Note to Correspondents

United Nations International School to Hold Graduation Ceremony

In General Assembly Hall on 7 June

The graduation ceremony for the Class of 2013 of the United Nations International School (UNIS) will take place at 4 p.m. on Friday, 7 June, in the United Nations General Assembly Hall.  Mr. Hugo Lindgren, Editor of The New York Times Magazine, will be the guest speaker.

The students will leave UNIS for over 75 of the world’s finest universities in 11 countries and 18  United States states and the District of Columbia.  They are equipped with the best secondary level preparation the world has to offer, the prestigious International Baccalaureate.  The 113 graduates represent 46 nationalities with 34 mother tongues spoken; more than half of the students are affiliated with the United Nations community.

Two students will speak on behalf of their class at the ceremony.  Frida Perez, from the Dominican Republic, was elected by her peers to be the student speaker.  Banti Gheneti, from the Netherlands, the 2012 recipient of the U Thant Award, will announce the 2013 honouree.  The U Thant Scholar, named in honour of the third Secretary General of the United Nations, is chosen by the faculty.  This award is the only one given at graduation and recognizes a student in the junior class whose life and contribution to the school embodies the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

Music plays an important role at UNIS.  The Senior Wind Ensemble and the Tutorial House Jazz Ensemble will perform a wide array of works at the ceremony, ranging from the traditional Pomp and Circumstance by Edward Elgar to Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell.

UNIS high school students have had the privilege of daily exposure to a wide range of world cultures through social interaction with peers and instruction from a faculty that represents 32 countries.  The school offers a balanced and rigorous educational programme with classes in nine languages and emphasis on community service and the importance of the arts in daily living.  As a result, UNIS students develop values and understanding that prepare them to become true citizens of the world.

Founded in 1947, the United Nations International School is a private, K-12 college preparatory school that emphasizes academic excellence within a caring community.  UNIS promotes appreciation of the diversity of persons and cultures, provides an optimal environment for learning and teaching, and offers a global curriculum that inspires in its students the spirit and ideals of the United Nations Charter.  More than 120 countries are represented in the student body of 1570, which comes from United Nations families and other families seeking an international education for their children.  UNIS is located in New York City, with campuses in Manhattan and Queens.  For more information, please visit www.unis.org,or contact Laura James at tel:  +1 212 584 3112, e-mail:  ljames@unis.org.

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For information media • not an official record