SEVENTEEN today attended a nomination ceremony and delivered an inspiring speech at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris to officially assume their role as UNESCO’s first-ever Goodwill Ambassador for Youth.
During the ceremony, SEVENTEEN highlighted the importance of the strong companionship that brought them to where they stand today and encouraged the dreams of young people worldwide. SEVENTEEN’s heartfelt message resonated deeply with the audience who joined the ceremony either in-person or via live stream on UNESCO’s official YouTube channel.
“We are grateful to be recognized for our consistent effort and longstanding passion to contribute to youth worldwide,” said JOSHUA, on behalf of SEVENTEEN. “As the Ambassador for Youth, we will spread the power of companionship and contribute to building supportive youth communities for the better future we envision.”
“We know that our dreams don’t stand alone and now, to give back what we’ve received from all of you, we are determined to use our voice to create a global youth community made stronger through mutual love and support,” he added.
Prior to the ceremony, SEVENTEEN joined UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay for a bilateral meeting to discuss the roadmap of their partnership, including the development of joint programs for youth and the group’s participation in future UNESCO events.
“We are delighted to join forces with our new and first Goodwill Ambassador for Youth, the iconic K-pop group SEVENTEEN, capable of uplifting and inspiring young people worldwide. SEVENTEEN and UNESCO together will support youth-led projects in the fields of creativity and well-being worldwide, helping young people from all backgrounds to successfully support their communities in particular through music, arts and sport,” said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO.
As part of their ambassadorship, SEVENTEEN will donate 1 million USD to the joint Global Youth Grant Scheme with UNESCO, opening a new chapter of the group’s ‘#GoingTogether’ global campaign. The joint Scheme will fund youth-led initiatives to build and support positive youth communities around the world.
As Goodwill Ambassador for Youth, the 13-member act will focus on making a lasting difference in the lives of young people around the world and promoting UNESCO’s values and mandate.
About SEVENTEEN
SEVENTEEN—comprised of S.COUPS, JEONGHAN, JOSHUA, JUN, HOSHI, WONWOO, WOOZI, THE 8, MINGYU, DK, SEUNGKWAN, VERNON and DINO—have rocketed to the forefront of the music scene fueled by a fiercely independent spirit and a nonpareil in-house creative ecosystem. The 13-piece act’s innovative structure hinges on the interplay of three units: hip-hop, vocal, and performance. The creative powerhouse closed out 2022 as the first K-pop act to win PUSH Performance of the Year at MTV Video Music Awards as well as Best New and Best Push at MTV European Music Awards before reaching new heights. In 2023, 10th Mini Album FML and 11th Mini Album SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN both debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and No.1 on World Albums chart, proceeding to become the top 2 best-selling albums in K-pop history. Having placed the group on top of the Billboard Artist 100, FML was further recognized as the biggest-selling global album of 2023 by IFPI with over 6.2 million copies sold worldwide. The K-pop icon will continue to expand their global reach in 2024, returning to Europe with upcoming performances at Glastonbury Festival and Lollapalooza Berlin.
