Nepali Prime Minister Balen Brings Trademark Sunglasses to UN General Assembly
Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah addressed the UN General Assembly, wearing his trademark sunglasses and demanding climate relief funds for developing nations.
When Balendra Shah stepped up to the podium at the UN General Assembly on Thursday, the audience in New York was perhaps surprised by his unconventional appearance, but for the people of Nepal, it was a completely familiar sight. The 36-year-old prime minister, known in his country simply as "Balen", addressed world leaders wearing his trademark dark suit, traditional black Nepali cap, and dark sunglasses that never leave his eyes.
From Undergound Rapper to Prime Minister
Shah came to New York to use his speech to demand that the international community establish relief funds for developing nations paying the heaviest price for global warming. His country was the most prominent example of this last year, when a glacier collapse and subsequent flooding caused more than 5,000 deaths and missing persons last month, most of whom have still not been found. "The climate crisis knows no borders," he warned from the podium, calling the floods in Nepal "a warning sign to the whole world."
For Shah, the sunglasses are much more than a fashion statement; they form the core of a carefully constructed political image. He began wearing them during his days as a young rapper in Nepal's underground hip-hop scene, where he gained a loyal following through protest songs and fierce rap battles. In 2022, he stunned the political establishment when he was elected mayor of the capital, Kathmandu.
The climate crisis knows no borders, and the floods in Nepal are a warning sign to the whole world.
Political Image and Public Relations
This popularity paved Balen's path to the prime ministership earlier this year. After a youth-led uprising led to the overthrow of the government, Shah led his new party to a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections held in March. Since taking office, he has appeared in dark glasses everywhere: in parliament, at state ceremonies, military parades, and even in his official portrait.
According to an investigation published in July by the Kathmandu Post, Shah makes sure to keep his glasses on in front of the cameras and in meetings with foreign ambassadors, but removes them during cabinet meetings and closed discussions. His unique style has spawned numerous imitation products across the country, cementing his status as a political outsider.
