Inside the U.N.'s gates, world leaders use the spotlight to talk — to each other and the entire planet. Outside, across New York City, civil society groups and large philanthropies take matters into their own hands at a swirl of cocktail parties, meetings and protests.
Nonprofit organizations send their senior leaders to the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly at significant expense to make sure their voices are heard in the right rooms. Activists come from around the world to try to influence the decisions of international politicians. Many staffers who keep NGOs running day-to-day gather to chart new paths forward.
