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Do you think it is important that world leaders meet in person sometimes rather than online?

24 Comments
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24 Comments
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I personally think that world leaders should "LEAD" the way to online working and education which would solve a lot of problems.

-4 ( +9 / -13 )

in 2022 all of meetings can be done online.

dont need to use 18000 policemen in Tokyo.dont need waste piles of cash for costs of travel of VIP people/fuel.airplane cost,transport cost,security cost,food cost,accomofation cost/as results may be same/often none/.

save nature and enviroment and make meetings online.who is really interested about your fake smiles?

12 ( +15 / -3 )

Yes, of course, because you cannot say and communicate everything via those hackable and surveilled communication tools. And sometimes you even need to see the full face , hands or other body’s conscious and unconscious or unintended movement or reactions , or even sweats and smells , the chosen perfume, the fashion details and accessories maybe also carrying a message etc so much more I omit here, just to tell lies from truth in negotiations etc. which is all completely impossible if you only see a masked 320x240 pixel face of the counterparts on a computer or video phone monitor.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Yes - Of course. Whereas the actual business end of things can be handled by online communication - Personal relationships cannot and never will be forged without meeting in person and breaking bread. That goes for business at any level. Hes - the costs are large, no doubt - but it's a false economy to move everything online.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Eastman you already said all what I think!

Spending billions in security and not enable to have an online meeting, this is a joke!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

It is very important for them, to make secret deals to enrich themselves...

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Yes, but not because they're world leaders -- it's just important to meet people in real life and hopefully learn from each other.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Not if I have to pay for it.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

@smithinjapan : Spot on. You learn nothing about people from a video screen. And yes, it enriches everybody, not just conspiracies like some paranoid posters would have us believe. Social contact is the very backbone of society.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

World leaders should try to meet as often as possible, for one strong and existential reason; it might help them befriend and understand each other, which will make threats and wars less present in their plans and speeches.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Meeting in person works better in all walks of life. As much as I think many of the big summits are a waste of tie and money, bilateral meetings definitely have more value in person than on Zoom or whatever.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Global politics and diplomacy is the same as business. For people who already know each other, most things can get done online "by remote". But with people you have never met, meeting face to face is crucial. It's close to impossible to develop and secure an entirely new account/contract in many fields without meeting face to face. I assume Australian PM Albanese may be new to the other three leaders. Might be wrong.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Only if they allow us to do it without restrictions.

Otherwise, lock them up and throw away the keys.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Only if they allow us to do it without restrictions.

Otherwise, lock them up and throw away the keys.

If international leaders and diplomats were required to follow the same border and quarantine rules as everyone else's, most border restrictions would have been completely removed back in 2021.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Yes.

I'm not a world leader, but before the pandemic I used to have to go overseas to attend conferences and meetings in my line of work. When the pandemic started all of those started taking place on Zoom.

The Zoom version of these just plain sucks. Technically I can communicate information to recipients without having to travel, but you lose the chance to network and make new connections or friendships with people, and to build relationships of trust with them. These are really key to collaborating with those people on various projects and you just can't build that through online meetings.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Yes. Real communication cannot happen on Zoom/Teams. It works, but when things need to be as good as they can possibly be, like say international relations between countries, in-person meetings are a requirement.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Unfortunately, the taxpayers are shelling out for those expensive gifts and transport-not justifiable these days with the tech we have....

3 ( +4 / -1 )

No it’s a waste of taxpayer money by government officials.

1 trip could feed thousands of hungry people or provide shelter for homeless.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

“… meet in person sometimes”

For reasons mentioned above.

Even Trump, maybe because of rather than in spite of being a monstrous narcissist, met Kim Il Jung in person twice. And Kim meets nobody.

And it’s a good reason to ensure that our leaders do wear pants sometimes.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Yes, I feel that when leaders meet in person (face to face) it can help ease tensions between countries. For example, during the Cold War, Reagan, Nixon, Kennedy and other US presidents met with their Soviet counterparts despite both states having thousands of nukes aimed at each other.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

How world leaders meet to discuss issues isn't important - whether or not these issues are being resolved or reaching their goal is important. Sometimes, these in-person meetings are just for show.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Yes.

Relationships that include physical meetings, dinners and spending time together give a chance to better understand each other and allow friendships to develop that is otherwise unachievable with online only meetings. Especially with allies. You cant replace person to person meetings totally and expect the same outcomes.

If everything was done online then no need for embassies which would save money but puts your countrymen at a disadvantage if they need assistance for any reason while overseas.

Technically it could be done, but the outcome would be worse relationships. Like having a girlfriend/boyfriend long distance and never meeting, just all done online. It wouldn't work out long term.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It doesn't make a blind bit of difference because the whole thing is a sham anyway. Everything is decided before the meeting.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

No, not at all but lots of people seem to think that without travel and in person interaction conversations and agreements have less importance, still this seems wasteful and unncesseary.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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