2024 Founder’s Page (not for 2025)

Letter from the Founding Secretary General

Dear Delegates and Esteemed Guests,

The inaugural edition of the St. Julian’s Model United Nations Conference, SJSMUN, occurred on the 6th and 7th of December, 2024. The story of its beginnings  however, began far before. 

The Model United Nations Club at St. Julian’s School has existed since 1994. An ongoing process, the current President of our club endeavours to find the names of all those who have carried it forward since its inception, so that this page may bear their names. 

Of what is presently known, the idea of an SJSMUN, was first recorded under the leadership of my own brother, Joseph A. Reis in 2020. Unfortunately, it remained just an idea, due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the final months of the 2023 school year, under the leadership of President Tiago Mole and Vice President Vasco Batista, an internal junior conference was held at St. Julian’s. In this conference, composed of a singular committee, only delegates from St Julian’s school participated. Personally having served as a note passer in this conference, I was privy to Tiago Mole’s expertise and wishes for Model United Nations at St. Julian’s.  From them, I understood a simple message: SJSMUN must ensue. Of course, at this time that name did not yet exist, but plans were underway.

One calendar year later, in 2024, the adjacent conference to this one, SJMUN, was founded under the leadership of the Junior Club. As of 2025, this conference still exists under the auspices of the general name: SJSMUN. 

The Secretariat of SJSMUN 2024 was established and served by Deputy Secretary-General: Helena Sampaio, Head of Logistics: Jarah Eisenhardt, Head of Communications: Joao Goncalves, Head of Finance: Jinyuan Meng, Head of Enforcement: Julian Winterer and myself, as Secretary-General. This team was overseen by our current MUN Coordinator and DJ: Mark Hooper. 

Beginning the New Year of 2025, I appointed Jinyuan Meng as my successor for the Presidency of the club and Secretary-General of SJSMUN, a conjoined office. Under his leadership, SJSMUN will become an international conference, just one year after its first edition. Our club and our conference, under committed student leadership, is experiencing unprecedented progress, and its story will be enshrined here, onto this page, forever.

Welcome to the Founder’s Page.

John Reis

Secretary-General

St. Julians Model United Nations

Founders Page

  • John Reis

    Secretary-General

  • Helena Sampaio

    Deputy Secretary-General

  • Jarah Eisenhardt

    Head of Logistics

  • João Gonçalves

    Head of Communications

  • A handsome man

    Jinyuan Meng

    Head of Finance

  • Julian Winterer

    Head of Enforcement

Mark Hooper

MUN Coordinator / DJ

Guest Speaker

Kjell E. Lauvik - Hostage Negotiation Specialist

With over 30 years of experience spanning Military Special Forces, counter-terrorism, and private security, Dr. Lauvik has dedicated his career to negotiating resolutions to high stakes crises. As former Chief of Security Operations for the UNHCR, he served 20 years with the United Nations, including as a Hostage Negotiator and trainer, applying expertise in conflict zones across 65 countries.

Trained by New Scotland Yard’s Hostage Crisis Team and holding a PhD in Conflict Resolution, Dr. Lauvik combines operational excellence with strategic knowledge. His work includes negotiating child abduction recovery missions in volatile environments. As our SJSMUN Guest Speaker, Dr. Lauvik can give us a snapshot of what professional crisis negotiation looks like.

Social Event

We hosted a conjoined event for all delegates to participate in with our MUN coordinator as our dedicated DJ :) as well as numerous activities including a photo booth and vast range of fingerfoods.