BTS -- Special envoys of the U.N. speak out for the youth of the world

SCREEN CAPTURE

BTS at the United Nations Headquarters.

It was an unfamiliar stage for the K-pop super group BTS and nerves were evident.

“Every choice we make is the beginning of change, not the end,” said RM, the band's leader during a speech at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.

The 7-member group was in the General Assembly hall Monday to help promote U.N. goals for 2030 including ending extreme poverty, preserving the planet and achieving gender equality.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in introduced the pop stars as special presidential envoys and an “exceptionally outstanding group of young men who are connecting with the youth across the world.”

A U.N. video of the group's speech has been viewed more than 6 million times as of Monday afternoon.

“What is important are the choices we make when we are faced with change right? Some of you heard the news that we were coming to the UN and a lot of you were wondering whether we were vaccinated. And yes, all seven of us, of course, we received COVID-19 vaccination,” J Hope added.

Since its debut in 2013, BTS has garnered global recognition for its self-produced music and social activism, which also includes publicly calling out anti-Asian racism.

BTS helped kick off the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goal's Decade of Action  Monday.  

The U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals are a blueprint for fighting poverty and hunger, confronting the climate crisis, achieving gender equality and much more, within the next ten years. At a time of great uncertainty, the SDGs show the way forward to a strong recovery from COVID-19 and a better future for all on a safe and healthy planet.

The South Korean supergroup focused in how their generation felt lost last year during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic when graduations and other important events were cancelled. But they sent a message of encouragement to all people around the world.

"I hope we just don't consider the future as grim darkness. We have people concerned for the world and searching for answers. There are still many pages left in the story about us and I feel like we shouldn't talk like the ending has already been written", said Junkook.

They challenged the thought of their generation being “the covid lost generation” saying that it was “a stretch”.

"In these pictures, you can see there are kids that are trying to learn new things...They are not lost, they are finding new courage and taking on new challenges", said Jin.

"Instead of the lost generation, a more appropriate name would be the ‘welcome’ generation because instead of fearing change, this generation says "welcome" and keeps pushing ahead", explained Suga.

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