How many world leaders attend the UN General Assembly?
September 21, 2010 1:53 PM Subscribe
Typically, how many world leaders attend the UN General Assembly in Sept each year?
The UN general assembly starts on Wednesday and the streets around the east side of midtown, NYC has become a gridlock.
Is there a list of dignitaries or head of state attending the meeting available on the web? It sounds so cool that every year there are these many heads of states coming into NYC attending the meeting.
Do they all get to meet the president or the foreign secretary? Are these head of states welcomed at the airport by a senior cabinet member with the necessary pomp and circumstance?
Curious!
The UN general assembly starts on Wednesday and the streets around the east side of midtown, NYC has become a gridlock.
Is there a list of dignitaries or head of state attending the meeting available on the web? It sounds so cool that every year there are these many heads of states coming into NYC attending the meeting.
Do they all get to meet the president or the foreign secretary? Are these head of states welcomed at the airport by a senior cabinet member with the necessary pomp and circumstance?
Curious!
They are not making state visits to the United States, but to the United Nations, (which only happens to be headquartered in the US), so there is not the pomp of say, an arrival in Washington, DC.
The halls of the UN building - and especially the bar and restaurants - are packed full of world leaders and dignitaries in sweeping robes and military uniforms and Saville Row suits. It's quite a sight.
The US president usually hosts a reception or two and has several other diplomatic meetings with heads of state. Here is President Obama's schedule from last year, to give you an idea:
"On Tuesday, September 22, 2009, President Obama will deliver remarks at the United Nations Secretary Summit on Climate Change. President Obama will also deliver opening remarks at the Clinton Global Initiative The President will also host a lunch for heads of state and government from sub Saharan Africa. The luncheon will be followed by a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao.
On Wednesday, September 23, 2009, President Obama will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama. This will be President Obama’s first meeting with Prime Minister Hatoyma. Following will be President Obama’s first speech to the United Nations General Assembly (view archived U.N. meetings here). President Obama will also host a meeting with those heads of countries who contributed police and troops for the U.N. peacekeeping operations.
President Obama will also attend a lunch hosted by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon for heads of state and government. The luncheon will be followed by a meeting with Russian President Dmitiry Medvedev. The evening of September 23rd, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will host the traditional United States reception for visiting heads of state.
On Thursday, September 24, 2009, President Obama will chair a summit level meeting of the United Nations Security Council. The summit will focus on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation.
speak at the G-20 Pittsburgh Summit
On Friday, September 25, 2009, President Obama will participate in a number of sessions, as well as a lunch with G20 leaders. There will be a press conference late Friday afternoon. Friday evening, President Obama will return to the White House and spend the weekend in Washington D.C."
posted by CunningLinguist at 4:16 PM on September 21, 2010
The halls of the UN building - and especially the bar and restaurants - are packed full of world leaders and dignitaries in sweeping robes and military uniforms and Saville Row suits. It's quite a sight.
The US president usually hosts a reception or two and has several other diplomatic meetings with heads of state. Here is President Obama's schedule from last year, to give you an idea:
"On Tuesday, September 22, 2009, President Obama will deliver remarks at the United Nations Secretary Summit on Climate Change. President Obama will also deliver opening remarks at the Clinton Global Initiative The President will also host a lunch for heads of state and government from sub Saharan Africa. The luncheon will be followed by a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao.
On Wednesday, September 23, 2009, President Obama will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama. This will be President Obama’s first meeting with Prime Minister Hatoyma. Following will be President Obama’s first speech to the United Nations General Assembly (view archived U.N. meetings here). President Obama will also host a meeting with those heads of countries who contributed police and troops for the U.N. peacekeeping operations.
President Obama will also attend a lunch hosted by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon for heads of state and government. The luncheon will be followed by a meeting with Russian President Dmitiry Medvedev. The evening of September 23rd, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will host the traditional United States reception for visiting heads of state.
On Thursday, September 24, 2009, President Obama will chair a summit level meeting of the United Nations Security Council. The summit will focus on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation.
speak at the G-20 Pittsburgh Summit
On Friday, September 25, 2009, President Obama will participate in a number of sessions, as well as a lunch with G20 leaders. There will be a press conference late Friday afternoon. Friday evening, President Obama will return to the White House and spend the weekend in Washington D.C."
posted by CunningLinguist at 4:16 PM on September 21, 2010
Many, many heads of state attend every year -- and many Super Important People are there year-round with no fanfare whatsoever. There's simply too many of them to greet at the airports and whatnot, and if you do it for one, of course you have to do it for everyone, so it winds up being strangely business-as-usual with all these important people. And yes, they are not actually visiting America; they are on neutral ground in the UN Headquarters which happens to be located in America.
It sounds so cool that every year there are these many heads of states coming into NYC attending the meeting.
Really, it's more of a giant headache for everyone in the vicinity as streets are closed down and motorcades pass by. But that shows how jaded I've become -- I'd forgotten my excitement about the momentousness of the occasion. I got to attend three General Assemblies in a row a few years ago, and the first one was such a major excitement and amazement to me, and now I'm all like blah, blah, blah, lame traffic. Oh, for the wonder of fresh eyes!
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty at 5:31 PM on September 21, 2010
It sounds so cool that every year there are these many heads of states coming into NYC attending the meeting.
Really, it's more of a giant headache for everyone in the vicinity as streets are closed down and motorcades pass by. But that shows how jaded I've become -- I'd forgotten my excitement about the momentousness of the occasion. I got to attend three General Assemblies in a row a few years ago, and the first one was such a major excitement and amazement to me, and now I'm all like blah, blah, blah, lame traffic. Oh, for the wonder of fresh eyes!
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty at 5:31 PM on September 21, 2010
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posted by smackfu at 2:04 PM on September 21, 2010