Have you ever wondered to yourself, "There is so much going on! How can countries come together to figure out the world's problems?" If you've had this thought, it's a good bet your students have as well, especially during times of conflict and uncertainty.
Whether in the context of regulating AI or addressing ongoing conflicts like the one in the Gaza Strip, the idea that the world's leaders could work together to find and implement solutions is inspiring.
So while two weeks of meetings in New York might not scream "pay attention" for your students, once they know what the UN General Assembly is, they might actually want to learn about it.
In this blog post, we cover why the occasion of the UN General Assembly is a teachable moment, for three main reasons:
- It discusses the issues your students care about.
- It shows that governments can work together.
- It also highlights the flaws in our existing system.
Incorporating lessons and highlights from this year’s UN General Assembly can help you teach complex issues in the classroom, from climate to conflict, and to do so with real-time examples of how the world’s leaders are working with and against each other to do so.
Teaching About the UN General Assembly
The General Assembly is the only universally representative body of the United Nations. It was created to discuss, debate, and make recommendations on subjects pertaining to international peace and security. Every September, the Assembly gathers for what’s known as a general debate in the organization’s New York headquarters.
Use this resource to teach about the UN General Assembly as a whole, including what its membership looks like.
Addressing Important International Issues at the UN General Assembly
The UN General Assembly has historically discussed hot topics; this year will be no exception.
Conflict: The General Assembly will resume a debate that began in July, called the High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution. Want to teach your students about the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Use this historical timeline.
Artificial Intelligence: AI affects everyone and poses new challenges for governments and institutions like the United Nations. At the UN General Assembly, an informal meeting will launch the Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance, where leaders from government and technology-related fields will discuss key AI governance challenges.
In addition to the question of regulation, the General Assembly also has to contend with how AI influences government and the possibility of it eroding democracy. Use this resource to spark discussion on this topic in your classroom.
Climate Change: To try and accelerate international efforts to achieve a low-carbon future, the UN Secretary-General is hosting a special High-Level Event on Climate Action so leaders can present their new climate action commitments, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Want to teach your students more about NDCs and how international agreements are helping fight global warming? This resource, which includes a short video, can help.
Teaching that Governments Can Work Together
In addition to covering issues that interest students, the UN General Assembly is a great opportunity to teach about international cooperation. As the most broadly representative organ of the United Nations, the General Assembly epitomizes the principle of international cooperation that the UN was founded on.
Through the United Nations, countries have cooperated to establish some of the basic and universal principles many of us now take for granted.
For example, on December 10th, 1948, just three years after the creation of the United Nations, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), turning human rights from an ideal into international law. Not only did the UDHR introduce the idea that the treatment of people inside each country is a concern for all countries, but it also established a common standard for countries to incorporate into their domestic laws.
The UN General Assembly has also spurred countries to cooperatively articulate a vision for a better future. A recent key achievement of the UNGA was the creation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the latest broadly agreed-upon approach to global development that supports countries' collaboration to set goals and measure progress.
This year’s UNGA will include a meeting called the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Moment, where world leaders will "reflect on the progress made on the SDGs and share their strategic insights." The event will also include a multi-stakeholder panel to convene changemakers and thought leaders to inspire accelerated action and targeted investments. If you and your students are interested in learning more about the existing SDGs, this resource offers a helpful breakdown of the goals and progress made so far!
The Challenges of International Cooperation at the UN General Assembly
Just as the Sustainable Development Goals are a great example of international cooperation, they also explain why working together is difficult. As the 2025 report shows, SDGs have "improved millions of lives, but the current pace of change is insufficient to fully achieve all the Goals by 2030." The Sustainable Development Goals are not legally binding, and therefore implementation relies on countries’ policies and plans.
This is not dissimilar to concerns about the UN General Assembly itself, as many UN experts and leading donor nations believe the assembly needs improvement. Efforts to revitalize the assembly’s work focus on increasing its power, making the appointment of United Nations executives more transparent, and improving the quality of debate within the body.
The UN Security Council, the organization’s most powerful body responsible for maintaining international peace and security, which can issue sanctions and even authorize military force, represents an ongoing point of contention. Learn more about the UNSC and how its veto rules have prevented the institution from acting in many politically charged crises. Then try out this simulation in your class so your students can see why the discussion of reform is so fraught.
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Updates and expert commentary about the UN General Assembly, as well as recorded events from world leaders, can be found at the Council on Foreign Relations website.