Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, has appointed the 13 members of SEVENTEEN as UNESCO’s inaugural Goodwill Ambassadors for Youth. In conjunction with this appointment, SEVENTEEN and UNESCO announced the launch of “Going Together – For Youth Creativity and Well-Being,” an ambitious global grant program aimed at supporting youth projects worldwide. SEVENTEEN has pledged $1 million to fund this initiative.
“This group has become a symbol for millions of young people around the world, to whom we transmit positive energy and the spirit of leadership. UNESCO, as the United Nations organization for Culture and Education, is delighted to join forces with SEVENTEEN to give young people the means to express themselves and to take action to rise to this century’s major challenges,” stated Audrey Azoulay.
Expressing gratitude, JOSHUA, one of SEVENTEEN’s members, said, “We are grateful to be recognized for our consistent effort and longstanding passion to contribute to youth worldwide. 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.”
The Global Youth Grant Scheme by UNESCO and SEVENTEEN will support youth-led initiatives addressing challenges affecting the well-being and development of young people and their communities. This program will particularly emphasize projects in music, the arts, and sports, providing support to project leaders aged 18 to 30 from diverse backgrounds and regions.
In their role as Goodwill Ambassadors, SEVENTEEN will participate in UNESCO’s awareness campaigns and events, promoting UNESCO’s values and actions during their performances. In November 2023, the group attended the 13th UNESCO Youth Forum, delivering a speech and performing live for the first time in France, an event that garnered over 40 million online video views.
