Past conferences
The Bond University High School Model UN conference is a yearly event that takes place at the Bond University campus. A Model UN, or MUN, is a simulation-based learning exercise that will see student delegates adopt the persona of an allocated country and subsequently represent that country during a simulation of UN proceedings. Explore conferences from previous years below!
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2024
OVERALL
- Outstanding School: A.B. Paterson College and St Hilda's School
- Best Delegation: Grace Lutheran College
- Best Delegation: Queensland Academy For Health Sciences
- Best Delegation: Varsity College
- Best Delegation: Danthonia
- Secretary-Generals' Award for Outstanding Contribution to BUHMUN Journalism: Benowa State High School, Levi Knight
Committee One: Climate-Induced Displacement and Refugee Rights
- Diplomacy Award: Delegates for Hungary, Shayla Evans and Ashley Magat of Hillcrest Christian College
- Position Paper: Delegates for Sweden, Sara Shafei and Jacqueline Lawler of Queensland Academies for Health Sciences
Committee Two: Climate Resilience and Inclusive Development
- Diplomacy Award: Delegates for Kenya, Ramandeep Sethi and Finlay Proverbs of A.B. Paterson College
- Position Paper: Delegates for Bangladesh, Kyle Zumpe and Kate Moody of Danthonia
Committee Three: Mitigation Strategies and Global Responsibility
- Diplomacy Award: Delegate for Peru, Jack Perkins of Grace Lutheran College
- Position Paper: Delegate for Germany, Matilda Grant of A.B. Paterson College
Committee Four: Climate Finance and Reducing Wealth Disparities
- Diplomacy Award: Delegate for South Africa, Chloe Atkinson of Benowa State High School
- Position Paper: Delegate for Kenya, Nicole Hu of A.B. Paterson College
The BUHMUN Security Council: Climate Change and International Security
- Diplomacy Award: Delegates for Guyana, Alex Galt and Georgia Normile of All Saints Anglican School
- Position Paper Award: Delegates for China, Audrey Kuk and Aileen Hu of St Hilda's School
Journalism Awards
- Best Video Award: Bianca Uccellini, Queensland Academy For Health Sciences & Beau Keating, Hillcrest Christian College
- Best Article Award: Lucy Matus, Marymount College & Will Bailey, Miami State School
- Team Player Award: Ayati Gor, Varsity College
- Best Scoop Award: Molly Crocket, St Hilda's School
- Best Overall Award: Sienna Gostelow, A.B. Paterson College
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2023
OVERALL
- Outstanding School: Robina State High School
- Best Delegation: A.B. Paterson College
- Best Delegation: St Hilda’s School
- Best Delegation: All Saints Anglican School
- Best Delegation: Whitsunday Anglican School
Committee One: Universal Access to Safe and Nutritious Food
- Diplomacy Award: Delegate for South Africa, Jack Perkins of Grace Lutheran College
- Position Paper: Delegate for Indonesia, Savanna Brosnan of Hillcrest Christian College
Committee Two: Ending All Forms of Malnutrition
- Diplomacy Award: Delegate for Germany, Tara Thirumurugan of St Hilda’s School
- Position Paper: Delegate for Serbia, Ryan Salle of Varsity College
Committee Three: Doubling the Productivity and Incomes of Small-Scale Producers
- Diplomacy Award: Delegate for Spain, Alexander Galt of All Saints Anglican College
- Position Paper: Delegate for Rwanda, Connor O’Neill of A.B. Paterson College
Committee Four: Sustainable Food Production and Resilient Agricultural Practices
- Diplomacy Award: Delegate for Hungary, Finlay Proverbs of A.B. Patterson
- Position Paper: Delegate for Kenya, Imogen Wood of Whitsunday Anglican School
Committee Five: Protecting Refugee Children (part of the UNHCR’s Model UN Challenge)
- Diplomacy Award: Delegate for Portugal, Ella Tyrer of Robina State High
- Position Paper Award: Delegate for Germany, Aileen Hu of St Hilda’s School
Journalism Awards
- "Nose for News" Award: Mackenzie Connolly - Grace Lutheran College
- Best Scoop Award: Ruby Tate - Benowa State High School
- Team Player Award: Sienna Gostelow - A.B. Paterson College
- Best Overall Article: Award Valerie Yu and Jess Warren - Brisbane Girls Grammar School
- Best All-Rounder Award: Thomas Somerville - Benowa State High School
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2022
Secretary General’s Outstanding School Award
Robina State High School
Secretary-General's Award for Outstanding Contribution to BUHMUN Journalism
Benowa State High School
Secretary General’s Delegation Award
Turkey, represented by The Southport School
Secretary General’s Delegation Award
Uganda, represented by Lindisfarne College
Secretary General’s Delegation Award
Thailand, represented by Varsity College
Secretary General’s Delegation Award
Philippines, represented by St Hilda’s Anglican School
Committee One Award Winners
Award Recipient Diplomacy Award Hannah Brown, Grace Lutheran College Best Position Paper Aileen Hu, St Hilda's Anglican School Committee Two Award Winners
Award Recipient Diplomacy Award Paris Carpenter, Lindisfarne College Best Position Paper Tara Thirumurugan, St Hilda’s Anglican School Committee Three Award Winners
Award Recipient Diplomacy Award Maria Bester, Queensland Academies of Health Sciences Best Position Paper Amana Katene, Robina State High School Committee Four Award Winners
Award Recipient Diplomacy Award Georgie Page-Dhu, Robina State High School Best Position Paper Maddison Krook, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School Committee Five Award Winners
Award Recipient Diplomacy Award Max Dewhurst, The Southport School Best Position Paper Caleb Dobson, Varsity College Journalism Awards
Award Recipient Breaking News Story Award Samantha Douglas, St Hilda’s Anglican School & Aubrey Icasate, Marymount College Committee Coverage Award Morgan Francis Holmes & Jessica Munnery, Emmanuel College Backgrounder Award Sarah Eldawltly, Robina State High School Interview Award Ciara Glynn & Ryan Salle, Varsity College Overall Coverage Award Thomas Somerville & Ruby Tate, Benowa State High School -
2021
Outstanding School Award
Padua College
Honourable Mention
The Southport School
Committee One Award Winners
Award Recipient Diplomacy Award Ryan Dib, Padua College Best Position Paper Ananda Somali, Robina State High Delegation Emmanuel College Committee Two Award Winners
Award Recipient Diplomacy Award Charlie Bergman, Padua College Best Position Paper Joe Maurice, The Southport School Delegation Pimlico High School Committee Three Award Winners
Award Recipient Diplomacy Award Emily Knoesen, St Hilda's Anglican School Best Position Paper Georgia Harper, Emmanuel College Delegation A.B. Paterson College Committee Four Award Winners
Award Recipient Diplomacy Award Bita Mahani, A.B. Paterson College Best Position Paper Attila Bencsik, Canterbury College Delegation Aquinas College Journalism Awards
Award Recipient Outstanding Pre-Conference Reporting Award Sky Stewart, Emmanuel College Print and Breaking News Journalism Award Sarah Eldawltly, Robina State High School Multimedia Journalism Award Maria Nadezhdina, A.B. Paterson College & Hannah Sibu, Benowa State High School -
2020
Outstanding School Award
The Southport School
Committee One Award Winners
Award Recipient Diplomacy Award Chaad Hewitt, The Southport School Best Position Paper Max Dewhurst, The Southport School Committee One Award Winners
Award Recipient Diplomacy Award Bita Mahani, A.B. Paterson College Best Position Paper Rhys Nickerson, Brisbane State High School Committee One Award Winners
Award Recipient Diplomacy Award Arop Terkoc, The Glennie School Best Position Paper Lachlan Bond, Miami State High School BUHMUN Delegation Awards
Recipient Emmanuel College St Hilda's Anglican School Robina State High School -
2019
Outstanding School Award
Queensland Academies of Health Sciences
Committee One Award Winners
Award Recipient Diplomacy Award Jordan Engel, Southport State High School Best Position Paper Skyla Flick, Queensland Academies of Health Sciences Committee Two Award Winners
Award Recipient Diplomacy Award Bita Mahani, A.B. Paterson College Best Position Paper Jaeden Kleinsasser, Danthonia Home School Committee Three Award Winners
Award Recipient Diplomacy Award Jarrod Chen, Queensland Academies of Heath Sciences Best Position Paper Camille Luchs, Queensland Academies of Heath Sciences Committee Four Award Winners
Award Recipient Diplomacy Award Sakhi Tidyman, Miami State High School Best Position Paper Angelina Inthavong, A.B. Paterson College BUHMUN Delegation Awards
Recipient St Andrews Lutheran College A.B. Paterson College Danthonia Home School Best Committee Coverage
Recipient Giulia Provenszano, Somerset College Lev Marienbakh, Varsity College Jordyn Riethmuller, Grace Lutheran College Best Breaking News Reporter
Recipient Narii Hamil Salmon, Miami State High School -
2018
For the first time, the Bond University High School Model UN Conference was held over two days, 24 and 25 May, at the Bond University campus.
The 2018 BUHMUN Conference featured a special screening of the political documentary My Year With Helen, a film about former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark as she campaigned for the position of United Nations Secretary-General, as well as working on global development issues as head of the United Nations Development Programme and staying in daily contact with her 94-year-old father back home in New Zealand. The screening of My Year With Helen was followed by a Q&A with the film’s producer, Catherine Madigan!
Conference theme: To End Poverty in All its Forms Everywhere
The 2018 conference theme was 'To End Poverty in All its Forms Everywhere'. The topic has been a mainstay of the UN General Assembly’s agenda since 1974 under Resolution 3201, otherwise known as the Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order. The Declaration proclaimed the international community’s determination to 'make it possible to eliminate the widening gap between the developed and developing countries and ensure steadily accelerating economic and social development and peace and justice for present and future generations'. High school students from across Australia were invited to participate in a two-day debate about this topic representing a country’s perspective.
VIEW THE BUHMUN 2018 PHOTO ALBUM
2018 BUHMUN award winners
Best School Award
Emmanuel College
Committee One Award Winners
Award Recipient Represented Country Diplomacy Award Taylor Jewell, Redlands College Brazil Best Position Paper Charlie Turner, Queensland Academies of Health Sciences Bangladesh Best Delegation Award St Andrews Lutheran College Committee Two Award Winners
Award Recipient Represented Country Diplomacy Award Duke Lawson, St Andrews Lutheran College Paraguay Best Position Paper Ryan Beerling Dolovac, Southport State High School Sweden Best Delegation Award Grace Lutheran College Security Council Award Winners
Award Recipient Represented Country Diplomacy Award Maghaj Babu, Queensland Academies of Science,
Mathematics and Technology (QASMT)China Best Position Paper Vita Milojkovic, Benowa State High School Ethiopia Best Delegation Award Padua College -
2017
Conference theme: Towards a Nuclear Free World: Accelerating the Implementation of Nuclear Disarmament Commitments
The inaugural conference theme was 'Towards a Nuclear Free World: Accelerating the Implementation of Nuclear Disarmament Commitments'. The topic was a mainstay of the UN General Assembly’s agenda since 2012 under Resolution 67/34. High school students from Queensland were invited to participate in a full day debate about this topic representing a country’s perspective.
Award winners
BUHMUN Diplomacy Award
- Daniel Miller (Emmanuel College)
- Vita Milojkovic (Benowa State High School)
BUHMUN Position Paper Award
- Luke Stegman and Chris Clayton (Robina State High School)
- Meghaj Babu (Queensland Academies of Science, Math & Technology)
BUHMUN Best Delegation Award
- Barclay McGain (Emmanuel College), representing the United States
- Meghaj Babu (Queensland Academies of Science, Math & Technology), representing the United States
BUHMUN Outstanding School Award
Robina State High School
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Previous keynote speakers
At each conference, participants have the wonderful opportunity to hear from an accomplished keynote speaker who will share their journey, experiences, and tips with the BUMHUN attendees. Outlined below are previous keynote speakers who have presented at BUHMUN conferences over the years.
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2024 - Chloe Burns
Operations Coordinator, The Decisive Point
Bachelor of International Relations, Bond University Alumna (2022)Chloe Burns is the Operations Coordinator at The Decisive Point - a strategic communication consultancy that provides purposeful support to clients across Government, Defence and Defence Industry. In her role, Chloe significantly contributes to the day-to-day running of the business while also engaging with Defence and Defence Industry clients to deliver strategic communication services, including for some of the most significant programs in Defence.
Chloe graduated from Bond University in 2022 with a Bachelor of International Relations and spent the final year of her degree abroad on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) New Colombo Plan (NCP) scholarship. The NCP program saw Chloe spend 7 months in South Korea studying Political Science at Yonsei University and undertaking Korean language training. She then spent 2 months in the Maldives interning at Women & Democracy (W&D), a national leading NGO focused on championing good democratic governance and empowering women to participate fully in economic and political activities in the country. In Chloe’s role at W&D, she coordinated and moderated an important roundtable discussion in collaboration with representatives from the U.S. Department of State, which brought together NGOs from all over the Maldives. Chloe regards her NCP experience as transformational in further cultivating her interest in international relations.
Most recently in 2024, Chloe was humbled to be recognised as a winner in Australian Defence Magazine's 30 Under 30 Awards. The awards recognise the thirty best and brightest individuals in any field in Defence and Defence Industry aged under thirty. Chloe is passionate about making positive contributions to the defence and national security landscape in Australia and believes in the power of effective communication to navigate complex challenges.
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2023 - Tanah Lee Sullivan
Group Head of Sustainability, GoTo
Bachelor of International Relations, Bond University Alumna (2006)Tanah Sullivan is the Group Head of Sustainability at GoTo and leads its environmental, social and governance (ESG) efforts across Gojek, GoTo Financial and Tokopedia. Before GoTo, Tanah was at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, where she led partnerships for a range of sustainability-focused initiatives in ASEAN and globally. She led the Forum’s efforts on issues such as energy transition, circular economy,
food security, gender equality, deforestation and financial inclusion, among others. Previously, Tanah held various public sector roles with the Canadian and Australian governments, covering international security, development, natural resource security as well as foreign trade and investment. Tanah holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Bond University and a Master of Political Economy from the University of Melbourne, Australia. -
2022 - Counsellor Michael Hoy
Counsellor, Australian Mission to the United Nations
Our first keynote speaker for BUHMUN 2022 was Australian counsellor and international political representative Michael Hoy.
Michael Hoy is a career officer with Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, currently serving as Counsellor at the Australian Mission to the United Nations in New York. He has previously served overseas as:
- Counsellor, Australian Embassy, Tokyo;
- First Secretary, Australian Embassy, Kabul;
- First Secretary, Australian Mission to the European Union, Brussels; and
- Second Secretary, Australian Embassy, Hanoi.
Michael was also part of the in-country response team that handled the emergency evacuation from Kabul in 2021, the downing of flight MH-17 in Ukraine in 2014, and the terrorism-related kidnapping of an Australian in the Philippines. In Canberra, he has served as Director, Indonesia Political Section and Portfolio Budget Coordinator.
Michael holds a Master of International Economic Law from the University of Canberra, and a Bachelor of International Relations and Bachelor of Commerce from Bond University.
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2022, 2019 - Cloe Read
Journalist, Brisbane Times
Brisbane Times journalist Cloe Read first spoke at BUHMUN in 2019, and returned in 2022 as our second keynote speaker.
Cloe began studying journalism at Bond University in 2016 with a major in International Relations. During her time at Bond, Cloe was able to participate in the Japan English Model United Nations twice – first as a video journalist, and second as the delegate for Russia within the Security Council.
Cloe remains the only Bond Model United Nations student to have transitioned from journalist to country delegate. Following her graduation in 2018, Cloe started working for The Courier Mail, where she covered a variety of stories including breaking news, crime, courts, and politics.
In February 2021, she moved to Brisbane Times as a breaking news reporter, covering crime, courts, and politics. In her first year, Cloe had more than 500 articles published on the website and across its sister publications, the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
Cloe is an enthusiastic advocate for journalism as a career choice and thoroughly enjoys sharing her experiences with BUHMUN journalism cohorts.
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2021 - Professor Caitlin Byrne
Australian Representative of W20 (G20 Women's Engagement Group)
Our Keynote Speaker for BUHMUN 2021, was Women 20 (W20) Australian representative Professor Caitlin Byrne. The W20 is the official G20 engagement group focused on gender equity.
Professor Caitlin Byrne is a Fellow of the Australian Institute for International Affairs (AIIA) and Faculty Fellow of the University of Southern California's Centre for Public Diplomacy (CPD). Caitlin's research is focused on Australian diplomacy with a special interest in influence and engagement in the Asia-Pacific region. Her most recent research projects explore the roles of leadership, strategic narrative, and public diplomacy in Australia's regional diplomatic efforts.
Caitlin brings expertise in executive education and currently delivers training on soft power and public diplomacy and international policy and tradecraft through Australia's Diplomatic Academy in Canberra. She consults on occasion to government in the areas of strategic foreign policy and diplomatic practice. She is also a member of the Australian Government's Sports Diplomacy Advisory Council, and sits on the international advisory board of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia (IRIC) and the national reference group of ACICIS Study Indonesia.
Professor Byrne currently holds the title of Director, Griffith Asia Institute. Prior to joining academia, Caitlin established a professional career spanning strategic management, legal, foreign, and social policy roles in government, business, and community sectors.
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2019 - Emily Pugin
Second Secretary, Australian Embassy and Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Vienna
Emily Pugin is a descendant of the Kombumerri people of the Gold Coast. She graduated from Bond University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of International Relations. Prior to joining the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT), she was an intern at the Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva. She also has professional legal experience having clerked at MBA Lawyers and Allens Arthur Robinson Lawyers in the area of environment law.
As an Australian diplomat in Vienna, Emily has a range of multilateral and bilateral responsibilities to advance Australia’s interests. Emily’s primary responsibility is to manage Australia’s engagement with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) where she negotiates international drugs policy. Emily also represents Australia at the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which covers a range of global security issues including politico-military, economic, environmental, and human rights matters.
On the bilateral side, Emily manages Australia’s relationships with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Slovakia. Emily’s former position at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra was lead negotiator for capacity building and indigenous issues at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). She was part of the Australian delegation to negotiate the Paris Agreement on climate change and its implementation. Additionally, Emily managed a significant international development portfolio supporting climate change adaptation and mitigation projects across the Indo-Pacific and Africa.
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2018 - Ambassador Christopher Lamb
Special Adviser, Australian Red Cross - 'The Power of Humanity'
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)Christopher Lamb is a former Australian ambassador and is now Special Adviser to the Australian Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). He also has advisory responsibilities with many Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) National Societies, business groups, and universities. He is President of the Australia Myanmar Institute and holds positions with several NGOs and foundations.
As Special Adviser on International Relations for the IFRC until his retirement in June 2010, he was responsible for the diplomatic positioning of the IFRC and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in the international intergovernmental and non-governmental communities. He coordinated the development of IFRC positions in various humanitarian and political fields, supporting the work of the National Societies in these respects through the development of the IFRC’s policy on humanitarian diplomacy.
Before joining IFRC in 2000, he was an Australian diplomat and ambassador to Myanmar, Serbia, Romania, and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, after serving in several multilateral and bilateral posts and as foreign ministry legal adviser.
Professional highlights include:
- Diplomat and DFAT public servant for 32 years
- Australian Ambassador to Myanmar (Burma)
- Australian Ambassador to Former Yugoslavia, Romania, and Macedonia
- Legal adviser, DFAT
- Special Advisor on International Relations to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
- Special Advisor to the Australian Red Cross
- Special Advisor to IFRC
- President, Australia Myanmar Institute
- Lecturer on Humanitarian Diplomacy with the Diplofoundation
- Honorary Associate Professor, University of Melbourne
In describing his role as advisor to the Red Cross, Chris once simplified the job description: “I give them advice for whatever they ask for, and whatever I think that they need to receive, so I give a lot of unrequested advice when I think they need it.”
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2017 - Keiko Yanai
Consul-General of Japan, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ms Keiko Yanai, Consul-General of Japan, assumed her post in Brisbane in June 2017. After joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1988, she held various positions specialising in treaty negotiations and multilateral affairs focusing on disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and conventional weapons. Ms Yanai attended various United Nations conferences including the UN General Assembly First Committee and Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference and its Preparatory Committees.
Her overseas diplomatic postings have included the Netherlands, Singapore, and the USA, and she also served for three years at the Delegation of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Switzerland. Ms Yanai also served as the atomic energy specialist in the Cabinet Office from 2011 to 2013.