20 September 2016. New York City.

On September 20th, the General Debate at the 71st UN General Assembly officially kicked off. Follow me as I take you along on my journey at the UNGA!

10:30 AM, ECOSOC Hallway
I make my way up to the 2nd Floor to meet with the CTBTO Delegation. I walk to the beige-colored hallway that leads into the ECOSOC Chamber. The walls are lined with ancient Oriental artifacts: gold vases, wooden ships, and bronze swords. I spot a few chairs at the end of the hallway, so I head over to sit down. As I’m sitting down, I notice the older man sitting next to me has a stern expression on his face. He’s completely absorbed in his phone, shoulders hunched as he swipes up on the screen, scrolling down an endless newsfeed. I decide to strike up a conversation with him, and he starts telling me about his work as a Minister of Labor in Southeast Asia. I ask him about his career progression, nodding along as he explains his transition from domestic politics to international affairs. As soon as he finishes explaining, I see Diana walk up. Delighted, I stand up to give her a hug! I thank the minister for his time, and Diana and I walk out together, heading towards the General Assembly Hall.
As we get closer to the GA Hall, we see an enormous crowd of men in suits gathered around the entrance. We find out that President Obama is giving his speech to the General Assembly, so the security guards have barred the entrance into the hall. Standing there, I am impressed by the sheer volume of diplomats who are waiting to see him walk out. Many of them are streaming his speech on their phones as they wait. It’s beautiful to see so many international leaders are gathered in one spot, tuned in to a single frequency, doing their best to tackle problems that seem insurmountable. They know that if they work together, they will be able to find reasonable solutions. Seeing so many diplomats gathered here illustrates the amount of respect that President Obama has garnered from the international community.
Diana suggests we move over to the flag area to get a better view of the President when he walks out. I walk down to the end of the hall, waiting patiently as a throng of security guards start coming through the crowd. Please step back,” they say as they clear a path for the President’s delegation. Standing at the end of the hall, I see a steady stream of men and women in black suits start to file out of the General Assembly Hall. They pass in front of me. All of a sudden, he appears. Time slows to a crawl, and my mind starts whirring at a frantic pace. He looks so calm, so collected, so at ease! I shift my weight onto the ball of my foot. I step forward a smile stretching across my face as I make eye contact with him. “President Obama, thank you so much,” I say as I reach out my hand. Without missing a step, he shakes my hand and replies, “How are you? Nice to see you!” He smiles and continues walking, as I stand there, smiling after him. WOW!

11:30 AM, General Assembly Hall
I head back to meet with Diana and Kirstie. I see Dr. Zerbo waiting with her, and I thank him for providing me with this opportunity. Bernardo whisks him away to a meeting, and Diana and I go into the General Assembly Hall to listen to the General Debate. The CTBTO has its own table on the far right side of the hall. I follow Diana into the hall, my eyes wide with wonder. I sit down behind her, and stay glued to that seat for the next five hours, listening to world leaders delivering their speeches.

“Las Naciones Unidas nos enseña un horizonte de paz. Somos protagonistas en nuestro camino, trabajando juntos con nuestros vecinos en desafíos comunes.”
-Mauricio Macri, Presidente de Argentina

Every single one of those speeches hone in on a key theme: transformation through collaboration. The official theme of the General Debate is “The Sustainable Development Goals: a universal push to transform our world.” The most remarkable part, however, is the focus that each leader demonstrates as he or she identifies concrete paths for collaboration. François Hollande speaks of the immense progress the international community has made towards the Paris Agreement’s entry into force. The Swiss President encourages young people to build up a better world by using digital tools to engage their local communities. Theresa May recalls that “unity breeds influence”.

“The United Nations shows us a horizon of peace. In our journey towards that horizon, we are protagonists, working together with our neighbors in our common challenges.”
-Mauricio Macri, President of Argentina

2:30 PM, General Assembly Hall
Justin Trudeau’s speech is quite impactful. He garners a rousing round of applause when he explains how Canada has found strength in its diversity. He calls on young people to: 1) focus on what brings us together, 2) focus our energy around common goals, and 3) create shared commitments that help us glean strength from our diversity. Folks, we have an exciting opportunity ahead. We are an incredibly diverse collection of individuals, and each one of you has a special set of skills. I am thrilled to be part of this group with you, because I’m constantly energized by your dedication to be an advocate for the CTBT. Every day I wake up, I’m thinking about how awesome it is to be working alongside folks on different continents. Even though we are spread out across the world, we are united in our unceasing desire to see the CTBT’s entry into force.

You have a very special role in the coming months. We have eighty-seven days left to build on the momentum of the CTBT’s 20th Anniversary. Let’s harness these eighty-seven days to make a lasting impact. Let’s go out there and show the world what we can do when we stand together. I’m excited to see how you will shape that impact.

Thanks for following along on my journey at the UNGA! It’s a privilege to share my stories with you, and I've attached a few pictures.
Picture #1: Kirstie and I next to the #UNGA sign at the UN Plaza.
Picture #2: President Obama as he walks out from his final speech at the General Assembly.
Picture #3: Listening to Justin Trudeau from the CTBTO table.
Picture #4: Standing next to the CTBTO table inside the GA Hall.

I’ll keep posting updates as the week progresses, so I’ll talk to you soon!