There are two opposing theses about It91裸聊视频檚 a place that shows the true power of words, where leaders inspire action with rousing speeches on the urgent issues of our times; or it91裸聊视频檚 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 wasn91裸聊视频檛 just drama, like whether Ukrainian President in the presence of Russia91裸聊视频檚 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 weren91裸聊视频檛 formally laid out in the U.N.91裸聊视频檚 founding document 91裸聊视频� 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 that91裸聊视频檚 advanced in behind-the-scenes interactions.

91裸聊视频淧eople expect governance but that91裸聊视频檚 not really what the U.N. does,91裸聊视频� she said. The General Assembly, she said, actually 91裸聊视频渙vershadows what the U.N. does well.91裸聊视频�

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, 91裸聊视频渨e were all on Zoom, of course 91裸聊视频� it actually served an enormously important function,91裸聊视频� in communicating with the small island nations where Waitt does much of its work, said executive director Kathryn Mengerink.

However, real life is not 91裸聊视频渉ow we engage when we91裸聊视频檙e in a box on a screen,91裸聊视频� she said, from midtown Manhattan, where she was engaging in the sort of in-person communication that she called essential to her group91裸聊视频檚 work.

Scott Hamilton, a former State Department official who has worked in Cuba, among other locations, described how the pandemic hurt diplomacy because 91裸聊视频渇ace-to-face, you can build trust and comfort between people.91裸聊视频�

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 91裸聊视频� the four other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council 91裸聊视频� did not attend.

United Nations officials say it91裸聊视频檚 a mistake to confuse in-person attendance, particularly by national leaders, as a referendum on the meeting91裸聊视频檚 importance.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e fully aware that there are competing demands on heads of states, domestic demands,91裸聊视频� said St茅phane Dujarric, spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Ant贸nio Guterres. 91裸聊视频淪o, we91裸聊视频檙e not taking it personally.91裸聊视频�

Even without a president or a prime minister in town, delegations still get work done 91裸聊视频� and the in-person contact helps set the agenda for the year ahead.

91裸聊视频淭he really hard work is what happens the rest of the year,91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淭echnology provides a facility to carry those (interactions) without personal contact, but it91裸聊视频檚 inferior to personal contact,91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频減rovides a critical mass that allows you to do all the things that you would prefer to do in person,91裸聊视频� Rathke said.

91裸聊视频淵ou can exchange papers all day and have video calls,91裸聊视频� Hamilton echoes, 91裸聊视频渂ut it91裸聊视频檚 all about doing what diplomats are supposed to do: It91裸聊视频檚 easy to understand people91裸聊视频檚 positions by exchanging papers but it91裸聊视频檚 more important to understand people91裸聊视频檚 interests.91裸聊视频�