A large part of my internship consists of attending meetings/seminars/forums at the UN HQ or at other designated locations in the area. These events cover topics like nuclear arms testing, the culture of peace, human rights, civil society and democracy, religious freedom, etc. A lot of it is very interesting; some of it is incredibly long winded and sleep inducing. After having spent a few weeks in this environment, I have mixed feelings. On the one hand it’s tremendously exciting to breathe the same air as distinguished diplomats and NGO workers who have been in the thick of it and are in great part responsible for setting the global political agenda. I won’t lie and say that I don’t ever want to work here. I want the power suit, I want the badge, I want the status.
On the other hand, it’s pretty ridiculous. And what I mean is, while it’s necessary and meaningful to discuss these important issues that impact people all over the world, so much of it is merely the importance of being important. Granted, the panelists who speak on the topics are often not career diplomats and they have dedicated their lives to advocating for a certain issue or people group. This part of the forum is often quite interesting to listen to. But then the member state delegates start taking turns reading their prepared speeches and the majority of the content is just politically digestible soundbites that are void of sincerity or any actual bite. When the delegate from Qatar touts the importance of upholding human rights, or the Russian delegate says that his country is committed to full nuclear disarmament, or the American representative praises the role of the media in promoting peace, one wants to just roll one’s eyes and say My God, do these people have no sense of irony?
I acknowledge that it is necessary to gather and exchange ideas in a neutral setting so that we are aware of what is happening in the world of development and diplomacy and so that we can be reminded of what we should be doing. There are so many organizations, working groups, committees and coalitions that it is hard to keep tabs on everything that goes on. Case in point, I’m learning to navigate the endless list of UN organizations and their acronyms. I defy you to know what all of these stand for without googling: WFP, WHO, UNHCR, UNDESA, UNICEF, UNEP, UNFPA, UNDP, ILO, IMO, IFAD, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ITU, UPU, WBG, WIPO, WMO, ECOSOC…..But I digress.
Here’s the issue: Words are being spoken but nothing is being said. Or what is being said has already been said a thousand times. When does the status quo actually get challenged by actions instead of words? The United Nations doesn’t have that much power. It can’t legislate, it can only make suggestions. And the only UN body that actually has any power (the Security Council) is more often than not paralyzed because its members don’t get along. The system is broken. It’s dysfunctional. So the only thing it can do is organize meetings and seminars and forums that gather the organizations and the working groups and the committees and the coalitions to talk about things that have already been discussed and that every informed person already knows.
So. It is clear to me that what is truly important in the world of diplomacy is the importance of being important. The hierarchy, the bureaucracy, the verbose job titles all serve to prop up the egos of the insecure, the comfortable, and the (sometimes) inept.
There. I’m done spewing.
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