There are two opposing theses about It香蕉视频直播檚 a place that shows the true power of words, where leaders inspire action with rousing speeches on the urgent issues of our times; or it香蕉视频直播檚 a talking shop, where leaders perform for domestic audiences with political rhetoric on the cause of the day.

These dueling viewpoints were tested when the shut down much in-person diplomacy for several years. After three years of virtual, then hybrid General Debates, the scores of top leaders who attended the annual U.N. summit this week exhibited the return of in-person diplomacy, and provided ammunition to those who advocate for its importance.

It wasn香蕉视频直播檛 just drama, like whether Ukrainian President in the presence of Russia香蕉视频直播檚 top diplomat (the two ultimately did not cross paths).

Many of the formal speeches delivered before the green stone in the General Assembly could have been performed straight to camera, with few other people in the room (and in 2020, they were). More than the speeches, at the heart of the annual meetings is the face-to-face interaction between leaders. And as important to day-to-day relations between countries is the face-to-face interaction between lower-level staff, shown this year as diplomatic delegations and non-governmental organizations packed the U.N. headquarters and hotels and meeting spaces nearby.

The diplomatic agreements worked out in informal interactions have been key to accomplishments that weren香蕉视频直播檛 formally laid out in the U.N.香蕉视频直播檚 founding document 香蕉视频直播� activities like peacekeeping in recent years and decolonization decades ago, said , a professor of political science and international relations at Adelphi University.

Much of the world looks at the General Assembly like a world government body, she said, and ignores the less high-profile work that香蕉视频直播檚 advanced in behind-the-scenes interactions.

香蕉视频直播淧eople expect governance but that香蕉视频直播檚 not really what the U.N. does,香蕉视频直播� she said. The General Assembly, she said, actually 香蕉视频直播渙vershadows what the U.N. does well.香蕉视频直播�

Side meetings on themes running from to peace were taking place throughout the week. In-person relations are as important, if not more so, for non-governmental organizations with stakes in the outcomes, attendees said.

The La Jolla, California-based works on ocean conservation and during the pandemic, 香蕉视频直播渨e were all on Zoom, of course 香蕉视频直播� it actually served an enormously important function,香蕉视频直播� in communicating with the small island nations where Waitt does much of its work, said executive director Kathryn Mengerink.

However, real life is not 香蕉视频直播渉ow we engage when we香蕉视频直播檙e in a box on a screen,香蕉视频直播� she said, from midtown Manhattan, where she was engaging in the sort of in-person communication that she called essential to her group香蕉视频直播檚 work.

Scott Hamilton, a former State Department official who has worked in Cuba, among other locations, described how the pandemic hurt diplomacy because 香蕉视频直播渇ace-to-face, you can build trust and comfort between people.香蕉视频直播�

Despite the more robust attendance, this year did see some notable absences: With the exception of U.S. President Joe Biden, the leaders of China, France, Russia and the United Kingdom 香蕉视频直播� the four other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council 香蕉视频直播� did not attend.

United Nations officials say it香蕉视频直播檚 a mistake to confuse in-person attendance, particularly by national leaders, as a referendum on the meeting香蕉视频直播檚 importance.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e fully aware that there are competing demands on heads of states, domestic demands,香蕉视频直播� said St茅phane Dujarric, spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Ant贸nio Guterres. 香蕉视频直播淪o, we香蕉视频直播檙e not taking it personally.香蕉视频直播�

Even without a president or a prime minister in town, delegations still get work done 香蕉视频直播� and the in-person contact helps set the agenda for the year ahead.

香蕉视频直播淭he really hard work is what happens the rest of the year,香蕉视频直播� Laatikainen said.

Many at the General Assembly, and those observing it closely from afar, declined to discuss the substance of negotiations that may never ultimately come to fruition. But they said that the 2023 summit underscored how essential it was to meet in person again, providing an invaluable way to interact that was more confidential and efficient than virtual communications.

香蕉视频直播淭echnology provides a facility to carry those (interactions) without personal contact, but it香蕉视频直播檚 inferior to personal contact,香蕉视频直播� said Jeff Rathke, president of the at Johns Hopkins University and a retired State Department official who focused mainly on U.S. relations with Europe..

But the General Assembly week 香蕉视频直播減rovides a critical mass that allows you to do all the things that you would prefer to do in person,香蕉视频直播� Rathke said.

香蕉视频直播淵ou can exchange papers all day and have video calls,香蕉视频直播� Hamilton echoes, 香蕉视频直播渂ut it香蕉视频直播檚 all about doing what diplomats are supposed to do: It香蕉视频直播檚 easy to understand people香蕉视频直播檚 positions by exchanging papers but it香蕉视频直播檚 more important to understand people香蕉视频直播檚 interests.香蕉视频直播�