UN General Assembly 2024: The biggest [comms] event of the fall

A Report from the Curley Company by Kate Urbach and Abby Wright

The 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will open on Tuesday, September 10. Bringing together world leaders, top executives of global businesses and leaders across international, nonprofit, cultural and societal organizations, UNGA provides a unique opportunity to shape solutions for the world’s most pressing challenges – and to communicate your organization’s role in them. In a year when nearly half the world’s population is heading to the polls, the upcoming session promises to take on greater importance than ever and underscore the need to address challenges ranging from climate change to poverty and global health.

Based on the Curley team’s previous experience attending multiple UNGA events, here are the tried-and-true best practices communications experts should follow to make the most of this year’s convening for their leaders and organizations:

Set your strategy well in advance. Start by defining your goals and target audiences. Are you hosting your own event and making an announcement to break through the media clutter, or are you leveraging the opportunity to make connections and spot trends? Having a clear vision of success will help you identify the opportunities that are worth your time.

As you define your own goals, be sure to do your homework to explore the key topics being discussed and identify areas where your organization’s messaging may complement – or diverge – from conversations underway. This year’s conversations will tackle topics including rising sea levels, nuclear weapons and combatting the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. These topics will not only come into play on the ground, but they will drive media discussions in the days leading up to, during and following the event. Consider both opportunities to lend your expertise and possible reputational risks.

• Ask yourself:
  • What are you trying to achieve, and who are you trying to reach?
  • What conversations are ongoing, and where are you uniquely positioned to add expertise, perspective or investment?
  • Which opportunities may help enhance you or your organization’s reputation and unlock new growth opportunities?
  • What are the potential risks or considerations to engaging your organization?

Plan to change the plan. Amid the many conferences and bilateral meetings, UNGA is also a place to rub shoulders with influential leaders in the hallways, receptions and dinner parties. As well planned as your approach may be, it is essential for your executives to be flexible in their approach to seize opportunities that might arise organically. Like other major events, UNGA can be hectic, but it can also be incredibly rewarding and worthwhile if done right.

• Ask yourself:
  • Are you ready with an “elevator speech” or a quick ask if you meet an important target unexpectedly?
  • Have you developed a contingency plan if events change or meetings shift?

Continue the momentum after the event. It’s easy to focus on the event itself and forget that one of the most important parts of the process is the follow up. After the event, don’t forget to check in with anyone you met or had meaningful conversations with. Send them a brief email thanking them for their time and reminding them of anything that was discussed at the event that could be beneficial for both parties. With careful planning and preparation, leaders can make sure they maximize every opportunity presented by these events and get the most out of their experience, continuing to fuel a healthy communications engine and growth pipeline.

• Ask yourself:
  • How will you keep track of engagements at UNGA to ensure proper follow up?
  • Have you prepared a post-event follow-up plan to ensure your leader is tracking conversations and knows how to relay key outcomes and next steps?

To receive recommendations about how to make the most out of thought leadership engagements at events like UNGA, including how you or your company can thoughtfully and authentically engage, reach out to Kate Urbach at email hidden; JavaScript is required and Abby Wright at email hidden; JavaScript is required.