The goal of UNISMUNC is to challenge and engage students in debates regarding past, present, and future issues, most of which are still relevant to people today. It is an educational opportunity and experience that rivals no other. Model UN is a simulation of the United Nations where students take on the role of delegates from different countries. They debate and negotiate on global issues, much like real diplomats do at the actual UN. Some committees are historical or fantastical crisis committees that allow delegates to be creative in debate. No matter the committee, Model UN will always give delegates an opportunity to practice their research and public speaking skills while opening their minds to new ideas. We at UNIS Model UN deeply value our connection to the United Nations itself. Over the past ten years, our club has been privileged enough to host UN delegates as speakers at UNISMUNC and club meetings. We’re incredibly inspired by the work of all those at the UN who make the world a better place. UNIS Model UN hopes that our club members and conference delegates will feel a similar inspiration to go out and make a difference in the world.
Meet the people who make this possible.
Lola is the Co-Secretary General of Model UN at UNIS. She’s a Senior at UNIS, and has been here since eight grade. She’s from Scotland and Australia, but I’ve lived abroad her whole life. She loves Model UN and has been doing it since sixth grade!
Jayden Link is a senior at UNIS. She’s been at the schools since 8th grade, and started being a part of the Model UN club freshman year. She grew up in Switzerland and speaks English, German, and Swiss-German fluently. Her favorite subject is history and she loves to write and make art, some of which has been shown in art galleries in the city.
Salome is a senior at the United Nations International School, and has been a member of MUN since her freshman year. She is trilingual due to her French, German, and African American background, and has been to multiple conferences where she enjoys debating about global issues with people from all over the world. Salome is passionate about criminal justice, literature, and climate advocacy; she hopes to go into law or journalism!
Angelina So is a senior at UNIS, has been on the Model UN Team since freshman year, and served as the Assistant Head of PR during her sophomore year. She plays violin on the school orchestra, Camerata, is the president of the club Young Citizens In Action, and is also a Tut House admissions tour guide. Some of her interests include playing piano, swimming competitively, lifeguarding, and traveling with her family.
Dora is a senior at UNIS and the head of the business team at Model UN. She's been passionate about debate and law since joining the club as a freshman, and loves the energy, collaboration, and strategic thinking that Model UN fosters. Growing up in Turkey and Bulgaria, and having spent half of her life in Istanbul, She’s gained unique experiences on different cultures and perspectives.
Brendan Gieseke is a current Junior at UNIS and has now been an active participant in the Model UN World since Freshman Year. While originally he was certain he wanted to be an International Lawyer (thus Model UN), Brendan is currently interested in multiple academic areas including marketing and finance. He is half Japanese and loves to visit his childhood home in Japan, and can fluently speak, read, and write the language. He loves to play instruments (Piano, Flute, and Guitar) and has been adamantly studying French, in hopes of one day becoming trilingual, and possibly living in France.
Renee is a junior at UNIS and has been in Model UN since her freshman year. She is passionate about economics and international relations, and enjoys the diplomacy, intense debates, and friendships found in Model UN. She is a native New Yorker and loves sharing city recommendations with other delegates! Outside of school, you can find her figure skating and coaching.
Layla is a senior at UNIS and has been a member of the MUN club since her freshman year. Outside of MUN, she is also very involved in the UNIS Theater Department, both on and off stage and serves as the co editor in chief of the Yearbook Committee! As the daughter of two diplomats (being British-Pakistani and German herself), Layla grew up with international experiences, living in Nairobi and Beirut as well as NYC. She is hugely passionate about fashion, literature and acting!
Madeleine Tyndale is a senior at UNIS and has been there since JA. She was born in New York City and has been living there her whole life. At school, she is currently undertaking the International Baccalaureate program, where she mostly enjoys her HL Economics class. Outside of academics, Madeleine takes part in many clubs, such as Nepal Club and Yearbook, as well as a delegate in several Model UN conferences at Columbia, Yale and the Clinton School. Whenever she isn't contributing to the UNIS community, she enjoys playing guitar, crocheting and travelling the world.
Henri is a junior at UNIS in New York City, and has been a member of MUN since his sophomore year. Other than MUN, Henri is also engaged in activities with VARCE or the Pathways Project here at UNIS, where he serves as a tutor to underpriveleged women attending school in Nigeria. Henri is a global citizens, being Indian-Italian, and being exposed to the multitude of cultures that lie in New York City. Henri is passionate in business, such as economics, as well as the political sciences.
Aadya is a junior at the United Nations International School and has been a member of Model UN since 2023. She has been actively involved in the United Nations Model UN Executive Committee for three years and has participated in conferences at Unis, Dalton, and Yale. Her interests include global politics, economics, debate, and soccer. Aadya has run MUN conferences on Urban Climate and is an award-winning debater.
Audrey Schottland is a sophomore at UNIS as has been attending since freshman year. She has lived in New York City for the majority of her life, briefly living in Spain for a couple years, and began model UN in 8th grade. Her favorite classes are biology, humanities, and art. Aside from staying on top of her academic duties, she enjoys creating art and doing cross country and track. Once she graduates, she wants to continue on to study nutrition and food science.
Luna Riva is a UNIS Junior and has been a model of the school Model UN program since the beginning freshman year. She takes on a role in business of the club, which consists of finance and what committees to attend. Outside of Model UN, she plays volleyball for the school and a club team.
Ray Bonneau is a sophomore at UNIS who joined Model UN in his freshman year. Among other things, his main goal is to one day be the director at NASA. Ray loves the outdoors, this Winter Ray will be a ski instructor at his local mountain, and this summer climbed Mount Shasta In California, his first true mountain of many to come. Rays parents are both inspirations to him and always keeps him working as hard as he can to acheive his dreams. He has lived in New York City for his entire life, shaping him to be an open minded and thoughtful person. He also has two cats which he loves very much, named Winston and Lola.
Francesca is a junior at UNIS and has been in Model UN since her freshman year. She joined UNIS in M3 after living in Rome and Phoenix. She lived most of her life in Phoenix and moved to NYC in middle school, though coming from an international background, she is American, Italian and German. She plays volleyball and used to play basketball as well as taking part in various clubs at school. She is eager to participate in Model UN this year and is looking forward to another successful UNISMUNC!
Rocco Suriano is a United Nations International School Junior and has been a Model UN member for just over a year. He has also taken on the role of delegate trainer, where he provides guidance and support to fellow members of the Model UN club, helping them develop their skills and understanding of the club activities and structure.
Aoife has been involved in Model UN since her freshman year at UNIS. Now, as a sophomore, she is also involved in film club, speech and debate club, and playing Gaelic sports outside of school. Aoife speaks both English and Irish, as well as learning French and German at school. When it comes to her studies, she is passionate about subjects such as Humanities, Film studies, and Art. She was raised in Ireland and plans on returning to study within business at a univeristy there.
Girum is a senior at UNIS and has been at UNIS since T3. He moved from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he began Model UN in 9th grade. Competing as a delegate in various conferences has allowed him to grow his passion for exploring global issues and international relations. Outside of MUN, he is involved in clubs such as Mock Trial and is also a lifelong tennis player. He hopes to keep engaging in his interests and helping others do the same.
Ignacio Torres is a sophomore at UNIS and has been there since kindergarten. He was born in NYC and had lived there his whole life. He has been in model UN since the 9th grade and has already attended a full college conference. Outside of MUN, he is involved in UNISs Catholic Charities Club, Guitar Community Union as well as the soccer and baseball teams. Currently his main focus and passion is guitar, learning new songs and music overall.
Anna Wagener is a junior at the UNIS, where she has been a student since M2. She was born and raised in New York City and is a German-American. She has been actively involved in MUN since her freshman year, participating in conferences such as NYU and Dalton. Her academic interests focus on law and government, and her favorite subjects include history, German, and global politics.
Milla has been involved in Model UN since the sixth grade, in her home country, Sweden, and continued her participation after joining UNIS in the seventh grade. She is bilingual, speaking both Swedish and English, as well as being proficient in Spanish and French. Living in three continents throughout her life has grown her passion for international relations. Now a sophomore, she is also president of the film club and speech and debate club, and serves as a student council representative. She is passionate about film and theatre, performing in and volunteering with youth productions, through which she has completed around 300 hours of community service. She hopes to continue combining her interests in global affairs, the arts, and leadership throughout her academic journey.
