TMF Guides · Model UN
The MUN Placard: Small Board, Big Difference
A placard is the country nameplate every delegate raises to be recognised. It looks trivial, but placard discipline is one of the fastest signals a chair uses to separate prepared delegates from unprepared ones.
What a placard is for
The placard carries your country or portfolio name in large, legible type. You raise it to be added to the speakers' list, to vote, to second a motion, and to signal a point.
Most conferences, TMF included, provide placards at registration, so delegates rarely need to make their own.
How to make a placard
Standard size is roughly A4 landscape on stiff card or foam board. The country name should be readable from across a large hall — think 120pt or larger, dark text on a light background, on both sides.
Avoid flags, gradients and decorative fonts. Chairs scanning forty raised placards need contrast, not design.
- A4 landscape, thick card or foam board.
- Country name in bold sans-serif, both sides.
- Dark text on white or cream — maximum contrast.
- No images, no flags, no glitter.
Placard etiquette
Raise it high, hold it steady, and lower it the moment you are recognised. Waving it or holding it half-raised makes the chair's job harder and they will remember.
During voting procedure, placards go up decisively on your vote and stay up until the count is complete.
Frequently asked questions
What size should a MUN placard be?
A4 landscape on stiff card is the standard. The country name should be legible from the back of the committee room.
Do conferences provide placards?
Most Indian conferences, including The MUN Factory, provide placards at registration along with the delegate kit.
When do you raise your placard?
To join the speakers' list, to vote, to second or object to a motion, and to raise points when the chair invites them.
Keep reading
MUN Dress Code: What Delegates Actually Wear
Exactly what to wear to a Model UN conference in India — Western business attire, Indian formals, footwear, what gets you marked down, and what to pack.
MUN Tips for Beginners
Practical MUN tips for first-time delegates — what to do in the first hour, how to get on the speakers' list, note passing, bloc joining and avoiding beginner mistakes.
MUN Rules of Procedure, In the Order You'll Use Them
The complete MUN rules of procedure in order of use — roll call, speakers' list, motions, points of order and inquiry, yields, and voting procedure.
Put it into practice
The MUN Factory 3.0 — registrations open
Fifteen committees across UN, Indian, Special and Event formats. Individual and delegation tracks, with tiered discounts from five delegates.