An opening speech  is essentially your nation’s  first impression, being delivered at the beginning of a conference.

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What the Opening Speech should contain?

An opening speech should contain 4 pillars model which are:

• The introduction of the topic,

• Your country's stance on the topic, 

• How the topic affects your country,

• Your solution to fix the issue regarding the topic. (Must be aligned with your country's interests and stance, even if it is different from yours).

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Big Note:
In MUN, you cannot use personal pronouns (like I, you, or my), or otherwise, do expect people taking advantage of it to silence or interrupt you. Instead, use third-person pronouns (like he, she, or they) or, even better, use "the delegate of..." to address yourself or others. 

The time limit for the opening speech is 60-90 seconds depending on the conference. Although you want to get in as much as possible, you do not want to go Eminem mode. Please do not rap (or spread) your speech out, it will just confuse most people.

 

Examples
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 Examples you could use for reference 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
 

Topic: Sudan Conflict 2023

Country: Japan

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Honorable chairs and fellow delegates,

The delegate of Japan, on behalf of our Emperor and government, expresses deep concern over the war in Sudan and the suffering of its people. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Japan has tightened its immigration and asylum processes. By the end of 2024, around 2.7 million Sudanese were refugees, asylum-seekers, or otherwise in need of international protection abroad. Japan recognized 11 Sudanese nationals under its “quasi-refugee” category due to humanitarian reasons.

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Across the globe, nations, including Japan, face domestic challenges that require significant resources to address. Japan calls for international cooperation to pressure Sudan to end the war, establish a democratic government, hold accountable those responsible for the conflict, and provide economic assistance to support Sudan’s recovery. This approach would reduce the need for refugee displacement and allow nations to focus on internal development. The war must end for Sudanese and world-sake

 

Topic: Mitigating the Economic and Social Consequences of Brain Drain in Developing Nations.

Country: Egypt

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Esteemed chairs, honorable guests, and fellow delegates,

The issue of brain drain represents a significant challenge for developing nations, particularly for Egypt, where the departure of skilled professionals undermines both economic growth and social development. This alarming trend results in the migration of millions of talented individuals in search of better opportunities, leaving critical gaps in essential sectors such as healthcare, education, and technology.

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This delegate of Egypt believes that this issue is of the utmost importance, as reports show that this mass exodus of skilled personnel from Least Economically Developed Countries (LEDCs) poses a grave threat to the future prosperity of these nations. The diminishing numbers of intellectual capital pose a severe problem to the potential of sustainable development; therefore, this delegate urges all nations to engage in constructive dialogue in order to solve the pressing issue at hand today. 

Thank you. 

 

Topic: Eradicating nuclear weapons

Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK)

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Esteemed chairs, honorable guests, and fellow delegates,

It has been over 50 years since the creation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 1968 to achieve nuclear disarmament , and yet countries are updating their nuclear arsenals constantly, creating dangers that threaten the human race as a whole. This delegate of the UK is appalled at the lack of concern for humanity taken by governments worldwide. Therefore, he wants to address the question of eradicating nuclear weapons. 

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Therefore, this delegate of the UK encourages all delegates present in the house today to work together to resolve this issue. 

Thank you.

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Topic: Global inequalities in training health professionals

Country: Germany

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Esteemed chairs, honorable guests, and fellow delegates,

Everyday, thousands die due to the lack of trained medical professionals. It is unacceptable that while some nations have an oversupply of doctors, others face a severe shortage, leaving millions without access to basic healthcare. More than 4 million healthcare workers are needed in the world today, and according to the WHO, the figure could surge to over 10 million healthcare workers by 2030, yet governments continue to turn a blind eye. and This delegate of Germany is appalled at the lack of action taken worldwide. Therefore, he wants to address the question of Global inequalities in training health professionals as he believes this is crucial to ensuring universal healthcare access, bridging socioeconomic gaps, and fostering sustainable development. 

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Moreover, reports from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that organ trafficking generates billions of dollars annually, fueling transnational crime networks, and from there, the crisis only escalates. Therefore, this delegate of Germany encourages all delegates present in the house today to work together to resolve this issue. 

Thank you.

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Memorization

After roll call comes Opening Speeches. Now, in MUN conferences, it is not required to memorize word for word, however, there are huge advantages if done effectively. Here are two main reasons how powerful memorization could be:

• Firstly, memorization helps you command the room. It allows you to maintain eye contact and use hand gestures, making you more engaging and forcing others to focus on you rather than your podium.

• Secondly, it impresses the chair. A confident, well-delivered speech shows strong preparation and engagement, increasing your chances of earning an award.

 

How to do it? PRACTICE. 
There are many ways to memorize a speech, but the most effective is practicing in front of a mirror. Start by reading your speech out loud, then repeat it again without looking, reciting from memory. Do this multiple times every day until the conference, even after you feel confident. The night before the conference, make sure you get a full night’s sleep. Good sleep has been proven to significantly improve memory and recall.

The catch though...
Memorization is very powerful but if you deliver your opening speech and forget a sentence or two, things get awkward fast. To avoid this, write down key points on a piece of paper and use them as a discreet cheat sheet while delivering your speech.

Do memorization if you are highly confident. If you just read your speech out loud like listing out your grocery shopping, you won’t get penalized. However, practice regardless of whether you’re trying to memorize or not, as it’s important to pace yourself with your hard-written speech.

 

Do's and Don'ts​

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​DOs:

• Do use statistics in research. It promotes credibility and urgency, and gives a strong foundation for your country's stance.

• Do practice speaking. There is a time limit in a real conference for opening speeches, so use the time efficiently.

• Do edit your speeches. 

• Pronouns matter.

• Do try to make your speech professional and formal.

• Do maintain professionalism in your speech.

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DON'Ts :

• Don't use personal pronouns (I did explain that before, right?).

• Don't end your speech with, "This delegates hopes for a fruitful debate." Yes, it’s great for new people, but it’s kind of weak. End your speech strong with confidence

• Don't add slang  words unless you love getting decorum hard. (No Lil Timmy, you cannot add the word "67", "sigma", or Italian brain rot names to your speech)

• Don't add swear words (Please don't).

• Don't personally insult other nations (You are not here to make enemies). Criticism (especially constructive in nature) is ok  but insulting is not.

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