(Paris) The K-pop group Seventeen, among the most popular in the world, will become a UNESCO “goodwill ambassador” on June 26, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization announced Tuesday .
“Seventeen and UNESCO share the same desire to give young people the means to lead change and meet the challenges of our century. They also inspire and support young people around the world with their music and positive energy,” commented the Director-General of UNESCO, Frenchwoman Audrey Azoulay.
“After several successful joint actions, I wanted our partnership to take on even greater strategic importance. On June 26, I will have the pleasure of welcoming the 13 members of the group to the family of UNESCO goodwill ambassadors,” she said in a press release.
Seventeen, a South Korean group founded in 2015 around thirteen young artists, was the second group to generate the most revenue in the world in 2023, behind superstar Taylor Swift, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.
Their songs have been listened to billions of times on the Spotify platform. Their single Don’t Wanna Cry has been viewed more than 275 million times on YouTube.
By becoming a goodwill ambassador during this ceremony planned in Paris, Seventeen “will commit to putting his talent and his voice at the service of the values and mandate of the organization”, indicated UNESCO, whose headquarters is in Paris.
During this event, “Audrey Azoulay will give (the group) a roadmap to highlight the challenges facing young people and create opportunities for concrete change through UNESCO programs.”
Seventeen performed in November 2023 in the large Parisian UNESCO auditorium, a cozy space that they transformed into a dancefloor. All 500 tickets for the event were sold out in less than an hour.
The Brazilian footballer Vinicius, the Spanish actress Rossi de Palma, the American actor Forest Whitaker and the Italian-Argentinian chef Mauro Colagreco are also UNESCO ambassadors.