110 leaders, 18,000 delegates: Inside the UN’s busiest week of high-stakes diplomacy

The busiest week of the year at the UN got underway at the organization’s New York Headquarters on Monday.

Over 110 Heads of State and Government were expected to converge on this seven-block parcel of international territory on the east side of midtown Manhattan.

On Tuesday photographers were on hand to record the arrival of global leaders on the first day of the General Debate, the centre-piece of what is known as High-Level week.

The debate – not really a debate at all, but a series of speeches by the 193 Member States of the UN – is officially opened by the President of the General Assembly.

Hundreds of dark SUVs with tinted windows ferried global leaders across Manhattan’s Midtown district – many headed towards the UN.

This was the final General Debate speech for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who steps down at the end of the year. He received a standing ovation from delegates from across the world.

The benefits and also the challenges raised by Artificial Intelligence or AI were a key theme of the week. Here young women attend a meeting on digital security.

Some 18,000 delegates were expected to attend the General Debate and the more than 160 other events that were timetabled during High-Level week, (although it’s unclear which were enjoyed by this young attendee). 

Originally published by UN News