help you draft—they’ll naturally defer to you later.

Small wins early ➡️ Big wins later.

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5. Merge Without Losing Power 🤝

At some point, blocs will merge. That’s unavoidable.

When merging, remember:

• Push to keep your language in (“We’re happy to combine… if we keep these clauses on climate financing.”)
• Offer others credit and visibility (“We should co-sponsor these sections!”)
• Stay in leadership roles when possible (drafter, spokesperson, presenter), its easier to do this if you're the delegate who proposes the merge.

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Unmods are messy—but if you show up prepared, strategic, and ready to lead, you'll be the person others naturally rally around.

Want a full breakdown (plus extra moves we didn’t fit here)?
👉 Check out the full Unmoderated Caucus Guide here​