ALL TOGETHER NOW: WE ARE THE WORLD

NEVER BEFORE IN HISTORY HAS THERE BEEN A gathering like it. This week leaders from most of the countries in the world convene to celebrate the United Nations' 50th anniversary. The proceedings began on Sunday when 191 leaders and other officials--representing enemies, allies and everything in between--stood side by side to pose for a photograph. Bill Clinton was there in the front row, with U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali on his left and Jiang Zemin of China on his right. Relations between the U.S. and China may be strained, but Clinton and Jiang chatted animatedly during the session. Boris Yeltsin was also in the front row (two places to the right of Clinton), standing to the left of France's new conservative President Jacques Chirac. A pair of paleocommunist and postcommunist leaders could be found in the third row from the front, where Fidel Castro (fifth from right), in a business suit rather than his customary fatigues, loomed over Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic to his right. In the fifth row, Yasser Arafat (just below the "50" banner) was placed near Yitzhak Rabin of Israel--Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, on Arafat's left, separated them. To Rabin's right was Tomiichi Murayama, the Prime Minister of Japan. Nelson Mandela (second row, second from left) wore dark glasses. One of the tiniest countries in the world, San Marino, was represented by two Presidents, Pier Natalino Mularoni and Marino Venturini, who stood in the second row behind Yeltsin.

As anyone who has ever taken a group photo knows, getting everybody to behave can be extremely difficult. Given the number of people in this picture and their status, the chances for contentiousness and delays seemed high. In fact, it all went smoothly. Demonstrating patience and mutual respect, the subjects admirably reflected the principles of the organization they were honoring. After a few practice shots, the photographer yelled "Ready!" and flipped over a huge gold disk with a smile painted on it in black. Everyone laughed, and the moment was caught.