A United Nations resolution is a single, very long sentence. It names the body adopting it, sets out the reasons for acting, and then lists what the body decides to do. Model UN committees borrow the same format.
Preambulatory clauses
The opening clauses explain why the committee is acting. Each begins with a participle in italics — Recalling, Noting with concern, Recognizing — and ends with a comma. They cite earlier agreements, describe the problem, and establish shared ground.
Operative clauses
The numbered clauses that follow are the substance: what the committee actually does. Each begins with an active verb, underlined or italicized by convention — Calls upon, Encourages, Requests, Decides — and ends with a semicolon, the last with a period.
The choice between “encourages” and “demands” can be the difference between a resolution that passes and one that fails.
Why the verbs matter
Verbs carry weight. Encourages invites; urges presses; demands is language reserved for bodies with the authority to back it up. In the real General Assembly, most resolutions are recommendations rather than binding decisions, and their wording reflects that.
When you draft, write the operative clauses first, then build the preamble to justify them. Our resolution writing guide lists common opening phrases for both.
