SEVENTEEN Appointed First-Ever UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Youth

South Korean band SEVENTEEN has added another milestone to their long list of accomplishments after UNESCO announced on Tuesday that the 13-man K-pop band will be appointed as the international group’s Goodwill Ambassador for Youth by UNESCO general director Audrey Azoulay at a June 26 ceremony at the organization’s Paris headquarters.

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,” Azoulay said in a statement. “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.”

The appointment comes after SEVENTEEN participated in the 13th UNESCO Youth Forum in Paris in November.

During the event, the band talked about the importance of young people pursuing their dreams at the first-ever session at the forum dedicated to a musical artist. 

More than 1,300 people from 194 member states attended the event, including 170 youth delegates. 

UNESCO — short for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization — is a specialized United Nations agency that works to promote, “world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture.”

In addition to their speech about positivity and hope, the band also performed a medley of their hits, including “_WORLD,” “Darl+ing,” “Headliner,” “God of Music”, and “Together.”

In 2022, SEVENTEEN also launched the #GoingTogether initiative with the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, establishing new educational centers in Timor-Leste and educational aid to Malawi. 

According to the statement, by working as Goodwill Ambassador For Youth, the group will commit to “putting their talent and voice at the service of the Organization’s values and mandate.”

At the June 26 ceremony, the band will unveil their SEVENTEEN x UNESCO partnership, which will be dedicated to supporting youth projects around the globe. 

The ceremony will be livestreamed on UNESCO’s YouTube channel.