10 Unbelievable Facts About the UN General Assembly
From shoe-banging premiers and marathon 4-hour speeches to bazooka attacks, discover the wildest true moments from the world’s most powerful diplomatic stage.
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10 Unbelievable Facts About The UN General Assembly
10. Extraterritorial Global Island In NYCThe 18-acre Manhattan headquarters is legally sovereign international territory.
9. One Nation, One Vote EqualityEvery sovereign state holds identical voting power regardless of size.
8. Drawing Lots From A Wooden BoxThe Secretary-General draws one country name to set seating order.
7. Alpine Green Marble RostrumThe iconic speaker's podium is carved from rare Italian alpine marble.
6. Yasser Arafat's Holster Controversy (1974)The PLO leader arrived carrying an olive branch and gun holster.
5. The 1964 East River Bazooka AttackAnti-Castro militants fired a rocket at the UN during Che Guevara's speech.
4. The Religion-Free Room Of SilenceThe windowless chamber features a solid 6.5-ton block of Swedish iron ore.
3. Nikita Khrushchev's Shoe-Banging Fury (1960)The Soviet Premier banged his shoe on his desk during debate.
2. Complete Immunity And Sovereign ShieldLocal police and federal agents cannot legally enter without UN permission.
1. Fidel Castro's 4.5-Hour Marathon Speech (1960)The Cuban leader delivered the longest speech in UN General Assembly history.
