TILIP Class of 2021

Anna Luisa Araujo
Anna Luisa holds a bachelor’s in International Relations from PUC Minas. She was part of the Brazilian delegation on EPIIC’s 2020 and she thought it was an amazing experience. She believes that the rising power of China can have many consequences in the Brazilian political and economic environment, and that is why she is excited to be part of this year’s symposium. During the EPIIC symposium, she looks forward to engaging in significant discussion on China and the current world order.

Marianna Carvalho de Oliveira
Marianna Carvalho de Oliveira is a sophomore from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Currently, she is studying International Relations at PUC Minas University, and works as an intern at International Business Chamber of Brazil. She is interested in foreign trade, international business and also Asian affairs. After she graduates, Marianna hopes to study abroad majoring in international relations with a concentration in International Business.

Maria Eduarda Diniz
Maria Eduarda Diniz is from Belém, Pará. She is a double major in International Relation, at the University of Amazon, and Law, at Estacio FAP. Her interests are in International Law, Gender studies, Brazilian and Global Diplomacy, and International Security. Her interest in China is related to the role she intends to achieve, as a diplomat, and her understanding of China's continuously growing importance in the modern world.

Thaís Gambôa
Thaís Gambôa is studying Law at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, she wants to work with International Law after graduation, specifically international organizations. Also, she is keen on learning new languages and about new cultures, one of them being China and its importance in the modern world.

Felipe Guida Gouveia
Felipe Guida Gouveia is currently the Executive Director of the young Exporter Institute, coordinating projects and international partnerships which aims to internationalize companies and take delegations of entrepreneurs to meet new markets. He is also the Director of Communication and Institutional Relations at the National Federation of International Relations Students (FENERI). He works at the second largest professional cosmetics industry in Brazil and loves to participate on volunteer projects with elderly and children such as AIESEC where he participated on OGV and IGV. He has a bachelor’s degree in International Relations with focus on business, from Potiguar University. Currently, he lives at Natal, Brazil.

Julia Lange Ramirez
Julia Lange Ramirez is currently finishing her undergraduate studies in Economics and International Relations at UFMG (Federal University of Minas Gerais) and is deeply interested in learning more about Asia - especially China. Her main areas of interest are International Political Economy, Technology - the 5G and Human Development.

Gabriela Marques de Freitas Melo
Gabriela Marques de Freitas Melo is from Recife – PE, northeast of Brazil. She is an undergraduate student at University of São Paulo Law School. Currently, she works as a volunteer essay writing tutor at her School’s free pre-college preparatory course. She is very interested in Foreign Policy, Human Rights and International Law, and considers China’s impact as a key point to understand these aspects. Gabriela’s dream is to work for the United Nations.

Ayana Odara
Ayana Odara is from Belo Horizonte. She is a Public Management student at the Federal University of Minas Gerais. Ayana's interests are related to research and public policies from an international perspective. She believes that learning more about China is an important path to follow during this period that we are living in.

Sabrina Santos Pinto
Sabrina Santos Pinto is currently a Master's student in International Relations at the University of San Martin, in Argentina. Graduated in International Relations from PUC Minas and also from the terrorism and counter-terrorism course at Georgetown University, USA. She has written several articles on transnational terrorism, some of which are presented at international events. Her interest in China stems from the current technological issue and the relevance of China in this scenario.

Luana Sion Li
Luana Sion Li is an undergraduate student at the University of São Paulo Law School. In spite of being born in Brazil, her family is from Guangdong, China. Due to her deep connection with both cultures, she wants to study the Brazil-China relations under a critical yet cooperative perspective. She is currently a research intern at the Center for Analysis of Liberty and Authoritarianism (LAUT).

Ali Shahan Butt
Ali Shahan Butt is a third-year undergraduate student of Political Science and Sociology at the University of Alberta. Growing up as an Ahmadi Muslim, Ali witnessed first-hand the persecution and ostracizing of his people, with his own grandfather being imprisoned solely based on religious convictions. To this day, this acts as his motivation to seek ways in which to establish peace and justice for future generations across the world. Ali has served under various leadership and decision-making bodies across Canada, particularly alongside Canada's largest Muslim youth group, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association. Having been awarded, as well as featured and published in various news outlets for his peacebuilding involvements, Ali continues to try his level-best to make valuable contributions within and without his community. He is excited to be a part of this conference and for the opportunity to learn from his peers from across the globe. Ali is interested in pursuing law school in hopes to be able to do his little part in making the world a better place for everyone to live.

Aonan He
Aonan He is an undergraduate student majoring in English Literature and Political Science at the University of Alberta. She was born and raised in China. Her interest in International Relations first began when she was invited to participate in the International Debate Tournament in Boston in 2016. After numerous model UN experiences at the international level, she decided to pursue international relations as a career. In 2020, she spent a semester at Universidad de Oriente de Cuba researching Cuban politics and gender studies. At the University of Alberta, she is actively engaged in governance and community service, serving as a Board member of the University Appeal Board and representative of the international student advisory committee. She is eager to participate in this year’s EPIIC and to build long-lasting relationships with other participants and scholars.

Georgia Grace Englot
Georgia Englot is in her third year of an undergraduate Bachelor of Arts program, majoring in political science and doing a double minor in international studies and creative writing. Georgia was a French media spokesperson for her local school and global strikes for climate action. She has volunteered with initiatives to encourage students to vote and with a youth restorative action program. Last summer she was the Administrative and Outreach assistant for the North Albertan chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, where she worked on public outreach on social media and events. Last year she represented Saudi Arabia on the United Nations Environmental Assembly at the National Model United Nations conference in New York. She is currently an editor for her school's Political Science Undergraduate Review. Georgia's main areas of interest are international relations and human rights.

Alexander Ramrattan
Alexander Ramrattan is a third-year undergraduate student in Honors Political Science with an emphasis on International Relations and Political Economy at the University of Alberta. Throughout his undergraduate career Alexander has focused on geopolitics and the political economy of emerging economies specifically the BRIC nations. Alexander is fluent in both English and French and is currently teaching himself Russian. Alexander is engaged in Canadian politics at both the provincial and national level and has aided in managing a campaign at the provincial level and holds a board position in his electoral district for one of Canada’s federal parties. In his free time Alexander enjoys reading books on a wide variety of topics, playing soccer, hiking and white-water kayaking. Alexander looks forward to engaging with people from all around the globe and benefitting from their perspectives on various issues. After graduation Alexander wants to pursue a career in diplomacy and foreign relations.

Haohuan Cai
Haohuan is currently a freshman of PKU majoring in English language and literature. Being young and naïve, he wishes to meet new friends and sincerely learn from fellow delegates during EPIIC. He has a zest for cross-culture communication and is eager to share with delegates around the globe his understanding of China. As a MUN lover, he has participated BIMUN several times as Out Standing Delegate and Best Diplomacy, he has been the DAIS member of FDUIMUN2020 and the academic director of CPPUMUN. He was also the delegate of China-Africa Youth Roundtable on Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation. He likes singing, travelling and is fond of photography and English literature.

Yuli Chen
Yuli is an undergraduate student majoring in International Politics (International Political Economy) in her senior year at Peking University, while also pursuing a master’s degree in International Development at the Graduate Institute of Geneva at the same time. She has developed a strong interest in China’s participation in global governance issues, through her wide range experiences in cross-cultural communication, including tutoring non-Chinese master’s candidates in sinology on the Foreign Relations of China, serving grassroots NGOs of China, Israel and America, holding summer camps for kids in Kyrgyzstan, and studying as a foreigner in Switzerland. Apart from her specialization in Environment, Resources and Sustainability, she is also keen on Education and Migration. In her spare time, Yuli has great passion for travel, gym, gastronomy, and museums. Also, a native speaker of Mandarin, Yuli speaks English and some French. She looks forward to contributing to the discussion at EPIIC.

Ao Li
Li Ao is currently a sophomore in Peking University, majoring in International Politics. She feels it meaningful and fruitful in exploring further and deeper in her major. By reflecting upon the complexity of international relationships, not only does she gained more objective insights into the position of her own country, but she also understands more of the significance of peace and is sparked to start small to make the world a better place. As a member of Yan-Fu Project, which features the research-oriented training program in Peking University, she has broadened her horizon and thinking modes in a multi-disciplinary and debate-welcome context, encouraging her to think critically and express freely, as well as promoting her receptivity of diverse voices. Meanwhile, through various activities and programs such as the 2020 online summer program on the United Nations and Global Challenges hosted by IHEID, the Graduate Institute Geneva, and WFUNA’s 2020 Global UN Spotlight Program, her knowledge about UN and the globe expands, which also supports her with an abundant corpus to understand more about China. Li Ao feels honored to take part in the high-standard symposium of Tufts University and is looking forward to deriving inspirational insights via communicating with excellent peers and eminent scholars.

Jianzhang Lu
Jianzhang is currently a third-year undergrad majoring in International Studies at Peking University. Having spent 2 years of his childhood in Manhattan, New York, he has an immense interest in discovering more about the global community and wishes to take up a future academic path focusing on East Asia’s complex and intriguing international relations. He has also been an active member of Peking University’s international social clubs, namely SICA and Asian International Model United Nations, with an experience of designing and directing a model UN committee. He has also participated as a delegate in JING Forum 2018, an academic platform linking Peking University and the University of Tokyo. He has completed studying at Waseda University’s School of Political Science and Economics for a double-degree program. At the same time, he is devoted to volunteer activities and holds a passionate love for giving speeches - having volunteered as a tutor at Beijing’s Dandelion School for migrant workers’ children and having won First Place in Beijing’s English Speech Contest for University Students. Jianzhang believes mutual understanding is vital in the age of globalization and has a keen interest regarding nationalism in East Asian countries. He is very excited to discuss with fellow excellent representatives of EPIIC at Tufts.

Xuelai Li
Xuelai (Sally) Li is a senior at Peking University majoring in Finance and minoring in Computer Science. She has completed internships across consulting, banking and sales & trading before finally confirming her interest in research. Having gained solid academic background through exchange semester at the University of Hong Kong within the Department of Mathematics and a summer session at Columbia University, she started her academic road by cooperating with professors in different fields. Sally has prior experience in international trade, political economy, institutional theory as well as public policy. She was selected as the participant of Stanford UGVR program and did summer research there. In the future, Sally would like to shed light on how institutions and the political climate affect entrepreneurial activities. Outside the classroom, Sally is engaged in a variety of international communication activities and plays an important role in them. She enjoys making friends with people from different backgrounds and exchanging views about the world. She has been to more than 15 countries and is going to explore more in the future. Sally is excited to be a part of EPIIC and hopes to have a rewarding experience there.

Jasmine Lo
Jasmine Lo is a first-year student at School of International Studies, Peking University. She has a great interest in international relations, which drives her to actively engage in debating and Model UN. She joined Asian International Model United Nations in 2020 and was awarded Honourable Mention in N-GEN, a youth summit for environmental negotiation. Furthermore, Jasmine interned at Friends of the Earth (HK) and the Office of Abraham Shek, J.P. Member of LegCo in HK. She also loves literature and will be performing two plays in 2021. She seeks to communicate with people around the world and appreciate different cultures.

Yanjun Ni
Yanjun Ni is currently in his second year of Master of Finance program and has already received a Bachelor of Law degree in June 2019. Yanjun is determined to pursue a career in investment banking or private equity and has interned in related institutions as JD.com, PingAn Capital and Goetzpartners, during which he gained a lot of insight into China’s e-commerce industry and new economy. Yanjun also has great interest in social issues because of his undergraduate major, philosophy, politics and economics, from which he studied systematically economic theory both in micro and macro levels and classical political philosophy theory from Plato to Rousseau. Furthermore, he tried to understand and form his own explanation for the growth miracle of China and effectiveness of its current political systems. Driven by his curiosity for different culture and social condition in other countries, Yanjun has engaged in multiple international communication programs, most of which consist of in-depth discussion with peers from multicultural backgrounds. He initiated discussion on Competition and Social Justice with Japanese students in JING Forum, and coordinated the project of InterACT, a corporate-governance research program sitting Chinese and French students from PKU and MINES ParisTech at the same table. In his spare time, he is really addicted to all kinds of literature, including classic novel, drama, and movies.

Wen Wen
Wen Wen is a senior undergraduate majoring in sociology, and she is also pursuing a dual degree in economics. She is among the honors program for young academics in social sciences, the Yan-Fu Project, through which she encountered and has developed friendship with excellent peers from different disciplines. She never contents herself with single specific discipline, instead, she takes pleasure in combining the wisdom of sociology, economics, psychology, history and political science. She believes that social phenomena are interrelated with each other and need comprehensive study, especially in contemporary China. Wen’ past 2 years of undergraduate school life was packed with classical social theory tomes as well as intense empirical research training. She has developed skills of both quantitative social statistics and qualitative field study. Joining PKU’s delegation to this splendid high-end international symposium is an incredible and electrifying experience for her. She is looking forward to working with and learning from all the superb delegates. Working hard on her dream to a top graduate school, she will continue to advance her academic thinking, communication and presentation abilities.

Huiwen Zheng
Huiwen is currently a first-year undergraduate student majoring in English Language and Literature at Peking University. Coming from a family of multiple cultures, including Korean ethnic minority and Chinese nationality, she has always been interested in communicating with people from diverse cultural backgrounds and planning to make her future academic path as a student double major in international relationships and international law related fields. She has also actively participated in multitudinous clubs in Peking University, such as SICA and Asian International Model United Nations, receiving the award Best Delegate in N-GEN (a collaborative Model United Nations conference held by WWF and AIMUN) and best delegation in ASEAN Youth Symposium. She is also a staff of OVAL (Our Vision for Asian Leadership) Case department, a student-run international business organization with joint endeavors from top universities students in China, Japan, Korea. At the same time, she has immense interest in bridging the gap between global communication and thus has been actively engaged in the tutor program for foreign students in Peking University. Apart from that, she is also devoted to volunteering and is recruited as one of the staffs in 7 Cups Global Translation Team (From English to Chinese). She utilizes her language proficiency to promote the popularization of mental health therapy from 7 Cups. With the flexibility to perform outstandingly and persistently in both bilingual and competitive environments, she is committed to promoting the communication between different cultures, while looking forward to the discussion on international relations field with other excellent peers!

Yanyijie Zhou
Yanyijie is currently a junior student at Yuanpei College, majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. She is taking a wide range of courses in economics, political science, and sociology. Her research interests are focused on state elites and belief networks. She is part of Peking University's honors program for young academics in social sciences, namely the Yanfu Project, in which she is trained in both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. She is also an undergraduate research assistant at the Research Center for Contemporary China, where she worked on a cross-national study of health insurance systems. She is now honing her skills in econometrics and programming to serve her research interests. As the secretary-general of Peking University Model United Nations Association, Yanyijie has developed an interest in public affairs and sustainable development issues. In 2020, she undertakes a four-month internship at UNDP China office, assisting two major SDG localization programs in Shanghai and Guilin. In 2019, she attended the Asian Future Political Leaders' Association (AFPLA) annual forum as a representative of Peking University, where she discussed key topics, including immigration, nationalism and their consequences with students from Tokyo University and Seoul University. She is passionate and energetic in all aspects of her life and is open to new ideas. Yanyijie is excited to be a part of EPIIC and hopes to engage in in-depth discussions.

Zoe Angelakopoulou
Born and raised in Greece, Zoe Angelakopoulou is an undergraduate student at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens majoring in Political Science and Public Administration where she is specializing in International and European Studies. During her studies she has developed a keen interest in international political economy and trade, International crisis management and the structure of global governance under the aspect of international law. Thanks to her internship in the National Diplomatic Office of the Presidency, she had the opportunity to familiarize with the diplomatic tasks and matters. Zoe has also participated in several simulations of United Nations and she was selected to attend the summer school of 2021 in public International law organized by the Hague Academy of international law. She is in the last year of her undergraduate program and she is currently researching the bilateral and regional relations in the Mediterranean and the current situation of Turkey’s economy. Apart from studies she engages herself in history of classical music, musical morphology and she is a 10-years classical guitarist. She considers TILIP as a vibrant experience to get acquainted with students from other countries and rend this cross-cultural experience into a long-lasting friendship.

Ioannis Chouliaras
Ioannis Chouliaras is currently an undergraduate student at the Department of International and European Studies of the University of Piraeus. He is also a researcher at the Institute of International Relations in Athens, with a focus on Russia and other post-Soviet countries, Southeastern Europe and the Middle East and North Africa. His interests lie mainly in great-power relations, Russian and Turkish foreign policy, nuclear deterrence and issues of ethnic identity and separatism. He also participates in the Institute's working group on international relations theory and political philosophy. He has conducted internships in the embassies of Greece in the United Kingdom and Bulgaria and has participated in international diplomacy simulations, such as Model United Nations, in Greece and abroad. He speaks English and is currently learning Russian. Ioannis intends to pursue a career in the field of diplomacy in the future, either as a diplomat or as an expert, with the hope of contributing to the management and resolution of national, as well as international issues. He hopes that participating in TILIP will offer him new insights and perspectives on important international matters and also allow for engagement and exchange of views with a broad and diverse group of people.

Maria Drakopoulou
Maria is a graduate of the Department of Political Science and International Relations of the University of Peloponnese, majoring in international relations. In the fourth year of studies, she is focused on a case study in China. She also completed her dissertation entitled "The importance of China's initiative for the establishment of the modern silk road for maritime transport and for Greece", which was a contributing factor in gaining valuable understanding of the Socio-Economic and global political implications of China’s growth. Additionally, at the same time she was completing an internship at the Port authority, combining maritime data she gathered with her analysis to better contribute to the future of her work. Maria, as an International Relations graduate, believes that diplomatic relations and international balances are simply implications from economic growth and political influences. This led her to pursue a master’s degree in International Politics, Security and Risk which she looks forward to commencing in the following year. Helping her to enrich her knowledge about China’s increasing global role and Greece’s positioning in the immediate future, whilst building on the historical commercial relationship between the two countries.

Stamatina Georgele
Stamatina (Matilda) is an aspiring, conscientious and motivated undergraduate student of International Relations at Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences in Athens (Greece) with a demonstrated history of participating in world renown conferences and seminars, such as but not limited to : Harvard World MUN Conference in Madrid organized by Harvard University, FWW MUN Conference in New York organized by the UN, European Youth Debate in Milan organized by Bocconi University, selected member of the Greek Youth Parliament . She is skilled in Public Speaking, Debate and Diplomacy, with a great experience in professional article writing. Adept in communication in four languages, Greek, English, French, Chinese. She has obtained the position of the former intern at the Permanent Representation of Greece to the EU in Brussels with a focus on the European Council and the European Commission, and currently is pursuing her internship at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Also, her interests in geopolitics, global and maritime security and Chinese grand strategy motivated her to enhance her knowledge and understanding on these topics by becoming a researcher at the Institute of International Relations on Defensive and Strategic Issues with a focus on Chinese Naval Strategy. Her passion about international relations and law was recognized as she was selected by one of the best Law Schools worldwide: Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne to pursue successfully an Erasmus semester with a focus on international law and political science. Also, she is certified by Harvard University on the online course: China’s Political and Intellectual Foundations. Stamatina (Matilda) is honored and eager to participate in this year’s symposium and is looking forward to engaging in fruitful debate, exchange knowledge and ideas and meet open minded individuals from all around the world.

Myrsini Kalliontzi
Myrsini is a senior undergraduate in International, European and Area Studies at Panteion University, in Athens. She was born and raised in Greece, but has also lived in New York City, US, as well as travelled to many different countries and experienced different cultures. She has participated in the European Security & Defense College's Common Module on Maritime Security, focusing on the South China Sea Region and in a High-Level Course held in Greece, in which she had the chance to participate alongside high-level officials of the Government from many European countries. She used to be a researcher at the Institute of International Relations. Myrsini is passionate about strategic studies, emerging technologies in warfare, but above all, she is fascinated by intelligence, which is the field of work she plans to get in. Joining TILIP 2021, she hopes to grasp a better understanding of the topics at hand and communicate her ideas to her peers.

Despoina Mokou
Despoina is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the department of International, European, and Area Studies at Panteion University of Athens, Greece. She has a keen interest in international relations and law, protection of human rights, international conflicts and diplomacy. She is an Intern Researcher at the Institute of International Relations in Greece in the Sector of Euro-Atlantic studies and she does her own research for Middle East issues. She speaks Greek, English and French. She has participated in several conferences and workshops both as a speaker and as an attendant. From the very first year of her studies, she has attended international student events such as Models of United Nations that have took place in Greece, representing countries members of NATO and OSCE on topics concerning NATO’s strengthening of the Eastern Flank and its future expansions, and on situations in and around Eastern Ukraine. Another highlight during her studies was her representation for the undergraduate department at the Annual Conference of the Hellenic Society of International Law and International Relations in 2019, with a written intervention on the topic of Palestine as a new challenge to resolve. Despoina as a student of international studies, considers it very important to participate in such programs as the EPIIC Symposium that examine the subjects we study in our discipline and she thinks that her participation will help her to be developed as a person and acquire new skills, collaborate and meet new people, professors and students from various fields and universities with same interests, and in combination with all these.

Loukas Papavasileiou
Loukas is a senior undergraduate student at Panteion University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in International and European Affairs. His academic research primarily focuses on foreign policy, international security and grand strategy. Being passionate about the aforementioned fields, he spent seven months working as an intern at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gaining invaluable insight into bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. Afterwards, he worked as a political analyst at the Embassy of Greece in the United Kingdom. This unique experience helped him to develop a straightforward approach to problem solving and acquire a range of workplace skills, while dealing with some of the most challenging developments in world affairs. Being an active member and researcher of the Student Association for International Affairs, he was able to further delve into the uncharted geopolitical terrain of the 21st century and raise awareness of global politics. This was done chiefly through his scientific essays that were published at the official website of the organization. In his free time, he enjoys travelling and playing tennis. Attending the 2021 edition of EPIIC would be a great opportunity for him to engage in meaningful discussions, share perspectives with fellow representatives and deepen his knowledge in a variety of serious global issues.

Evangelia Tsakiti
Evangelia Tsakiti is a senior year student of International, European and Area studies at Panteion University in Athens and a parallel student at Deree- The American College of Greece in the Department of International Tourism. She has received a Scholarship from Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center for her parallel studies at Deree. She has a keen interest in war studies, international conflicts and diplomacy. She is a researcher at the Institute of International Relations in the Sector of National and Transnational Crisis Management Group and in the sector of East Asia. From the very first year of her studies, she has participated in various conferences and simulations, representing States in several committees of the United Nations and regional International Organizations. She enjoys travelling and getting to know other cultures. Attending the 2021 edition of EPIIC, will be a great opportunity for her to bring her own perspective to the table on China’s growing role and foreign policy.

Vasilis Zivas
Vasilis Zivas is currently a senior undergraduate student of International Relations at the Panteion University, in his hometown, Athens. His academic interests revolve around Security Studies and International Political Theory. Additionally, coming from a Greek/Russian background, he has always been drawn towards Russian Studies. Over the past few years, Vasilis has been working at his family's art gallery. As of lately, due to the ongoing period of social distancing, he has been mainly focused on cooking, running, as well as studying more.

Patrick O’Grady Walshe
Patrick is a master’s student at Trinity College Dublin, currently an M.Phil. candidate in International Peace Studies. He finished his undergraduate studies with a degree in Business Studies and German from Trinity College Dublin, having also spent a year as an exchange student at the University of Innsbruck in Austria. While studying he worked for the German Irish Chamber of Industry and Commerce, a German state agency based in Dublin, using it as an opportunity to learn about bilateral relations and the realities of economic cooperation and integration within Europe. Patrick is particularly interested in international relations, humanitarian and development issues, diplomacy, and the changing position of the European Union within the international community. His current studies focus on the role of the UN, gender issues, security, and development in the context of conflict. By engaging with the diverse group of participants at the EPIIC Symposium, he hopes to challenge his understanding of, and gain a greater insight into, the growth of China’s global influence, and its relationship with other established and emerging powers.

Michelle Ijai Buky
Michelle Ijai Buky is currently a graduate student at United States International University, she is pursuing International relations, peace and conflict resolution. She has been a humanitarian journalist over the years and has been telling stories on peace and conflict resolution especially in Africa. She has worked on several documentaries bringing out the process of reconciliation among warring communities. In 2016, she volunteered at the WTO conference that was held in Nairobi Kenya. She was working with the media team and making sure that the information that was going to the public could be understood by everyone. She plans to be one of the best mediators when it comes to conflict and to be able to give the best solutions whenever necessary.

Waringa Hamtary
Waringa Hamtary is a senior student of International Relations at the United States International University-Africa, concentrating in development studies with a minor in Environmental studies. She is passionate about community development, environment, and youth empowerment and has taken part in community projects in her hometown while mobilizing youth to live sustainably through maintaining their environment. Waringa has participated in various forums and conferences which have widened her scope on a plethora of issues pertaining world systems and interactions among societies. She is an active member of the Young Diplomats Forum that has actively trained her leadership skills. Besides, as she considers volunteering an important aspect of personal growth, she has participated in the Biennial African Studies Association of Africa (ASAA) Conference. She sees EPIIC as a great platform to learn more especially in the field of sustainable growth and geopolitics, interact with people from diverse cultures as well as her ideas in order to cultivate a world of a shared experience. Waringa particularly enjoys classical and contemporary art, music and reading.

Karanja Mike Macharia
Karanja Mike is a senior at United States International University-Africa, in Kenya. Expecting a B.A in International Relations in 2021. His area of concentration is Development studies and minors in management. He is deeply passionate and highly interested in the interaction between economy and politics at the state level as well as within the wider international system, human rights and policy creation. As an International Relations student, Mike believes in the power of discussion to shape and understand reality. He is an active Young Diplomats Forum member on campus, constantly engaging and interacting with like-minded students from diverse cultural backgrounds to expand knowledge in international affairs. He has a soft spot for humanity and the local community and continues to engage in voluntary activities under the Red Cross society in the African spirit of Ubuntu - ‘I am because we are.’ He is a private licensed pilot who enjoys flying and photography. Mike is excited about being part of this year’s EPIIC program, looking forward to interacting and exchanging ideas with fellow students from across the globe and making new friends as well as expanding his knowledge on China among other global issues.

Kinyua Lewis
Kinyua Lewis is an undergraduate student of International Relations majoring in peace and security studies at United States International University – Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. He speaks English, Kiswahili, Kimeeru and has basic communication skills in French. From the very first year of his study, he has greatly valued participation in various conferences and simulations. A highlight during his study is the E-Global Youth Model United Nations organized by UNHCR that focused on the refugee challenge. He believes that such conferences present an opportunity to broaden one’s horizon on different cultures and also enhance their knowledge through experiential learning. He is a passionate young man who wants to serve the community; envisioning that Africa is headed to a great continent especially because of our rich culture and huge youthful population. Lewis is also a member of Edenkenya.org, an NGO which envisions transforming the livelihood of Africans by creating an environment for growth and development. He is eager to participate in the coming EPIIC colloquium.

Maureen Mark
Maureen Mark is an undergraduate student undertaking the Bachelor of International Studies and a minor in integrated studies at the United States International University-Africa. She is presently a senior working towards the completion of her bachelor’s degree. She is passionate about literature, music, art and the economic growth of the African continent. In her early years, she actively participated in the World Scholar’s Cup and emerged the top student in her senior division in her school. She has also been keen on actively engaging with persons who take a key interest in the empowering of the African woman and more so the elevation of the youth on addressing matters of concern within their various continents. She is looking forward to actively interacting with the global village that will be present at this year’s TILIP program. She is humbled by the opportunity to be a part of these global talks.

Carol K. Mutuku
Carol is a graduate from United States International University- Africa, class of 2017. She studied International Business. Administration- Marketing Concentration. During her studies. She was a work and study student at the Research Department where for a year. Then thereafter she did an internship at the Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel, September 2016 where she was a Sales Intern at their Business Development Department. Since graduating she has worked with Jamii Telecommunication Limited as a Sales agent and there after Hospitality (K) Consult as a Sales Account Executive. Currently she is studying a Master of Arts Degree in International Relations- Development studies at the United states International University and working for Advent Valuers Limited as a Coordination of Valuations and Property Management.

Zahra Rachael Muia
Zahra is an undergraduate student at the United States International University – Africa, currently in her senior year, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in International Relations with a concentration in Peace and Conflict Studies, along with a minor in Sociology. She believes that the one thing she knows, is that she knows nothing at all; quite a contentious statement pertaining to a field of study where knowledge is considered an asset. However, she highly advocates for more people to humble themselves, to let go of what they think they know and to open up their hearts and their minds in order to get the gratifying experience of seeing the world through different cultures and perspectives. She truly believes that through this, everyone will have a greater capacity to better understand their fellow human beings, and aid in the quest to foster a harmonious and peaceful global community, without the need to constantly resort to wars and confrontations that have so far left millions around the world displaced and distraught.

Mercy Wambui Munene
A resident of Kiambu County in Kenya and aged 24, Mercy Wambui Munene holds a Diploma in International Relations from Pioneer International University (PIU) and is current a student at the United States International University, Africa (USIU-A) pursuing an undergraduate course in International Relations. She is serving as the university’s Electoral Commissioner, where she is responsible for the running and supervision of students’ elections. She is also a volunteer core team member at the Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (CYNESA) with focal mandate on environmental policy negotiations through the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) through the UNEP Major Group for Children and Youth. Through this role, Mercy engaged actively during the Fourth Session of the United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA4) in March 2019. She also played an active lead role in coordinating the media coverage of the Second International Conference on Laudato Si’ held at the UN Office at Nairobi (UNON) in July 2019. Mercy is also among the CYNESA delegates in the negotiations of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Through PIU and USIU-A, Mercy participated in drafting possible resolutions on environmental issues under the UNEP Committee during the AfroMUN and SAIMUN General Assemblies. She is passionate about human relations through our various interactions.

Maria Bondareva
Maria is a fourth-year student at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), and she has been working as a PIR-Center intern since July 2020. She participated in the International UN Model, organized jointly by MGIMO University and ANUDI, Madrid in July 2020. She was an exchange student in Lisbon, Portugal for the autumn semester in 2019. Completed a course of German and Germany’s foreign policy in Göttingen, Germany in August 2019. Attended the Portuguese language and politics course in Coimbra, Portugal in June-July 2018. She is a recipient of the Russian Presidential Grand and Shodiev scholarship. Additionally, she speaks English, Portuguese, Spanish, German. Her research interests include the nuclear nonproliferation regime, the Iranian nuclear program. Maria advocates the ideas of women’s empowerment, universal justice, eradicating ignorance and poverty in the world.

Valeria Contreras Koob
Valeria Contreras Koob is a third-year student of the bachelor's degree in International Relations at MGIMO. She also studied political science at the Free University of Berlin as part of her exchange program. Her academic interests include the history of Brazil in the 1930s, Russia-EU relations, and German-Chinese and US-Chinese economic relations. Valeria believes that China, as fast developing economy, will change international relations between East and West and the contemporary world order as a whole. It is all the more interesting to observe the transformation of economic and political relations between European states, the United States and the People's Republic of China. Valeria is convinced that the program at Tufts University will provide an opportunity to study comprehensively the history of China, China's relations with other countries and their evolution. She is looking forward to discussing these issues with students from around the world and to talk about the expectations and prospects of Russia associated with the political and economic growth of China.

Ilias Galiullin
Ilias Galiullin is in his fourth year at MGIMO University, Russia where he is specializing in international relations and politics in East Asia. Last year he was elected the president of the Korean club, a university organization working to improve public awareness of Korean history, culture and modern-day politics. This incredible experience made him to want to be more involved in intercultural exchanges. Passionate about history since childhood, he also has a strong interest in geopolitics and international security. Ilias feels very concerned about security threats in Indo-Pacific region and wants to focus his research efforts on this direction. Attending the 2021 edition of EPIIC would be a great opportunity for him to exchange with other participants on the pressing issues of our time in an international environment. He is looking forward to bringing his own perspective to the table on various issues concerning conference’s agenda. In his free time, Ilias enjoys athletics and reading books about philosophy, as well as American and English literature. He is currently working on his Bachelor thesis focusing on the impact the trade war between China and the USA has on the Republic of Korea and its foreign policy.

Anatoly Shchyokin
Anatoly is from the city of Ryazan, Russia, and is currently a third- year MGIMO student at the faculty of International relations. Apart from English, he studies Italian and French and specializes in the European region. Anatoly is particularly interested in the issues of global and regional security and stability, as well as international humanitarian issues. He participates in conferences aimed at addressing these problems, such as the Moscow Youth Conference on International Security (MGIMO, 2019). Anatoly is convinced that problems we are facing today (from resolving regional conflicts to preventing human rights abuses) can be solved only if addressed all together by a wide community of states and organizations.

Margarita Shabanova
Margarita is a third-year student of Public Relations in Government Sector at Russian Presidential Academy, Moscow. She is currently doing an internship at Parliament of Russian Federation. Since 2016 she has participated in many social and commercial activities and multiple internship programs. Her passion to international affairs has started when she decided to participate in the Model of United Nations in 2016, where she represented Belgium. She is able to speak in four languages: Russian, English, French and Spanish. Apart her main studies she loves contemporary arts and works as a graphic designer under her own name – Mdesign. Margarita is passionate about world politics, human rights, philosophy and arts. She looks forward to participating at the EPIIC symposium and believes that it’s a great way to contribute to the world community by discussing current agenda and exchanging knowledge and experiences.

Elizaveta Nazarova
Elizaveta is a third-year Liberal Arts student at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, who majors in “Foreign Regional Studies and Political Economics Analysis” and minors in Economics. Her personal research interest concerns security issues in the East Asia as well as ROK-Japan trade relations. Elizaveta believes that since China is one of the main driving forces of the region's economic development, whatever topic is covered in the research, it is very likely to be associated with this country. That’s why she has studied the significant role of the Chinese factor in the crisis of the Korean Peninsula and analyzed the authoritarian tendencies in the Chinese political system under Xi Jinping. Knowledge of several languages (advanced English and Chinese, beginner Korean) helps her to explore these subjects in the international context. Elizaveta is a diligent and hard-working student who has studied for a year at the BFSU under the bilateral exchange program between China and Russia. After graduation she aims to enter a master program overseas by obtaining the KGSP and seeks every opportunity to broaden her knowledge horizon. In her free time, Elizaveta enjoys volunteering at the international events. At the EPIIC Symposium, she is looking forward to getting diverse views on the topic of her research interest, as well as to developing networking with the current and the future specialists in the region.

Maksim Nikitin
Maksim Nikitin is a third-year International politics student of the dual degree program with The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation jointly with the Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences and validated by the University of Manchester. Maksim has a fondness and great interest in Chinese culture; he has been studying Chinese for 5 years now. Maksim is an organizer of a Chinese club at the University; he is an active member of a student society. Currently being a third-year International politics student, he finds himself especially interested in studying political theory, international relations theory, nationalism, and identities. In this regard, he participated in the conference organized by the Moscow State University with a report on the rise of the Chinese nationalism discourse during COVID-19 pandemic in November 2020. Maksim believes that this Symposium is a chance to obtain unique, valuable, productive, and culturally interesting and, not to mention, challenging experience needed to reach a higher level of academic competence.

Olga Slesareva
Slesareva Olga is a third-year undergraduate student of Public Policy and Social Sciences at Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. She likes to do sports (she has an award for participation in the all-Russian sports movement), now she is mastering the art of video editing. She also likes to follow the political processes in the world, learn about the cultural characteristics of different countries. In the first year of university, she participated in an international economic conference with her scientific article on the topic ‘Economic relations between Russia and the Republic of Belarus’. In addition, she enjoys learning foreign languages: English and German. Participation in the international symposium is a very interesting event for her, which will give her the opportunity to meet outstanding specialists and provide experience for the further development of her social skills.

Vlada Manuylova
Vlada is currently a senior undergraduate student with a major in Foreign Regional Studies and minor in Journalism. She was born in a small town in the south of Russia and later moved to Moscow to get a higher education at Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. Having chosen to study the Chinese language three years ago, she has developed her interest in Chinese political and social situation. In 2019 Vlada had participated in a student internship at Hong Kong City University that inspired her to study the relations between the Mainland China and Hong Kong. As a convinced pacifist, she believes that not only military power and economic resources determine a country's role in international relations. Vlada claims that nowadays soft power and a possession of a large diaspora are crucially important in global cooperation. So, Chinese diasporas as the newest actors of international relations are the focus of her professional interest. Vlada is looking forward to her first participation in such a great event as an International Symposium. She hopes that its online format will bring some new possibilities how to meet and communicate with young researchers who are also passionate about studying China.

Rachel Tee Xin Yi
Rachel Tee is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Political Science at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and a minor in Community Development and Leadership. She has a deep interest in public administration and international relations and has thus interned in several government ministries in Singapore. Additionally, she is an avid volunteer, and has organised and led projects helping vulnerable groups such as the elderly and foreign migrant workers, and is currently assisting in equine therapy for persons with disabilities and conducting befriending at hospitals. Through participating in this symposium, she hopes to interact with international peers and experts to cultivate a wider perspective on global issues and gain insight on potential solutions that could be adopted to address these issues.

Faith Tammy Wong Jiaen
Faith is a second-year Pharmacy student minoring in Public Health at the National University of Singapore. Her interests lie in understanding how a country’s public health measures impact its underserved communities, and how these measures play a part in shaping global health diplomacy. She is the current president of the NUS Pharmaceutical Society, and oversees outreach and relations with university stakeholders and partner institutions. Outside of school, Faith also volunteers with the United Nations. She has previously served as the partnerships lead of one project, where she led a team of 27 international volunteers to secure logistics and medical supplies for rural communities in Cameroon. Faith hopes to be able to contribute a public health perspective to the conference, and is looking forward to interacting with everyone at the EPIIC Symposium.

Wong Weng Yek
Weng Yek is a second-year business student, and was selected to be offered the concurrent Master in Public Policy programme at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He would also be embarking on a 2-year extended exchange at the Guanghua School of Management at Peking University in China, reading for a BA in Management. He is Vice President (Entrepreneurship Education) in NUS' Entrepreneurship Society and a Project Lead at a pro-bono student consulting group, Thrive Social Consulting, under the ShARE programme whose philosophy is "Do Well Do Good". He is aware that the rise of China is an issue that many around the world are concerned about, but he is more worried that dialogue and cooperation are overtaken by ignorance and conflict. He thus hopes to contribute to the discussion by sharing the perspectives and approach of Singapore, his home country which has successfully managed relations with both China and the West, in the hopes that this will lead to peace and prosperity for all. He is honoured to join the Symposium and as he looks forward to making new friends, he wishes everyone good health and happiness, especially during this difficult time.