President of United States Fund for UNICEF to Be Guest Speaker at United Nations International School’s 2014 Graduation Ceremony, 3 June

Note to Correspondents

President of United States Fund for UNICEF to Be Guest Speaker at United Nations

International School’s 2014 Graduation Ceremony, 3 June

The graduation ceremony for the Class of 2014 of the United Nations International School (UNIS) will take place at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, 3 June, in the United Nations General Assembly Hall.  Caryl M. Stern, President and Chief Executive Officer of the United States Fund for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will be the guest speaker.

The students will leave the International School for more than 85 of the world’s finest universities in 10 countries, 19 states of the United 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 117 graduates represent 50 nationalities with 40 mother tongues spoken; more than 60 per cent of the students are affiliated with the United Nations community.

Two students will speak on behalf of their class at the ceremony.  Frederick McCall, from the United Kingdom, was elected by his peers to be the student speaker.  Amil Osmani, from Romania and the United States, the 2013 recipient of the U Thant Award, will announce the 2014 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 United Nations Charter.

High school students of the United Nations International School 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 47 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, the students develop values and understanding that prepare them to become true citizens of the world.

Background

Founded in 1947, the United Nations International School is a private, K-12 college preparatory school that emphasizes academic excellence within a caring community.  The international school 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 130 countries are represented in the student body of 1,570, which comes from United Nations families and families seeking an international education for their children.  The school is located in New York, with campuses in Manhattan and Queens.  For more information, please visit www.unis.org, or contact Laura James at tel.:  +1 212 584 3112, or e-mail: ljames@unis.org.

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For information media • not an official record