Globally popular K-pop band, SEVENTEEN, will be appointed as UNESCO’s Goodwill Ambassador for Youth by Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, on June 26 during a ceremony at the Organization’s Headquarters in Paris.
This appointment follows SEVENTEEN’s key participation in the 13th UNESCO Youth Forum in Paris in November 2023, where the group highlighted the importance of youth solidarity and action with a powerful speech and dynamic live performance before representatives from UNESCO’s 194 Member States, youth delegates from around the world and hundreds of fans.
“SEVENTEEN and UNESCO share the same commitment to empowering young people to drive change and address the challenges of our century. They continue to inspire and support young people around the world with their music and positive energy. Following several successful joint actions, I wanted our partnership to take on even greater strategic importance. On June 26, I will be delighted to welcome the 13 members of the group into the family of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors,” said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO.
In 2022, SEVENTEEN also launched the initiative ‘#GoingTogether’ in collaboration with the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, which helped establish new educational centres in Timor-Leste and provide educational aid in Malawi.
By becoming a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Youth, SEVENTEEN will commit to putting their talent and voice at the service of the Organization’s values and mandate. At the ceremony on 26 June, Audrey Azoulay will give them a roadmap to shine a spotlight on the challenges faced by young people and create opportunities for concrete change through UNESCO programmes. The group members will unveil the new SEVENTEEN x UNESCO partnership, dedicated to supporting youth projects around the globe.
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 the 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 6.4 million copies sold worldwide. The K-pop icon will continue to expand its global reach in 2024, returning to Europe with upcoming performances at Glastonbury Festival and Lollapalooza Berlin following their dedicated speech and performance session at the 2023 UNESCO Youth Forum in Paris.
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