Although government decisions it makes are not legally binding, meetings at the summit can set the orders of the day for crucial UN Security Council actions down the line.
Over the course of the week, more than 100 heads of state are expected to join the talks, with special representatives and foreign ministers filling in for those who can't make the trip.
Several new faces will be making their UNGA debut — most notably
US President Donald Trump, who is a long-standing, outspoken critic of the UN.
Trump to take ‘America First' agenda to the UN
Craziest moments at the United Nations