Guest Speakers & Advisors

RijnMUN 2024 Board of Advisors

Big thank you to Ms. Sophie Auton, Mr. Chris Ellison, Georgie Hekkleman, Monika Jaceva, Ruben Naud Fernandez, Daan de Klein, and Leandro Rinaldo for providing their invaluable feedback throughout the journey of organizing RijnMUN.

We are also extremely grateful for the enthusiastic support of Mr. Hekkleman, Mrs. van Langen for in hosting an MUN conference at Het Rijnlands Lyceum Oegstgeest.

Lastly, we extend special thanks to Hidde van der Ligt, who gave us so much guidance from his experiences as the Secretary General of COMUN 2024. With him, we learned the ways of how an MUN Board of Director operates and without his help we would have had struggled so much more throughout our whole organisation process.

RijnMUN 2024 Guest Speakers

We are proud to announce that RijnMUN 2024 will be having the honour of hosting experts as guest speakers during the conference. More guest speakers will be released soon.

Celine Vandenbussche

Keynote Speaker, Opening Ceremony

Céline Vandenbussche

Associate Legal Officer, ICC Victims Participation and Reparations Section

Céline Vandenbussche has worked for the International Criminal Court in The Hague since 2005. In 2016, she joined the Legal Team for Victims Participation and Reparations Section, where she has contributed to the victims' participation in several significant cases, including those involving Al Mahdi, Mokom, Ongwen, and currently, Kony. A graduate of the University of Lille, Ms. Vandenbussche holds degrees in Law, History, History of Art, and Modern Literature. In her keynote 'Harmony in Healing: A Journey to Peace and Hope in Conflict-Torn Areas', Céline Vandenbussche will draw the attention on developing a victim-centered approach where victims and survivors are systematically involved in all stages.

Alex Krijger

Guest Speaker, First General Assembly

Alex Krijger

Founder and managing partner of Krijger & Partners

Alex Krijger studied History and International Relations at Leiden University and has previously worked at the Minstry of Defense, NL Christian-Democratic Party CDA and Royal Dutch Shell. Founder of Krijger & Partners, a network organization specialized in Government Affairs and Geopolitical Risk Management. Alex Krijger is also an author of five books and a writer for various Dutch national media.

Fleur Gräper

Guest Speaker, Third General Assembly

Fleur Gräper

State Secretary for Culture and Media

Fleur Gräper is a RLO alum that we are very proud to welcome back. She began her career in politics by serving on the Provincial Council of Groningen as a member of the D66 political party, including as a parliamentary leader. She became the council chairwoman in 2013, only to step down in 2015 to join the Provincial Executive Council of Groningen. From January to July 2024, she was appointed the State Secretary for education, culture, and science, making her the perfect speaker for our Third General Assembly.

Norman Atkins

Guest Speaker, Fourth General Assembly

Norman Atkins

Chief Air Transport Service in Logistics Division (UN Secretariat's Department of Operational Support)
Recipient of the NATO Meritorious Service Medal, NATO’s highest award in December 2005

Norman Atkins has served as a seconded Dutch military officer with the United Nations (UN) Secretariat in New-York and worked with both strategic and in-field levels on peacekeeping operations. He was on secondment in the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) in 2006 as the Team Leader for UN East Africa missions' strategic planning, and later in 2011 persued a UN civilian career in DPKO Office of Operations. Over the years, he has worked with operations in Sudan, Somalia, Chad, Central African Republic, Kosovo, Syria and Mali as well as leading the peacekeeping file on Liberia, Ivory Coast, Middle East, Georgia, and Kosovo at UNHQ levels.

Larissa Van Den Herik

Guest Speaker, Security Council

Larissa van den Herik

Professor Public International Law

Larissa van den Herik is professor of public international law at the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies at Leiden University. She is also part-time judge at the district court of The Hague, and a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (Dutch National Group). She is the series editor of the Cambridge Studies of International and Comparative Law and has edited the Research Handbook on UN Sanctions and International Law (Elgar, 2017). Her most recent book is The UN Security Council and the Maintenance of Peace in a Changing World (CUP, 2024)

Arushi Tangri

Guest Speaker, Human Rights Council

Arushi Tangri

Lawyer and Public Policy Professional

Arushi Tangri is a legal and policy expert with over seven years of international experience across Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. Holding a dual Master’s degree in Public Policy & Human Development with a specialization in Foreign Policy from United Nations University, The Netherlands, she has dedicated her career to advancing human rights for women, children, migrants, and refugees. Arushi's work includes leading community-driven initiatives and field missions with organizations like UNICEF, UNDP, and UNHCR. Passionate about creating impact, she is committed to gender inclusivity and sensitivity. In addition to her professional achievements, Arushi actively volunteers and teaches, contributing to the development of underprivileged communities and advocating for vulnerable populations.

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